Cristante credits Gasperini as Roma secure Champions League finish with derby win

Roma's match against Inter on Saturday revealed a fundamental shift in how top coaches approach modern football. Gian Piero Gasperini made five substitutions in the fixture, a decision that exemplifies the sport's rapid tactical evolution. He replaced all three of his starting central defenders, a midfielder and an outside player, while keeping his attack unchanged throughout the ninety minutes. From the opposing dugout, Cristian Chivu made similarly bold choices, withdrawing a centre-back, a midfielder and a full-back before introducing his attacking changes only at the ninety-first minute. The match demonstrated how thoroughly the old certainties of football have eroded. For decades, an unwritten rule held that central defenders should never leave the pitch except through injury or at full-time. Chivu broke another long-standing taboo by making two substitutions immediately before a Roma corner kick and a set-piece—a move previously considered reckless. Both managers' decisions underscore how the sport now operates at such intensity that the five-substitution rule, introduced along with five-second throw-in limits and the ability to roll the ball out from the goalkeeper inside the penalty area, has become essential to surviving and controlling a match. Gasperini's own evolution on this matter is particularly telling. In previous comments on new regulations, the Grigliasco-born coach expressed reservations: "I don't like the five solutions, but I use them all. Teams don't drop off anymore; with all these changes nowadays it looks like basketball. Matches were prettier before, but these are the rules and I use all the slots." Today, he has abandoned those doubts entirely, converting the five-substitution rule into one of his primary weapons for reading and transforming matches in real time. The tactical performance against Inter confirms how thoroughly he has moved past those old reservations.

Leonardo Balerdi has become an indispensable leader of Roma's defence, translating a temperament forged in adversity into commanding performances at the highest level. Against Inter, he delivered a masterclass in defending, dominating his duel with Thuram through the match before asking to be substituted due to cramps. His performance—6 recoveries, 4 duels won out of 5, and 2 contrasts won out of 3—underscored just how vital he has become to Roma's ability to maintain a high defensive line. Barerdi's journey to this point has been marked by transformation. As a boy at Boca, his first coach nicknamed him "Rummenigge" for his physicality and blonde hair; teammates called him "Balazo" for his explosive temperament. He initially wanted to become a midfielder, inspired by Boca greats like Gago, Riquelme and Palermo, but his fierce character pushed him towards the centre of defence. At Marseille, however, that same intensity created friction. Manager De Zerbi publicly rebuked him after a defeat to Auxerre, saying—as reported by Équipe—"You have humiliated us and you have humiliated the club. You don't have the balls. And you, Leo, have less balls than all of them." At Roma, everything changed. Balerdi has blossomed into a complete defender: elegant, quick, dominant in the air and skilled in playing vertically. The sharpness of his defending against Inter—a spectacular battle of bodies with Thuram across the match—confirmed how much he has matured. When he departed the pitch, Roma's defensive shape immediately dropped deeper, a telling sign of his indispensability to the team's structure.

Leonardo Balerdi has made a powerful impression at Roma in recent appearances, drawing comparisons to figures from his past and present. His first coach at Villa Mercedes, Luis Lucero, once told Balerdi's father: "Your boy is going to be a Rummenigge." The 27-year-old defender shares some surface similarities with the Bayern Munich legend—blonde hair, height, technical ability and a good shot—but his career has taken a different path. After an early spell at Borussia Dortmund, Balerdi eventually settled into defence, though he initially resisted the position. "I didn't want to play in defence, I wanted to be a midfielder," he has said. Now, supporters and media are drawing fresh parallels between Balerdi and Walter Samuel, the former Argentine defender and vice-coach under Scaloni. Both products of Boca Juniors' school, Balerdi has quickly endeared himself to Roma's fanbase through a combination of aggression and composure. His defensive recovery work, distribution, physical presence in challenges and aerial ability have made an immediate impact. A recovery on Simeone in Turin sparked particular debate among local radio audiences. Against Inter, Balerdi delivered a commanding display: six defensive recoveries, four duels won out of five contested and two challenges won out of three. His influence was so significant that Roma deepened their defensive shape when Balerdi, suffering from cramps, requested substitution late in the match.

Gian Piero Gasperini is using the international break strategically at Trigoria, with 12 Roma players away on international duty. Rather than pause, the club's training ground remains the headquarters for squad members to press claims for selection, and two experienced midfielders are positioned to make an impact on their return: Marten de Roon and Lorenzo Pellegrini. De Roon arrived on 30 August in the final hours of the transfer window with a reputation as "Gasperini's soldier". The 35-year-old Dutch midfielder made his debut the day after in Lecce, appeared briefly against Fenerbahce, and demonstrated his worth against Torino with 4 interceptions in the final 26 minutes as Roma pushed for a second goal. His qualities of interception, intensity and tactical reading vindicated Gasperini's decision to bring him to the capital. De Roon was ready to enter against Inter but had to wait when Balerdi's cramps forced Koulierakis into his debut instead. This break now offers ideal opportunity to build fitness after spending the summer on the fringes at Atalanta. With a demanding October and November schedule of nine matches in 27 days ahead, De Roon will deserve regular midfield time, alternating with Cristante alongside either Koné or Pisilli. Pellegrini, Roma's number 7, offers versatility as attacking midfielder and box-to-box option given Gasperini's midfielders' constant attacking runs. After signing a contract renewal last summer, his target is to fully recover from the injury that has sidelined him in recent months. Working at Trigoria without international travel fatigue will restore sharpness to his legs ahead of the fixture congestion. Pellegrini's experience and leadership, combined with the attachment to the Roma shirt he has never hidden, will give Gasperini another weapon to rotate the attacking midfield and deeper positions alike.

Roma's opening five matches of the 2026-27 season have dominated discussion on Italian radio, with pundits divided between optimism about the squad's quality and caution about expectations. Nando Orsi declared that Roma were constructed to win the Scudetto, saying: "This year it was built to win the Scudetto, but nobody says it out of fear and superstition, yet in their hearts they know it can stand up to Inter. Roma is strong, it just needs to manage its forces a bit during the match: you can't start at full throttle and then fade." Orsi added: "Roma was built to win the Scudetto, and whoever says otherwise says it out of superstition." He highlighted the depth available, noting that Castro can replace Malen, De Roon can come in for Cristante, and Ndícka can take Balerdi's place, and argued that Saturday's match proved Roma and Inter are the strongest teams, with Juventus, Milan and Napoli appearing less ready. However, Piero Torri urged restraint, warning that media pressure was being applied strategically: "The media operation for a Scudetto-winning Roma has already begun; they want to load Roma with responsibility. I'm watching all this with some diffidence." He acknowledged Balerdi as "certainly an extra trump card for Roma" but resisted linking his arrival to title ambitions. Roberto Pruzzo offered a measured assessment of the defence, describing Balerdi as "an old-school centre-back from the 70s, very practical, very reactive, and he doesn't take risks" — an "excellent impact" and "a value added to a defensive squad that is numerically sound." Pruzzo cautioned that Scudetto distances remain tight and that the picture will become clearer after 8–10 matches and some direct clashes. Fabio Petruzzi gave Roma maximum marks, saying: "I see perfection in this squad. If Malen hadn't taken Martinez in the face, you would have won the match; unfortunately that episode changed the game. Roma has done so much, the maximum — doing more seems difficult." Francesca Ferrazza noted that Dybala had not played consecutive minutes like this since 2016, exactly ten years ago, and explained her willingness to accept fewer goals in exchange for his constant presence: "His presence is too important; I'd rather give up a few more goals than see him off the field." Daniele Lo Monaco discussed Gasperini's training approach, noting that some teams had granted eight days of rest while Gasperini wanted everyone working, and commented on Juventus fans turning away during the minute's silence for Mazzola: "If you want to make a protest, that technically was a civil protest. I don't think it was against Mazzola, but against a hypocritical sense of certain celebrations." Gianluca Piacentini praised consistency in refereeing standards across the five matchdays, and Lorenzo Pes suggested Balerdi's defensive positioning — at 40 metres from goal — reflected his Marseille habits and that a season-long rotation between him and Ndícka was likely. The radio consensus acknowledged Roma's competitive strength while debating how far expectations should be allowed to climb.

Niccolò Pisilli set a new Roma distance record this season by covering 12.53 kilometres in the match against Torino, eclipsing the usual benchmark set by Bryan Cristante. The feat took on added significance as it coincided with Pisilli's 22nd birthday. He capped the display with a goal in stoppage time, scored while already cramping. Pisilli is currently on duty with Italy's Under-21 squad, where he has become a key figure. The Italy coaching staff explained to him that his presence with the Under-21 is particularly important at this stage owing to the squad's European qualifying commitments, while making clear that the door to the senior national team remains open. Since establishing himself in Gasperini's Roma side, Pisilli has continued his development in the azzurri colours, with four goals and one assist in his last four Under-21 matches. The midfielder has impressed with his running, positioning and growing impact in front of goal. His combination of mobility and an ability to influence the outcome—traits that define modern midfield play—have positioned him as one of the elite young prospects in Italian football. At just 22 years old, his next step could be a direct move to the senior national team.