Brighton vs AS Roma Preview – prediction, team news, lineups | Pre-Season Friendly

Seagulls eye big win over Italian powerhouse Roma in East Sussex

American Express Stadium in Brighton and Hove, England, gears up to host a club-friendly fixture. Italian powerhouse AS Roma and English outfit Brighton and Hove Albion take on each other in what is set to be a thrilling contest.

The Seagulls are set to kickstart their pre-season campaign against Italian giants AS Roma in their own backyard at the American Express Stadium. The East Sussex outfit finished strongly last season to clinch a direct spot in the UEFA Conference League.

German gaffer Fabian Hürzeler are set to lead them in the new season. The former St Pauli gaffer has done well after taking over the reins in 2024. They have made a massive signing to acquire Vuskovic from Spurs. Many players like Danny Welbeck, Diego Coppola and Carl Rushworth have left the club.

UEFA Champions League football is back at the Stadio Olimpico after Roma finished third last season. Big names like Konstantinos Koulierakis, Gianluca Mancini and Santiago Castro have made a move to Roma and star striker Paulo Dybala has also signed a contract extension.

Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is set to continue. After taking over the reins, he did a fantastic job and clocked an average of 1.8 points per game. After a 4-1 shocking defeat to Cardiff, they got the better of Newport by the same scoreline.

Kick-off:

• Location: Brighton and Hove, England
• Stadium: American Express Stadium
• Kick-off time: 7:30 p.m. IST
• Date: Saturday, 8 August
• Referee: TBD
• VAR: Not in use

Form:

Brighton (in all competitions): L-L-W-L-W

Roma (in all competitions): W-L-D-W-W

Players to Watch

Luka Vuskovic (Brighton)

Spurs and Brighton swapped Jan Paul van Hecke and Luka Vuskovic in the transfer window. The Croatian teenage sensation earned some valuable minutes at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and even started against England in the opener.

The 6 foot 3 inches tall defender is an aerial force inside his own box. He is also an aerial threat inside the opposition box. He will be up against some of the best strikers, including Paulo Dybala and Malen, and his debut against Roma will be most anticipated.

Donyell Malen (AS Roma)

The Wieringen-born Dutch striker has plied his trade with Aston Villa, Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven before making a move to Roma last season and made an instant impact. Malen’s explosive transitional burst upfront makes him a major force to reckon with for Roma.

A core forward for the Netherlands national team, Malen featured for Koeman’s side in the FIFA World Cup 2026. In just 20 games, he had 17 goal contributions last season, and he will be keen to continue his excellent form for Roma in the new season.

Match Facts

• Brighton haven’t scored in their last 2 matches
• These two sides last met in the Europa League back in 2024
• This fixture has never ended in a draw

Brighton & Hove Albion vs AS Roma: Betting Tips and Odds

• Roma to win the game – 6/4 with bet365
• Donyell Malen to score – 1/1 with bet365
• Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 AS Roma – 18/1 with bet365

Injury and Team News

For Brighton, Stefanos Tzimas, Kaoru Mitoma and Zadok Yohanna are set to miss the next game due to injury concerns.

For Roma, Wesley and midfielder Nicolo Pisilli are injured. New signing Nahuel Molina will be unavailable for the next game.

Head-to-Head

Total games: 02

Brighton won: 01

Roma won: 01

Draws: 00

Predicted Lineups

Brighton predicted lineup (4-2-3-1)

Jason Steele (GK); Mats Wieffer, Lewis Dunk, Luka Vušković, Olivier Boscagli; Pascal Groß, Yasin Ayari; Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood, Ibrahim Osman; Charalampos Kostoulas

Roma predicted lineup (3-4-2-1)

Mile Svilar (GK); Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, Mario Hermoso; Mattia Mannini, Neil El Aynaoui, Bryan Cristante, Devyne Rensch; Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé; Donyell Malen

Match Prediction

Brighton are yet to play any game in the pre-season. We expect them to take some time to settle down. Given Roma’s clinical offensive lineup, we expect them to clinch a big win in the next game with Malen scoring a brace.

Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 AS Roma

Telecast Details

Worldwide: Roma TV+

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