Ranieri before Roma kick-off vs. Lecce: “It’s a delicate match, but we must win.”

With Roma sitting just two points above the relegation zone, head coach Claudio Ranieri has called Saturday’s league match against Lecce a “must-win” encounter.

Marking his 100th game in charge of the Giallorossi, Ranieri expressed confidence in his team’s readiness to demonstrate their true potential, despite enduring their worst start to a season in nearly 50 years.

“I’ve spoken to (vice president) Ryan Friedkin, but what we discussed will remain private,” he told DAZN.

“The team is ready, and we want to show in December what we’re capable of. It won’t be an easy game—Lecce has changed their coach and picked up four points in two matches. It’s a delicate match, but we need to win.”

He continued, “In these three matches, the players have shown they are fully committed. They’ve understood the message: if they give everything, the fans will support them.

“We need to give our all on the pitch and accept whatever the result is. The team just needs a few positive results to get back to playing as we know they can.”

Ranieri also discussed some of the changes he made to his team against Lecce.

“(Lorenzo) Pellegrini benched? Physically, he’s in great shape—if anything, he runs too much and needs to run less. He needs to stay calm and composed. When I see that serenity in him, the spot will be his.”

Adding, “Meanwhile, (Artem) Dovbyk is dealing with flu symptoms and wasn’t feeling up to it. I thought it best not to risk him. Hopefully, he’ll be ready for the next match.”