Former Roma goalkeeper backs Wesley to stay longer at the club, praises Svilar

Paolo Marcacci has issued his weekly ratings for notable performers across Italian football, highlighting an emerging talent in Bouaddi and praising the performance of Donyell Malen. The ratings cover a range of players and matches from the week's action. Malen, AS Roma's Dutch winger, featured prominently in the assessment following a positive showing. The piece provides critical evaluation of form and contribution across the broader Italian football landscape during the period.

Francesco Totti has spoken about the significance of Roma's derby matches against Lazio, emphasizing the intensity and passion surrounding these fixtures. Totti, who spent his entire playing career at Roma, described the derby as a contest where losing was never acceptable. His comments reflect on a lengthy history of iconic victories, defeats, and memorable goals that have defined the rivalry between the two Rome clubs. The Derby della Capitale remains one of Italian football's most heated and culturally significant rivalries, with the stakes and emotions running particularly high for both sets of supporters.

Francesco Totti reflected on the unique intensity of the Derby della Capitale between AS Roma and SS Lazio, describing it as a rivalry without equal in Italian football. Speaking in an interview alongside Giuseppe Signori and Alessandro Nesta for the Corriere dello Sport, the Roma legend emphasised the magnitude of the fixture and the culture surrounding it within the capital. Totti explained that the derby transcends typical club rivalries, reaching a level of passion and importance that defines the city itself and stands apart from other competitions in Italian football. Totti highlighted what makes the derby so distinctive: the unwillingness to lose matches of this magnitude. He described the rivalry as multifaceted, operating both at the collective level and between individual players of comparable standing. "The rivalry was the derby, the cousins, the fact of never wanting to lose a game of that kind," Totti said. "But at the same time, the rivalry could also be on the pitch with the opponent, with a player of the same level. So you always tried to be something more." His comments underscored how the Derby della Capitale demands not only technical excellence but an additional psychological and competitive edge that few other matches in world football require.

Wesley has begun his rehabilitation following a left adductor muscle injury sustained during international duty. The Brazilian returned to Roma's training facilities at Trigoria on 15 June to commence therapy work. Recent instrumental examinations confirmed a lesion to the left thigh adductor with no involvement of the knee or more severe damage. Recovery is projected at approximately one month. Wesley's comeback plan is mapped out with care. During the first week of July, his workload will gradually increase as he targets availability for Roma's pre-season gathering on 13 July under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Unlike the previous season, Wesley is expected to be ready for Gasperini's immediate squad plans from the start of pre-season. Over the past year, Gasperini has developed Wesley into one of Italy's premier left-side attackers. Roma will seek reinforcement at the position, though Wesley remains a cornerstone of the club's plans. Despite missing the World Cup—a disappointment he is processing—Wesley has shown immediate commitment to recovery by staying in Italy during the early vacation period and prioritising treatment. He is eager to contribute from the opening stages of the new campaign.

Julio Sergio, former Roma goalkeeper, praised teammate Wesley in a radio interview, stating that the Brazilian defender's impact has been impressive but not entirely unexpected. Sergio noted Wesley's physical qualities and work ethic, explaining: "Sapevo che Wesley aveva gamba e voglia: mette sempre il cuore e l'anima in campo" (I knew Wesley had pace and desire: he always puts his heart and soul on the pitch). He credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with intelligently shifting Wesley's position to suit tactical needs, drawing parallels to how Gianluca Mancini and other players adapted when arriving in Italy. Regarding Wesley's rumoured interest from top clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City, Sergio suggested another season consolidating at Roma under Gasperini's guidance could be valuable, though he acknowledged the difficulty of refusing offers from world-class institutions. Sergio also assessed goalkeeper Mile Svilar's recent performances, praising his reflexes and physicality. He noted that Svilar has earned strong fan support through on-pitch performances and provides defensive security, though he identified areas for growth: "Può migliorare con i piedi o nelle uscite alte" (He can improve with his feet or in high exits). Sergio highlighted the environment at Trigoria training ground ahead of Roma's return to Champions League, describing it as optimal with strong expectations despite acknowledging the difficulty of competing against established European sides.

Roma has made significant progress on its new stadium project at Pietralata, which has been designated a strategically important national asset linked to Euro 2032. An executive order has been signed to streamline the authorization process, with simplified procedures aimed at reducing bureaucratic timelines to approximately 90 days total, including environmental impact assessment. This marks an important step forward for the club's long-term infrastructure plans. On the transfer front, Roma is actively pursuing attacking reinforcements as the Summerville interest has cooled. The club has renewed focus on a French forward whose profile appeals to the sporting department, with Tottenham potentially willing to allow a departure. Roma is also monitoring developments around Nkunku at Milan. Meanwhile, Wesley has returned to the Trigoria training complex and is preparing for rehabilitation after his injury layoff. The stadium designation as a national strategic asset is expected to significantly accelerate the authorization process, potentially providing clarity on Roma's future home within the coming months. The combination of stadium progress and transfer activity reflects the club's dual focus on long-term stability and immediate squad strengthening ahead of the new season.

Julio Sergio, former Roma goalkeeper, praised teammate Wesley in a radio interview, stating that the Brazilian defender's impact has been impressive but not entirely unexpected. Sergio noted Wesley's physical qualities and work ethic, explaining: "Sapevo che Wesley aveva gamba e voglia: mette sempre il cuore e l'anima in campo" (I knew Wesley had pace and desire: he always puts his heart and soul on the pitch). He credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with intelligently shifting Wesley's position to suit tactical needs, drawing parallels to how Gianluca Mancini and other players adapted when arriving in Italy. Regarding Wesley's rumoured interest from top clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City, Sergio suggested another season consolidating at Roma under Gasperini's guidance could be valuable, though he acknowledged the difficulty of refusing offers from world-class institutions. Sergio also assessed goalkeeper Mile Svilar's recent performances, praising his reflexes and physicality. He noted that Svilar has earned strong fan support through on-pitch performances and provides defensive security, though he identified areas for growth: "Può migliorare con i piedi o nelle uscite alte" (He can improve with his feet or in high exits). Sergio highlighted the environment at Trigoria training ground ahead of Roma's return to Champions League, describing it as optimal with strong expectations despite acknowledging the difficulty of competing against established European sides.

Several Saudi Arabian clubs have expressed interest in signing Matías Soulé, while a separate transfer target identified as Paixao appears to be moving away from Roma's grasp. In recent statements, Faccini has declared that Mile Svilar, Donyell Malen, and a player referred to as Koné are considered untouchable and will not be sold. The comments reflect Roma's strategy to retain key squad members while exploring potential outgoings in the transfer market. Details on the specific Saudi clubs involved and the current status of Paixao negotiations remain unclear.

A Roma figure identified as Faccini has stated that goalkeeper Mile Svilar, midfielder Konè, and winger Donyell Malen are not for sale in the transfer market. Faccini, who grew up in Roma's youth academy and scored the first goal of the club's historic 1982–83 Serie A title-winning season, made the declaration regarding the club's transfer strategy. The statement signals Roma's intent to retain key players during the upcoming market window, reinforcing their commitment to building around this core group under current management.