Çelik's blunder gifts Italy goal as Bastoni opens scoring in Bursa

Matías Soulé and his partner Milagros have announced the birth of their first son, Bautista. The Roma forward shared tender photographs on social media from the first moments of the child's life, accompanying them with a message: "Welcome love of our life, you have no idea how much we love you." The announcement comes at a significant moment for Soulé. He recently scored a winning goal in the final moments against Atalanta and has been called up to the Argentina national team. The arrival of his first child adds to what he described as a magical period in his personal and professional life.

Matías Soulé has become a father for the first time, with his son Bautista born in Argentina. Soulé and his partner Milagros announced the birth on social media, posting: "Welcome love of our life, you don't know how much we love you." The Roma forward shared the first photographs with his newborn while in Buenos Aires on international duty. Soulé is currently away with Argentina for three friendly matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin. He will return to Rome on 8 October, three days before Roma's fixture against Como. The arrival of his son comes in the same week that Soulé has linked up with his national team, bringing a double cause for celebration.

Roma's new stadium at Pietralata has been approved by the Services Conference following the signature of commissioner Sessa and the countersignature of Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri. The single authorisation is now effective immediately, marking a significant acceleration of the project after years of procedures and consultations between multiple stakeholders. Sessa stated: "We have the modern projection of a stadium that will be open and vibrant 365 days a year. Will everything run smoothly? Let's see—I'm an optimist by nature. I believe things must be prepared well so that everything works." Gualtieri provided a timeline for construction and completion. "This is the first great new facility that will raise Rome's football standard and represents an important redevelopment of a part of our city," the mayor said. "Now the conditions exist to proceed quickly and open the building site at the beginning of 2027, and in three years have the stadium ready because the construction lasts precisely two and a half years, so the stadium could be ready even in 2029." The project removes a long-standing obstacle to Roma's infrastructure ambitions and will end annual stadium rental payments of several million euros, while also generating significant revenue from approximately one hundred premium suites. On the pitch, Roma resume training tomorrow after a four-day rest period granted by the coaching staff. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is confident of reintegrating three key players shortly: Donyell Malen, Bryan Cristante and Wesley, all of whom remained in Rome to address physical issues during the international break with the aim of returning to full fitness for Serie A's resumption. Paulo Dybala did not ease off during the pause, continuing to work in the gym on the previous day to maintain athletic condition. Roma face Como at the Sinigaglia on 11 October in their next league fixture. In a separate development, Francesco Totti, marking his 50th birthday, granted Il Messaggero an extended letter reflecting on significant moments in his life. On a possible return to playing, Totti said: "A couple of years ago I said no to coming back. I was tempted, I admit it, but then the bond with my city, my team and my people made me say no. And I think in the end I did the right thing. I would have been perhaps selfish, would have made Francesco happy but would have disappointed millions of fans."

Emanuele Lulli is set to enter substantive negotiations over a contract extension with Roma in the coming days, with talks scheduled at the club's Trigoria training ground. The 19-year-old defender, who has emerged as a key option for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season after an eventful summer transfer window, will put pen to paper on a new deal that both player and club are keen to conclude. His current contract expires in June. Lulli's rise has come amid Roma's struggles to secure reinforcements on the flanks. The club pursued multiple targets to provide cover and competition at full-back—initially to replace Zeki Çelik, before Nahuel Molina arrived, and then to offer an alternative to Wesley—but settled instead on promoting the academy product into senior football. Gasperini's faith in the youngster has vindicated that decision. During the current international break, Lulli is on duty with Italy's under-21 squad under head coach Baldini. His agent and Roma's sporting director D'Amico have already begun preliminary discussions on the renewal, but the substantive negotiation phase will begin only in the coming days when the parties meet at Trigoria. A positive outcome is not in doubt, with both sides aligned on extending the relationship.

Roma's attacking threat from full-back positions has transformed under Gian Piero Gasperini this season, with the discoveries of Emanuele Lulli and the arrival of Nahuel Molina — described as a clear upgrade on Zeki Çelik — providing multiple offensive weapons beyond Wesley alone. Last season the giallorossi often struggled on the wings, but now rank among Serie A's most dangerous teams in wide areas. Lulli has created 4 chances, Molina 7 and Wesley 13 from their full-back positions, totalling 24 opportunities for Gasperini's side. This figure is surpassed in Italy only by Inter, whose wing-backs Dimarco and Diouf have combined for 26.

Nahuel Molina has become one of Gasperini's most dangerous players in Roma's opening Serie A fixtures, proving to be a decisive summer acquisition for €13 million. The Argentine has demonstrated his impact through aggressive ball recovery in advanced positions—notably helping create Manu Koné's opening goal—and his consistent threat from distance. After five league matches, Molina ranks among Serie A's best for chances created (2.9 per 90 minutes, behind only Dybala and Wesley in giallorosso), ball recoveries (5.04 per 90), and possessions won in the opponent's third (0.78 per 90), according to Sofascore data. Roma have finally secured a right-sided threat matching Gasperini's tactical demands, addressing a weakness from last season when the club saw only sporadic contributions from a combination of Zeki Çelik and Kostas Tsimikas on that flank. Alongside other key acquisitions—Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Balerdi—Molina is reshaping the team's profile. Some observers outside Rome had already suggested he represented a downgrade compared to Çelik, but offensive and defensive statistics offer no room for interpretation. Molina's record through early September demonstrates substantial improvement across all phases: key passes, dribbling, expected assists, ball recoveries and possessions won in the advanced third all favour the Argentine over his predecessor.