Derby della Capitale approved for Sunday 17 May at noon with enhanced security measures

Matías Soulé has turned a turbulent summer into one of the brightest periods of his Roma career. Within days, the forward celebrated the birth of his first child and earned his maiden cap for Argentina, coming on at half-time in a friendly against Burkina Faso alongside Roma teammate Leonardo Balerdi. The moment, witnessed by his family in the stands, marked the culmination of a dramatic reversal in his fortunes at the club. From the end of last season through the recent transfer window, Soulé had been repeatedly linked with a departure. Roma considered him both a potential source of revenue ahead of the 30 June deadline and a possible sacrificial chip to fund moves for different attacking profiles. Despite multiple approaches from other clubs, neither Roma nor Soulé's representatives received offers they deemed adequate, and he remained at Trigoria under Gian Piero Gasperini's management. A complete recovery from the pubic pain that had hampered his performances in the second half of the 2025-26 season has accelerated his turnaround. In this opening stretch of the 2026-27 campaign, Soulé has claimed a prominent role in Gasperini's tactical setup. Across six matches in Serie A and the Champions League, he has started in four of them, rotating with Rodrigo Mora as support for Paulo Dybala and striker Donyell Malen. His impact has been immediate: he has scored against Atalanta and Lecce. Since joining Roma from Juventus for an investment of nearly €30 million, he has made 87 appearances, recording 14 goals and 14 assists. After his appearance in the celebratory match marking Lionel Messi's international retirement, Soulé will return to Rome to prepare for the upcoming away fixture at Como.

Wesley Sneijder, who won the treble with Inter under Mourinho, has identified Roma as Serie A's main threat to the Nerazzurri this season. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Inter midfielder praised Roma's attacking threat under Gasperini. "La Roma with Gasperini is particularly aggressive and dangerous, especially with this Malen who always scores and attacks the depth at the right moment: few can do it like that," Sneijder said. He acknowledged that Como has also caught attention but stressed the established contenders cannot be overlooked: "Now Como has everyone's eyes on it and is very interesting. But the others—Milan, Juve and even Napoli—how can you not consider them?" Sneijder also expressed hope that Inter, managed by Chivu, another former teammate, could win the Champions League again this season, noting that the final is being held in Madrid.

Matías Soulé made his Argentina debut in a friendly against Burkina Faso on the night of 4 October, coming on after half-time—a milestone that marks his emergence from months of uncertainty at Roma. The number 18 had endured two spells on the bench before earning his senior cap with the Albiceleste, and the appearance represents a turning point after a turbulent end to the 2025–26 season and the recent transfer window. Soulé faced the possibility of leaving Rome until the June 30 deadline passed, but remained under head coach Giampiero Gasperini. He has since established himself as a central figure in Roma's campaign. In six matches across Serie A and the Champions League this season, he has started in four. Pubalgia that had seriously hampered him last season is now behind him. He has already made a decisive impact, scoring the winning goal against Atalanta. According to Filippo Biafora in Il Tempo, Soulé had spent the closing weeks of the 2025–26 season living with the prospect of departure, initially considered the top candidate to leave before the summer deadline. His Argentina appearance—coming with the relief and joy of fulfilling a career ambition—has positioned him to turn the page on those difficult months entirely.