Di Francesco: Roma are strong but Lecce will fight hard

Marten de Roon's arrival at Roma has divided the club's supporters between those who appreciate his qualities on the pitch and those who remember controversial social media posts, including a middle-finger gesture following a derby clash with Lazio and posts referencing his Feyenoord roots. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini defended the midfielder at today's press conference, saying: "Even I wasn't much loved at the start, but he's a good person and you'll get to know him." De Roon and Gasperini share a strong bond. The midfielder has previously praised the coach publicly, describing their relationship as excellent and crediting Gasperini with making him significantly stronger. Gasperini's track record of demanding intense physical and tactical work has earned de Roon's respect, though he acknowledged the adjustment period is difficult — players initially struggle with the physical demands before adapting to the 90-minute intensity required. In a June interview on Alessandro Cattelan's podcast 'Supernova', de Roon addressed his relationship with Roma's fanbase directly. "I've stopped posting on social media a bit, I'm a bit more serious now, maybe with age," he said. "If I want to become a coach, they'll dig up something and say 'No, but you insulted us!' They remember everything. I made some jokes with Roma, even with Mourinho. I reckon they'd kill me in Rome (laughs). But I love Rome — we go there a couple of days a year, it's almost our favourite city, the food is amazing. But once you make a mistake you're ruined for life."

Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed that no official offers have been made for Matías Soulé, despite ongoing speculation surrounding the midfielder's future. The Roma head coach stated that Soulé remains available for selection and can play in tomorrow's fixture. Gasperini indicated that Roma's transfer priorities lie elsewhere, identifying a need for both a forward and a left-back as the window continues. The club is actively pursuing alternative targets to strengthen the squad in those positions. The statement comes as Roma conducts business across multiple fronts in the market. Gasperini said: "There have never been any offers for Soulé. He can play tomorrow." The clarity provided by the coach should settle questions about Soulé's availability for immediate selection.

Eusebio Di Francesco, Lecce's head coach, previewed his side's fixture against Roma at the Stadio Via del Mare, expressing admiration for their opponents' early-season form while outlining his tactical approach to the match. Roma earned a convincing victory against Fiorentina in their opening fixture, with Paulo Dybala performing at an exceptionally high level. Donyell Malen scored a hat-trick in that same game. Di Francesco acknowledged the challenge ahead: "Malen scored three goals, Dybala is in an extraordinary condition, it is difficult to go and take them on as a team. Gasperini gives a very strong identity, we need to be good at containing their qualities." Di Francesco, who previously managed Roma, faces his former club for the first time this season. He emphasized that his preparation focuses on understanding Roma's approach rather than making sweeping changes to his own setup. He noted that Lecce have improved offensively and want to attack with more players rather than operating solely on the defensive, though this carries inherent risks. Against Gasperini's aggressive, high-pressing system, Di Francesco explained his team must balance controlled aggression with the ability to suffer defensively and create numerical superiority on the flanks, as Roma create "an offensive web" through high possession and goalkeeper involvement. On squad matters, Di Francesco confirmed midfielder Sander Ilic, a player he specifically requested in the transfer market, has trained all week and will have "some minutes". He knows Ilic from their time together at Verona and believes the midfielder, who has important qualities in both build-up play and attacking transitions, can become a key player if he finds consistency and conviction. Forward Nikola Stulic, who missed chances in Lecce's previous match against Venezia, will be given opportunity to redeem himself, and Di Francesco noted that competition from Geubbels is raising training standards for both strikers. Centre-back Tiago Gabriel remains a Lecce player "today" despite transfer rumours, though Di Francesco did not rule out changes to his starting lineup and hinted at possible surprises. Di Francesco will decide on striker Gallo's participation tomorrow morning, describing him as a doubt. He also plans to assess the impact of the ongoing stadium construction work at the Via del Mare on his team's focus and performance.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Serie A matchday 2 fixture against Lecce. Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz are absent from the squad list, both players close to departing the club. Devyne Rensch and Lorenzo Pellegrini are also unavailable through injury. The 24-man squad features goalkeepers Svilar, De Marzi and Gollini. In defence, Gasperini has included Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. Midfield options are Cristante, Koné, Pisilli and Mora, while attack is covered by Castro, Malen, Soulé and Dybala.

Roma have named their squad for the trip to Lecce following their home victory against Fiorentina. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has included new acquisition Leonardo Balerdi in the convocation, marking the defender's availability for selection. Devyne Rensch remains absent but is expected to return to full availability on Tuesday; Lorenzo Pellegrini is also unavailable. The squad list for the match comprises: Goalkeepers: Svilar, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Koné, Pisilli, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé, Dybala.

Roma head to Lecce for their second match of the season with Gasperini able to call on most of his squad. Leonardo Balerdi makes his competitive debut after his official confirmation this morning, while fellow new arrivals Koulierakis, Mora, Castro and Molina are all available. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch remain sidelined but will return to training next week. De Roon, who arrived in the capital today, is not yet officially registered and therefore unavailable. Neil El Aynaoui is also absent from the squad list. Robinio Vaz has been left out as he prepares to join Hull City pending Roma's approval and the arrival of another striker. The full squad includes goalkeepers Svilar, De Marzi and Gollini; defenders Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi; midfielders Cristante, Koné, Pisilli and Mora; and forwards Castro, Malen, Soulé and Dybala.

Leonardo Balerdi has completed his move to Roma from Marseille and given his first interview as a giallorosso player. The Argentine defender, formerly captain at Marseille, said he is "truly happy and very serene" after arriving in Rome and praised the warmth of his reception. "Since I was a child I have always felt a special fascination for this shirt," he said. "The enthusiasm of the fans and the passion of the stadium were fundamental to my choice. I thank the club for their trust and the fans for the beautiful welcome I received at the airport." Bareldi brings substantial European experience across Bundesliga, Ligue 1, continental competitions and Argentina's national team. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini tracked him during his time at Atalanta, though Balerdi noted: "There has not yet been recent direct contact with the manager, but I know he was following me since the Atalanta days. I have very positive opinions of him and I have so many incentives to start working on the pitch straightaway." The 24-year-old is fluent in Spanish, French, English and Italian. He learned Italian from his mother, an Italian language teacher in Argentina, as well as from his Italian partner and from various Italian teammates and coaches he has worked with. Reflecting on Roma's historic connection with Argentine players, he said: "Roma has a very strong history with Argentines: I think immediately of Dybala, Paredes, Heinze, Samuel and Batistuta." His childhood idols included Fernando Gago—who played for Roma—as well as Messi and Riquelme, citing his support for Boca Juniors. Bareldi has played in intense atmospheres at Boca, Dortmund and Marseille. "I have already been to the Olimpico as an opponent but played for the other side," he said. "I cannot wait to feel all the warmth of the giallorosso crowd on my side." Closing his interview, he promised: "I thank you all for your affection. I promise maximum effort and dedication for this shirt to help the squad reach the highest targets. Daje Roma daje!"

Leonardo Balerdi has given his first interview as a Roma player, speaking to the club's social media channels about his arrival and ambitions. The defender expressed his joy at joining, saying: "First of all happiness and also peace of mind, because from the moment I arrived here they welcomed me with joy, in a very beautiful way." Bareldi, who holds 11 caps for Argentina and has played in major European competitions, explained his motivation for choosing Roma. "I had something with this shirt: when I was young I saw this shirt and I said: 'It's beautiful'. I liked it so much and for that reason I wanted to play here," he said. He added: "I knew the club, the fans, I saw the passion and I wanted to be here, wanted to play here after seeing all that. I can thank the whole club for their trust, obviously the staff and everyone. I want to meet everyone, including the players, because I haven't had the time yet. I thank everyone and also the fans for waiting for me at the airport, for welcoming me." Bareldi, whose Italian mother was a teacher of the language and whose girlfriend is Italian, is fluent in French, Spanish, and English alongside Italian. He has studied under several Italian coaches who helped develop his command of the language. Among Roma's Argentine players, he highlighted Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, Heinze, Samuel, and Gabriel Batistuta as memorable figures. His footballing heroes included Fernando Gago, who played for Roma: "When I was young I wanted to play in midfield and my idol was Gago, who played here. He was one of my idols when I was young. I even saved many photos of Gago in this shirt. Incredible." Bareldi has not yet met head coach Gian Piero Gasperini in person, though he confirmed they have had some contact. "He had looked for me when he was at Atalanta. People have spoken very well of him to me and now I want to start working with him," Balerdi said. In his message to Roma's supporters, he pledged: "I want to play and wear this shirt right away. I want to give all my heart and all my strength to take Roma as high as possible. Thank you for everything."

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Serie A matchday 2 fixture against Lecce. Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz are absent from the squad list, both players close to departing the club. Devyne Rensch and Lorenzo Pellegrini are also unavailable through injury. The 24-man squad features goalkeepers Svilar, De Marzi and Gollini. In defence, Gasperini has included Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. Midfield options are Cristante, Koné, Pisilli and Mora, while attack is covered by Castro, Malen, Soulé and Dybala.