José Mourinho’s Roma host Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico tonight in the last match of the Coppa Italia Round of 16.
The Special One won’t rotate his squad much. Chris Smalling, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Spinazzola and Lorenzo Pellegrini are not available. Amadou Diawara and EbrimaDarboe are on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Nicolò Zaniolo will rest, while Roger Ibanez and Marash Kumbulla will start at centre-back. Sergio Oliveira will play his second game from two since his move to the capital last week.
Roma have won the Coppa Italia nine times in their history and Mourinho has won a domestic cup four times in his career, with Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid.
Lecce are the only Serie B team to have qualified for the Round of 16. Coach Marco Baroni will rotate as Lecce’s main target is to get Serie A promotion.
The Giallorossi sit 5th in Serie B with the best defence in Italy’s second division (15 goals conceded, same as leaders Pisa) and 30 goals scored (4th best). Product of Roma academy Arturo Calabresi will start in defence.
The winners will face Inter in the quarter-finals.
Probable line-ups
Roma (4-2-3-1): Rui Patricio; Karsdorp, Ibanez, Kumbulla, Vina; Cristante, Oliveira; Perez, Mkhitaryan, Felix; Abraham.
Lecce (4-3-3): Gabriel; Gendrey, Calabresi, Lucioni, Gallo; Faragò, Blin, Bjorkengren; Strefezza, Olivieri, Rodriguez.