Roma vs Lille Prediction for 3 October 2025 - Football

🔊 In the second round of the Europa League, Lille are set for an away clash against one of the tournament's main favorites—Roma. The "Wolves" are adjusting to their new manager and are becoming an increasingly formidable force with each match. The "Dogs" have always had a knack for surprising with unexpected results: last season, they defeated both Real Madrid and Atletico. This season, Bruno Genesio's squad have been more surprising in a negative sense, although they don't seem like pushovers. How the "Red and Blues" will perform at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome is what we'll predict in our editorial analysis.

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams have never faced each other in official matches before.

Roma Team Overview

Gian Piero Gasperini's influence on his new team is becoming increasingly evident. Roma display organized defense and aren't known for high-scoring games. In Serie A, the Giallorossi have netted just five goals in five matches, yet this has been sufficient to secure four victories and place them among the top three. Conceding only one goal, the Romans comfortably lead the league in defensive standings. Gasperini maintained his style in the Europa League's first round. The Yellow and Reds comprehensively defeated Nice away, dominating possession (57% to 43%) and shots (12 to 7 overall, 4 to 2 on target). It was only towards the end of the match that they faced some nervous moments due to a penalty converted by the hosts. However, the final score favored the Wolves, 2-1.

Artem Dovbyk is beginning to find his form. At the start of the season, Gian Piero Gasperini kept the Ukrainian on the bench. But in the last two games, the forward has started, with the Italian tactician finding a formation that suits both him and the team's top scorer Matias Soule. This paid off against Verona, as both players found the back of the net. For Dovbyk, it was his first goal of the season, while the Rome academy graduate has tallied 2 goals and 1 assist in five Serie A matches.

Lille Team Overview

Bruno Génésio's side, despite losing some key players during the summer transfer window, have started the season in impressive fashion. The "Boxers" secured three wins and a draw in their first four Ligue 1 fixtures. However, their recent form has been less than stellar. Lille have suffered two defeats in their last three matches, against Lens and Lyon. Both losses seemed unjust given the circumstances. The "Red and Blues" dominated possession and registered more shots. Throughout the championship, their defense has struggled—conceding nine goals in six matches. Lille's goal remained unbreached in the first round of the Europa League, where they managed to outscore Norwegian side Brann (2-1).

The undisputed leader of the team is Olivier Giroud. After a two-year stint in MLS, the seasoned striker decided to return to Europe. He's proving that he can still compete at 39 years old. Olivier is the team's top scorer with two goals in Ligue 1 and one in the Europa League. Following him are two young talents: Matias Fernandez Pardo and Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, each with two goals in the league.

Latest news

Roma

📌 The trip to Nice turned particularly intense for Roma's supporters. Last Tuesday, over a hundred individuals were detained for participating in an unauthorized gathering and carrying weapons. Roma fans had iron rods and brass knuckles confiscated. It is alleged that the Italians were preparing for a clash with Nice supporters, but thanks to the intervention of security forces, any physical or material damage was averted.

❌ Paulo Dybala, the team's star player, remains sidelined due to a muscle injury. All other players have recovered from their knocks. Wesley, who missed the last two matches, returned to the starting lineup. Jan Zulkowski came on as a substitute—marking not only his first appearance since recovering from an injury but also his debut for the club.

Lille

🎙 The ageless Olivier Giroud continues to impress with his athletic prowess. In the first round of the Europa League, the striker scored a spectacular header against Brann, marking the 349th goal of his career. According to French broadcaster Canal+, Giroud's leap reached 250 cm, just six centimeters shy of Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable jump in December 2019 when he scored a header for Juventus against Sampdoria. This week, Olivier turned 39. On the eve of his birthday, journalists asked him about his plans for the coming year. The forward replied, "I'm going to keep doing what I've done throughout my career: scoring goals. Again, and again, and again."

❌ Lille are facing significant defensive setbacks. Usman Touré, expected to secure a starting position after his transfer from Valenciennes, suffered an injury in the first round of Ligue 1. During the season, right-back Thomas Meunier and center-back Alejandro Ribeiro have also been sidelined, with Ribeiro being substituted in the match against Toulouse due to groin issues.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by the main referee Erik Lambrechts from Belgium. His average in the last 20 matches of the Belgian Pro League is 4.1 yellow cards. In the previous Europa League, the referee handled two games, distributing a total of seven yellow cards.

Lille's last five matches have been much more intense than Roma's, averaging 5.2 yellow cards for both teams compared to 3.8 for their upcoming opponents. This trend is understandable: the "boxers" have lost key defenders, and the inexperienced replacements have yet to master the art of cautious play. We believe that it makes more sense to back Lille to win in terms of yellow cards.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Under Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma are showing impressive defensive play. In six matches this season, the "Giallorossi" have conceded only twice. Yes, Lille boasts a quality attack, but scoring against Italy's top three is not the same as against mid-table Ligue 1 sides like Brest and Lorient. In 7 out of the last 8 matches involving the Romans, fewer than three goals have been recorded. We expect that at the "Stadio Olimpico," the total goals will be under 2.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Both teams are not accustomed to sitting back in defense. In key matches this season, they have not been outclassed in terms of ball possession by equal or superior opponents. Naturally, Roma's home status obliges them to take territorial control. However, we are confident that even in a conservative mode, the "Dogs" will manage to earn a decent number of corners. The French side's average over the last seven matches is seven corners. It seems almost certain they will surpass the over/under line set by bookmakers for this match. Our prediction: Lille to have over 3.5 corners.

Roma and Lille are evenly matched opponents, but the upcoming clash is marred by the visitors' less than ideal lineup. We're confident that under different circumstances, the bookmakers wouldn't have such a lopsided set of odds. Current realities force us to base our bet on the strengths of the home side. We've noted that the Romans rarely concede, score modestly, and boast a more balanced roster. Given these factors, a clean sheet victory for them, perhaps a 2-0 scoreline, seems the most likely outcome. The attractive odds make Roma's victory our primary bet.