Defence leads the way: Roma's back line shines in goal threat

Roma's defence, which finished as Serie A's second-best last season, has shown alarming fragility during their pre-season tour of Britain. The Giallorossi conceded eight goals across three friendlies—four against Cardiff, one against Newport, and three against Brighton—with the tally rising to 11 when including a 3–3 draw against Cannes. Against Brighton on 8 August, Gasperini made wholesale defensive changes after Roma had shipped three goals in 49 minutes, introducing Ghilardi and new arrival Koulierakis while withdrawing N'Dicka and Hermoso. The ivory-coast central defender had failed to close down Ayari's double, prompting Gasperini to turn to the bench and shout "Let's change." Hermoso, managing an ankle problem, allowed Rutter to nearly extend the lead moments after the 3–0. Earlier defensive lapses against Cardiff exposed deeper issues: Ahsford's opener came after N'Dicka slipped and a rebound off Rensch, while Salech's second followed a costly Svilar error on a dangerous Wesley backpass. El Aynaoui was substituted at half-time after a misplaced pass that set up Ayari's second goal, and Rensch drew criticism for poor decision-making. The unit that had anchored Roma's recent success now appears fragile heading into the season. Gasperini acknowledged the work ahead, saying "the team is struggling to switch back on," highlighting the scale of the challenge to restore defensive solidity before competitive fixtures begin.

Roma's English pre-season tour ended in concern after a 3–0 defeat at Brighton laid bare significant defensive lapses and attacking impotence. The performance revealed delays both in physical conditioning and the absorption of tactical patterns, leaving Roma having conceded 11 goals across their last four friendly outings. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed open frustration on the touchline, demanding greater midfield screening and emphasising the urgent need to activate the team's intensity. The match highlighted glaring defensive oversights and minimal cutting edge up front. Devyne Rensch came under constant pressure on the counter-attack from Yankuba Minteh, while Mario Hermoso had an off day in marking Georginio Rutter. Donyell Malen showed signs of being short of match fitness. The attacking partnership of Santiago Castro and Paulo Dybala made little impression on goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With two weeks remaining before Roma's competitive league debut, Gasperini will have crucial time to accelerate both recruitment and work at Trigoria to correct these problems.

Roma's pre-season tour of England closed with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium on 8 August. Georginio Rutter opened the scoring in the 29th minute after Wesley squandered a one-on-one chance against Verbruggen in the 28th, with Yasin Ayari doubling the lead before half-time and completing his brace early in the second half at the 49th minute. The result capped a disappointing week for Gasperini's side, following a heavy loss to Cardiff City, with only an improved performance against Newport offering respite. Wesley's missed opportunity proved decisive; from the resulting counter-attack, Rutter fired past Svilar, and the concession of the opening goal triggered a psychological collapse that Brighton exploited ruthlessly through their pace and directness. Gasperini's Roma controlled stretches of the match and came closest to opening the scoring when Wesley was played through one-on-one in the 28th minute but shot over from a favourable position. The side's lack of clinical finishing and defensive frailty were stark: Brighton's attacks repeatedly found space, particularly down the flanks, and Roma's back line appeared disorganised and slow to react. Svilar made several key saves to prevent a larger scoreline. The heavy rotation Gasperini introduced in the second half, giving opportunities to younger squad members, failed to ignite a response from a team that appeared depleted and lacking intensity. Evan Ferguson, still recovering from injury, was present at the stadium to greet his former teammates before kick-off. Roma's next fixture is a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, a match Gasperini will view as essential for rebuilding confidence and addressing the defensive and mental issues laid bare at the Amex.

Roma suffered a second defeat in three pre-season outings, losing 3–0 to Brighton in what Gasperini described as a concerning display two weeks before the season begins. Wesley emerged as the standout performer, while Neil El Aynaoui stepped back from his midweek form, and the defence was repeatedly breached. Gianluca Mancini (5) lost his man on Brighton's third goal and appeared less commanding than usual, while Mario Hermoso (5) was partly culpable for the opening goal and departed with a foot problem. Evan N'Dicka (5.5) offered insufficient security at the back, and Devyne Rensch (4.5) endured a forgettable afternoon at right-back following several indecisions; Koulierakis (6) and Daniele Ghilardi (6) came on at half-time and improved the display, though the match was already decided. Wesley (6) impressed with his physicality and athleticism, particularly a close effort at the 28-minute mark, while Paulo Dybala (5.5) created Roma's most dangerous opportunity despite a subdued showing. Neil El Aynaoui (4.5) was erratic in midfield, losing the ball in an exchange with Rensch that led to Brighton's second goal. Bryan Cristante (5.5), the captain, struggled to control the midfield as his experience might demand. Matías Soulé (5.5) lacked incisiveness despite constant movement. Donyell Malen (5) remained short of match fitness and rarely troubled the goalkeeper. Gasperini rated the performance 5, noting that Roma has conceded eleven goals across the last 360 minutes of pre-season play. Though he acknowledged no points are at stake in August, he expressed disappointment for the 750 Roma supporters in attendance. The transfer market remains underdeveloped, he added, but the squad must perform better ahead of competitive fixtures.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma concluded their British pre-season schedule with a 3-0 defeat at Brighton's American Express Stadium. Goals from Rutter in the 29th minute and a brace from Ayari in the 40th and 49th minutes sealed the result. Roma trailed at half-time after Rutter and Ayari's strikes, and Ayari's second goal early in the second half effectively decided the contest. The defeat followed Roma's earlier loss to Cardiff and victory over Newport County in the warm-up campaign. Head coach Gasperini fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Dybala and Soulé deployed behind striker Malen. The lineup included Svilar in goal, a back three of Mancini, N'Dicka, and Hermoso, with Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs, El Aynaoui and Cristante in midfield. In a tactical experiment late in the match, Gasperini replaced Dybala with Castro in the 66th minute, allowing the Argentine and Dutch winger Malen to share almost twenty minutes together, though they created little of note. Roma made multiple substitutions throughout the fixture, with changes across defence, midfield, and attack at intervals. Brighton fielded a 4-3-3, with manager Hurzeler making significant alterations at the hour mark, bringing on Osman, Kostoulas, and Yohanna. The match was refereed by Bobby Madley.

Roma's pre-season tour of England closed with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium on 8 August. Georginio Rutter opened the scoring in the 29th minute after Wesley squandered a one-on-one chance against Verbruggen in the 28th, with Yasin Ayari doubling the lead before half-time and completing his brace early in the second half at the 49th minute. The result capped a disappointing week for Gasperini's side, following a heavy loss to Cardiff City, with only an improved performance against Newport offering respite. Wesley's missed opportunity proved decisive; from the resulting counter-attack, Rutter fired past Svilar, and the concession of the opening goal triggered a psychological collapse that Brighton exploited ruthlessly through their pace and directness. Gasperini's Roma controlled stretches of the match and came closest to opening the scoring when Wesley was played through one-on-one in the 28th minute but shot over from a favourable position. The side's lack of clinical finishing and defensive frailty were stark: Brighton's attacks repeatedly found space, particularly down the flanks, and Roma's back line appeared disorganised and slow to react. Svilar made several key saves to prevent a larger scoreline. The heavy rotation Gasperini introduced in the second half, giving opportunities to younger squad members, failed to ignite a response from a team that appeared depleted and lacking intensity. Evan Ferguson, still recovering from injury, was present at the stadium to greet his former teammates before kick-off. Roma's next fixture is a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, a match Gasperini will view as essential for rebuilding confidence and addressing the defensive and mental issues laid bare at the Amex.

Evan Ferguson was present at the Amex Stadium for Brighton's friendly against Roma on 8 August 2026, though the Irish striker did not feature in the match. Ferguson spent last summer on loan at Roma with a purchase option before returning to Brighton at the end of the 2025–26 season. Ahead of the test match, he took time to greet Gasperini's coaching staff and his former Roma teammate Gollini. Ferguson arrived at Roma last summer under a loan agreement that included a €40 million purchase option, but that clause was not exercised when his spell ended with the conclusion of the previous campaign. His appearance at the Amex reflected the ongoing connection between the two clubs as they prepare for the new season.

Evan Ferguson, the Roma forward on loan from Brighton, was present at the Amex Stadium on 8 August and exchanged greetings with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the club's staff. Ferguson remains sidelined following an ankle injury sustained in January 2025. The Irish striker's appearance at Brighton ahead of the fixture underlined his continued recovery from the injury that has kept him unavailable since the start of 2025. His presence among the Roma party offered a chance to reconnect with his former coach and teammates despite his absence from the squad on the pitch. Ferguson joined Roma on loan from Brighton in July 2025 with an option to make the move permanent for €40 million.

Roma's pre-season tour of England ended in a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Goals from Georginio and a double from Ayari condemned the Giallorossi to a sluggish, listless performance that prompted immediate concern from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "Terrible: a poor performance, lacking the right concentration. We're struggling to switch on, but we think we can fix it soon," Gasperini said after the match. The squad returns to Trigoria on Tuesday for group training, which will mark Nahuel Molina's first session with the team. Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury layoff extends beyond initial expectations, with Gasperini warning recovery will take at least a month and the matter will be reassessed in September. The coach also urged patience for players returning from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen among them—as Roma prepare for Serie A's start in a fortnight. On the transfer front, Gasperini confirmed changes to the squad. "We replaced Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro, then Koulierakis arrived. But numerically we still need something. D'Amico is negotiating very young but important players," he said, referencing director Tony D'Amico's ongoing dealings in the market.

Roma lost 3–0 to Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium, their final test during their warm-weather camp in England. Goals from Rutter and Ayari in the first half, and a second from Ayari in the second, secured the home side's victory. Despite a decent opening 45 minutes, Roma's display deteriorated markedly after the interval. Gasperini fielded several academy players and made experimental changes, including replacing Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro. After the match, Gasperini addressed the media about the transfer market. He said: "If I do the count at the moment we are few. We have replaced Çelik with Molina. We have replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I think will give us good satisfaction and for me it was a good operation. And then this boy (Koulierakis) arrived to complete the defence, and he seems interesting to me." The coach acknowledged further work remains: "If you count numerically it seems to me we still need something, but you know who to go for and how to close. There are good possibilities. D'Amico is searching and negotiating very young but also very important players. That is the indication." Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a contract extension keeping him at Roma until June 2027. Roma announced the deal, describing Pellegrini—developed through the academy—as embodying the club's sporting vision and values. The squad returns to Trigoria before Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Real Madrid's Endrick remains a target for the attacking midfield, with Gasperini viewing him as a priority to strengthen the forward line.

Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged Roma's transfer shortfall after a poor showing in a friendly against Brighton, conceding that the club lacks adequate depth. The head coach said: "If we do the count, numerically there is still a need for something, but you know how it is. D'Amico is negotiating very young and very important players. That is the indication." Gasperini stressed that squad decisions rest with the club's chief executive, saying: "We have a chief executive, you will have to ask him these questions and he will say what Roma can and cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities the ball passes to him." Gasperini cited returnees from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen—as still recovering their sharpness. He praised Paulo Dybala's fitness and noted that recent arrivals from the start of preseason had performed well. The manager confirmed that an injured player "will be out for at least a month," with discussion to resume from September onward. Gasperini also highlighted recent squad changes: "We replaced Çelik with Molina, whom we will see on Tuesday. We replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I believe will give us great satisfaction. And then Koulierakis arrived, who seems interesting to complete the defence."