Castro and Koulierakis impress Gasperini in first Roma outings

Leonardo Balerdi has emerged as one of this summer's most underrated signings, establishing himself as indispensable to Gasperini's Roma within three weeks of arriving in the final days of the transfer window. Two brief appearances against Atalanta and Fenerbahce were enough to convince the coach that Roma cannot function without the Argentine defender. Against Torino he was the best player on the pitch; against Inter, while Koné claimed the MVP award, Balerdi played as a wall. Despite facing opponents of increasing calibre—from Simeone to Lautaro Martínez—the former Marseille centre-back showed no drop in level. His statistics support the impression: six defensive recoveries, four duels won out of five, and two tackles won out of three before an hour of play when cramps forced his withdrawal. Gasperini's enforced substitution disrupted the manager's plans, but the coach knows he has access to a top-level centre-back. Balerdi's rapid integration has placed him at the heart of Roma's defence. Gianluca Mancini—who has made two errors already this season—and Evan N'Dicka risk losing their places should the Argentine's form continue. The Como fixture looms as the next test, and it seems unlikely Gasperini will drop him. Balerdi has settled well into the squad and wants to stay at the club. The Argentine arrived on loan with conditions to trigger a permanent transfer. If he plays at least 55% of Roma's matches across all competitions—with a minimum of 45 minutes per game, a threshold he has already met twice—an obligation to buy will activate at €14 million. A variable mechanism reduces the fee if his involvement is more limited: between 40% and 55% of matches, the obligation triggers at €11 million. A further clause protects Marseille against deliberate restrictions on his playing time in the second half of the season—if he appears in just 20% of matches in that period, the obligation becomes €9 million. Given his current performances, meeting these thresholds appears inevitable.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Manu Koné scored twice in Roma's match against Inter on 19 September, delivering one of his best performances in a giallorosso shirt and underlining his importance to Gasperini's project. The midfielder opened the scoring with a right-footed rebound inside the area before adding a second with his left foot under the crossbar—two different finishes that marked his first brace and only the fifth time in Roma's history that a player has scored twice in the first half against Inter, joining Pruzzo, Graziani, Balbo and Totti in that distinction. Koné's display highlights a dramatic shift in his game. Until now his physical and technical qualities—pace, ball-carrying, the ability to break lines—were never in doubt, but he lacked a cutting edge in the final third. Gasperini has explicitly asked him to fill that gap and add goal threat to his repertoire. If he can sustain that scoring form alongside his existing defensive and ball-winning skills, the Frenchman could transform into one of the world's best at his position. The timing carries extra weight: Inter had targeted Koné in previous transfer windows as the ideal midfielder to add force and dynamism to their engine room, and Roma resisted despite fan unease. Chelsea also moved more recently, reportedly discussing figures around €55 million, but Gasperini always viewed him as a cornerstone of the Roma project. When Koné was substituted after Inter equalised to make it 1–2, Gasperini explained his reasoning: "It was my choice, he didn't ask to come off. He was fading, he doesn't have the stamina for 90 minutes." That assessment is understandable given the intensity Koné expends in that system. Yet the sense remained that Roma needed him most at precisely that moment. Without the Frenchman, the side progressively lost ground, the ability to escape pressure and presence in the central duels. Inter seized control of the midfield and could conduct their attack with greater continuity. Koné is among the rare players capable of defending high, winning the ball and forcing opponents to worry even when Roma are attacking. Five of his six career goals in giallorosso have come at the Olimpico. The next phase of his development is learning to deliver that impact consistently across a full 90 minutes, not just in flashes. If he marries that newly found goal-scoring to his existing power, Roma may find themselves harbouring a world-class midfielder.

Roma host Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash, both sides arriving unbeaten after four matches and seeking to reach the first international break in first place. Gasperini has a full squad available with no absences. In defence, the established trio of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso is confirmed, with no surprise inclusion for Balerdi. Molina and Wesley operate on the flanks, Koné and Cristante patrol midfield, and Soulé lines up in the attacking three behind Malen, with Dybala in support. Roma field a 3-4-2-1 formation: Svilar in goal, Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso at the back, Molina and Wesley as wing-backs, Cristante and Koné in central midfield, Soulé and Dybala in the attacking midfield positions, and Malen as the lead forward. On the bench are Gollini, De Marzi, Ghilardi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Lulli, Pisilli, Pellegrini, de Roon, Castro and Mora. Inter deploy a 3-5-2 with Martinez, Bisseck, Akanji and Bastoni in defence, Diouf, Barella, Zielinski, Jones and Dimarco in midfield, and Lautaro Martinez and Thuram in attack.

Santiago Castro has praised the atmosphere at Roma ahead of tomorrow's match against Inter, saying the coach creates an environment where every player feels valued. Speaking to DAZN hours before kick-off, the 21-year-old Argentine highlighted the quality of his teammates and Gasperini's man-management approach. "With him you never feel like a reserve or a starter," Castro said. "You always have to be ready, always at your best, both in training and in matches. That's really important and I think it makes all the players feel good." Castro, who joined Roma from Bologna, drew a contrast between the two clubs' squads. "When you arrive at a team like Roma you find players in front of you like Dybala, Malen, Pellegrini, Soulé and now Rodrigo Mora has also arrived. We have many high-level players," he explained. "At Bologna I found many quality players too, like Bernardeschi, Orsolini, Rowe, Zirkzee and Ndoye. I'm happy because I can take something from every teammate and always learn." He singled out Dybala and Malen for special praise, describing them as players who impress fans every week but reveal far more in daily training. "Paulo has a left foot that few people have. I think he's one of the best left-footed players in Italy's history, even at world level," Castro said. "From Donyell you have to take that meanness to go and score goals, the cunning, the movements he has and then the shot, which is crazy." Gasperini's tactical demands on Castro focus on positioning and team play. "The main thing the manager asks me is to always keep my body facing the goal, not to always play with my back to goal because that way I'm not dangerous," Castro explained. "He asks me to always be in the match, to attack, to play for the team. For him it's important to score goals, but also to give an assist, because that's something that helps the team and gives a great hand to everyone." Castro also reflected on his debut at the Olimpico against Atalanta, calling it "a moment of great pride" and crediting the fans for their support during the match. On Inter's challenge, Castro acknowledged the quality of both squads. "It will always be difficult to face teams with this type of players, because they also, like us, have world-class players and big names," he said. "It will be a beautiful match to watch from outside: a hot stadium, two teams that arrive well, with the same points, many goals scored and few conceded. It will definitely be nice to see." Roma and Inter sit level on points after four matches. Castro also praised Lautaro Martinez as "a very strong player" and captain of one of Italy's biggest teams.

Santiago Castro has given his first substantial interview since joining Roma, speaking to DAZN about his early weeks at the club, his relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and the quality of his fellow attackers. The 21-year-old Argentine striker, who arrived this summer from Bologna, reflected on the step up in class and the challenge of competing with established forwards in the Giallorossi squad. Castro highlighted the calibre of his new teammates, naming Paulo Dybala, Donyell Malen, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora as examples of the standard he now faces daily. He said: "Sì, certo. Quando arrivi in una squadra come la Roma ti trovi davanti giocatori come Dybala, Malen, Pellegrini, Soulé e adesso è arrivato anche Rodrigo Mora." On training alongside Dybala and Malen, he remarked: "Paulo e Donyell sono giocatori che impressionano i tifosi ogni settimana e noi che li vediamo ogni giorno. Noi che ci alleniamo con loro vediamo cose che sembrano appartenere a un altro sport." He praised Dybala's left foot as among the finest in Italy and the world, and commended Malen's aggression, movement and shooting ability. Gasperini's management style has impressed Castro, who said the coach emphasizes constant readiness over any hierarchy of starting players. "Con lui non ti senti mai una riserva o un titolare: devi sempre essere pronto, sempre al massimo, sia in allenamento sia in partita," Castro explained. The striker also recalled his debut at the Olimpico against Atalanta as a proud moment at age 21, noting the warmth of the crowd as a powerful motivator. He expressed respect for Inter's Lautaro Martinez ahead of the upcoming fixture, describing him as "un grandissimo giocatore, molto forte" and noting his consistency in Serie A and leadership of one of Italy's biggest clubs. Castro also touched on the group atmosphere at Roma, mentioning the presence of several Argentine players and praising the cohesion with staff and international teammates alike. On wearing the number 9 shirt, he said: "È bello pensare a tutti i giocatori che hanno avuto la numero 9 nella Roma. Sono stati tanti e hanno fatto tantissime cose importanti, come Balbo e altri grandi attaccanti. Io spero solamente di riuscire a fare anche solo una piccola parte di quello che hanno fatto loro."

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a match shaped by a stark contrast between the sides' first and second halves. Manu Koné scored twice for Roma—once to open the scoring early and again to double the lead—but Lautaro Martínez levelled before the interval ended and added a second in the second half, when Roma's resistance crumbled. The hosts began with intensity and control under Gasperini, but a pattern of conceding goals immediately after the restart proved decisive once more. Several Roma players arrived for the match with depleted energy; the upcoming international break will offer a chance to recharge. Mancini had a difficult afternoon and took responsibility for Roma's defensive lapses, notably on Martínez's first goal. Balerdi was composed and physical against Thuram, lasting just over an hour before withdrawal. Hermoso maintained positional discipline but lacked sharpness in execution. Wesley patrolled the flank tirelessly, shutting down Dimarco's advances repeatedly. Cristante operated as the engine room, covering more ground than any other Roma player. Koné's two-goal display was the bright spark—a particularly sharp irony given he could have joined Inter instead—though his early withdrawal raised questions about fatigue management. Dybala orchestrated Roma's attacking play in the first half with incisive passes that set up Koné's goals and fulfilled defensive duties, though he too faded after the break. Soulé provided quality when he found space, running the full 90 minutes with consistency. Malen troubled Bastoni with his movement and nearly broke through. Molina crafted the assist for Koné's opener with an impeccable header after reading the play perfectly. N'Dicka entered at the hour mark and worked to hold the defensive line steady, earning a yellow card for a necessary foul on Thuram. Pisilli came on at 59 minutes but lacked Koné's substance and appeared tentative. Rensch struggled to impose himself when Inter pressed hard. Ghilardi joined the proceedings at 65 minutes and quickly picked up a yellow card; his challenge on Thuram was insufficient. Koulierakis received a caution immediately upon entering late on. Svilar made a miraculous save from a corner and could not be faulted for the two Martínez finishes, maintaining his high standards throughout. Gasperini had urged the team to tighten up after the interval, yet Roma conceded again in the second half and allowed Inter back into the contest. The manager salvaged a point against a strong opponent, though the manner of the collapse—defensive errors and fatigue after 59 minutes of substitutions—left room for frustration. The international break arrives at a timely moment to restore freshness across the squad.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter in a match that saw strong performances from several squad members despite a difficult second half. The ratings reflected a team that dominated stretches of the first half but struggled to maintain that intensity after the interval, with errors at both ends of the pitch proving costly. Mile Svilar made an assured start with a crucial save on Bisseck after 23 minutes, using his body and positioning to deny the Inter forward. His handling remained sharp throughout the first period, though he could not prevent Lautaro's angled finish early in the second half or Inter's second goal. Bryan Cristante put in a leader's performance across midfield, covering ground, assisting, and driving Roma forward with the awareness of someone reading every moment of the match; Roberto Mancini, watching from the stands, took notes on his commanding first-half display. However, the second half saw Cristante unable to maintain that tempo alongside others. Manu Koné emerged as the standout performer with a rating of 8, entering the match with gladiatorial intensity. He silenced doubts about his finishing within five minutes and then scored or assisted twice more—once after the ball was initially ruled out before being overturned, and again dominating centrefield against Barella and Zielinski. Leonardo Balerdi received 7.5 for seemingly impossible recoveries and his ability to retrieve situations with Superman-like intervention. Gianluca Mancini, however, struggled at 5.5, losing a crucial ball early in the second half that led to Lautaro's opening goal and contributing to the confusion on Inter's second. Nahuel Molina impressed with 6.5, winning possession forcefully before delivering a perfect header to Koné. Donyell Malen offered defensive support and communication from the forward line, while Matías Soulé entered the game with growing intensity and Donyell Malen disrupted Inter's shape. Mario Hermoso brought temperament and positional discipline. Substitutes Evan N'Dicka, Niccolò Pisilli and Devyne Rensch struggled to settle into the match's demands, while Konstantinos Koulierakis appeared briefly without decisive impact. The article offers no forward-looking statement or indication of what comes next for Roma.

Roma surrendered a two-goal advantage to draw 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico, a result that leaves both teams tied on 13 points at the top of Serie A. Manu Koné fired Roma ahead inside five minutes with a powerful right-foot finish after a move involving Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina, then doubled the lead at the 37th-minute mark with a tap-in after Dybala's cross found Gianluca Mancini, whose attempted header inadvertently provided the assist. The opener came from a Dybala change of play to Molina down the right, with the Argentine full-back providing the cross for Koné to strike low past Lautaro Martinez. The first half saw Roma completely dominate proceedings, with numerous chances created through Dybala, Donyell Malen and Wesley, while Mile Svilar made a crucial early save from a Bisseck chance. After an explosive opening, Inter began pressing late in the half and created several opportunities, including a free header for Lautaro that went wide. The second half began badly for Gasperini's side when Lautaro struck within 50 seconds of the restart, punishing Roma's poor transition and reentry from the dressing room. Gasperini responded with visible frustration, striking the bench after the goal, and gradually Roma regained control through systematic substitutions. Donyell Malen came close to a third goal at the 68th minute when he produced an extraordinary turn in the box but Martinez made an outstanding save with his face. Koné was withdrawn along with Mancini and Molina, replaced by Niccolò Pisilli, Evan N'Dicka and Devyne Rensch. Balerdi was later substituted due to cramp, with Daniele Ghilardi taking his place. Inter continued applying pressure, and at the 80th-minute mark constructed a period of sustained attack during which Svilar saved a Bisseck header and Luis Henrique struck the crossbar before Lautaro finished a goalmouth scramble with a clinical volley after controlling with his thigh. The Argentine captain's second goal levelled the match at 2–2 and meant both sides ended with a point apiece after a contest played at intense pace throughout. The stadium observed a minute of respect and prolonged applause before kickoff to honour Sandro Mazzola, who died the day before. Gasperini deployed Svilar in goal with Mancini, Mario Hermoso and Leonardo Balerdi as defenders; Wesley and Molina worked the full-back roles with Bryan Cristante and Koné in midfield; Soulé, Malen and Dybala formed the forward line. Inter introduced Sucic and Carlos Augusto in place of Jones and Dimarco shortly before the hour, with Gasperini subsequently withdrawing Koné, Mancini and Molina. Late defensive changes saw Hermoso replaced by Konstantinos Koulierakis as Roma managed the closing stages. Roma and Inter remain level on 13 points at the summit following a fixture that matched the intensity and quality of a title-deciding clash despite finishing level.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash between the two in-form sides of the season. The major Italian sports newspapers published their player ratings following the final whistle, with a clear consensus emerging on the standout performances. Manu Koné drew the highest marks across all outlets, consistently rated 8 out of 10 for his midfield display. Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante also earned strong praise, with most papers rating them 7. The principal criticism fell on Gianluca Mancini, who received 5 or 5.5 across the board—the lowest mark given to any Roma starter. Gian Piero Gasperini, the head coach, was rated between 6 and 7 by the papers. Mile Svilar in goal, Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and Matías Soulé in attack all received ratings in the 6–7 range. Evan N'Dicka, who came on as a replacement after Mancini's 60th-minute departure, was rated 5.5 to 6.5 depending on the outlet. Devyne Rensch, who entered at the same juncture at left-back, received 5.5 to 6. Mario Hermoso drew ratings of 5 to 6 before being substituted in the 81st minute. Wesley earned marks of 5 to 6.5 at right-back, while Donyell Malen completed the attacking line with ratings of 5 to 6.5.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico, leaving the club joint leaders of Serie A alongside Inter and Lazio after four wins and a draw from five matches. The giallorossi led 2–0 at half-time through a Manu Koné double — first a right-footed finish inside the box, then a left-footed effort under the crossbar from close range — after what the article describes as probably the best 45 minutes of Gasperini's tenure. Lautaro Martinez pulled one back early in the second half from a Gianluca Mancini error on the opposition midfield, and the intensity drained from Roma's display as Inter found their rhythm. Donyell Malen had a chance to make it 3–1 when he turned sharply in the box and shot, but Martinez blocked the effort with his face. Martinez then equalised with another clinical finish typical of a top-class striker. The performance carried a message beyond the final scoreline. Roma's first-half intensity, aggression and quality suggested the club can genuinely compete with the Serie A champions — something that would not have been obvious at the start of the season. The article notes that Roma today is markedly stronger, deeper and more self-aware than last season. When Gasperini has all players fit, the squad contains match-winners: Malen has demonstrated that in recent weeks, Koné delivered it tonight, and Paulo Dybala continues to do so through his play and creativity. Dybala was again Roma's attacking brain, with every pass often creating danger through assists, openings and through-balls that turn routine moves into dangerous situations. He was one of the evening's most influential players but continues to lack goals at crucial moments — he had a couple of chances where his left foot could have settled the match definitively. The article states that for a player of his talent, the absence of goals is now the only real blemish in an otherwise extraordinary period. Leonardo Balerdi was among the best performers but was forced off with cramp. During the second half, Mancini and Mario Hermoso also departed, forcing Roma to change the entire defensive unit — a wholesale revolution that consumed substitutions that might have been deployed elsewhere to restore freshness and unpredictability to midfield and attack. Gasperini says results and objectives will take time to evaluate properly. Yet Roma have already answered one question: they can play on level terms with sides that have lived at the top for years. Three weeks follow before the next cycle begins, with Como, managed by Fabregas, arriving next — a team that has also impressed in this opening stretch of the season alongside Roma and Inter.