Dybala booked for derby; Pisilli and Soulé battle for berth

Evan N'Dicka started and played all 90 minutes for Ivory Coast in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana on 24 September, lining up alongside Diomande in defence. Konstantinos Koulierakis, his Roma defensive partner, remained on the bench throughout Serbia's Nations League group-stage opener against Greece. Both players were among 12 Roma squad members called up by their respective national teams on the current international window. N'Dicka's full appearance underlines his importance to the Ivory Coast setup, while Koulierakis did not feature in Serbia's debut fixture in Nations League group 2.

Bryan Cristante has been withdrawn from Italy's Nations League squad after sustaining an injury in Roma's Serie A match against Inter, forcing manager Roberto Mancini to call up Samuele Ricci as his replacement. Cristante was originally selected for the campaign but the physical problem forced him to withdraw from the squad for the clash against Belgium, which marks the start of Italy's new Nations League cycle. The absence provides an opportunity to examine Cristante's relationship with the Nations League and Italy's overall performance with and without him. Across 22 Nations League matches in the period examined, Cristante has appeared eight times. In the other 14 occasions, he has been unavailable: 12 times through non-selection and twice through remaining on the bench. When the Roma midfielder has featured, Italy have recorded four wins, two draws and two defeats. In the 14 matches where Cristante did not play, the Azzurri collected seven wins, six draws and just one loss. Looking specifically at the last six Nations League Finals matches analysed, Cristante appeared in exactly half of them—three times—while not being selected twice and remaining on the bench on one occasion. With Cristante on the pitch, Italy faced Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, securing two victories and one defeat. A notable detail involving Roma's current squad emerged from the Netherlands match: Cristante started that fixture while Donyell Malen started for the opposition. Both players now share Roma's dressing room under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. In the three matches of that cycle where Cristante was not used, Italy recorded two losses against Germany and Spain, alongside a draw against Germany.

Roma have identified Frosinone midfielder Giorgi Kvernadze as a target to strengthen Gasperini's attack, according to reports. The Georgian midfielder appeals to the Roma coach, but Frosinone—managed by Alvini—are holding firm in their valuation, demanding at least €25 million. The pursuit of other attacking options remains active: Endrick, the Brazilian currently out of favour at Real Madrid under Mourinho, continues to be monitored by Roma's sporting director D'Amico, with a potential approach planned for January. Roma's summer transfer window saw other targets slip away. Leweling, pursued by Roma until late in the window, was also on the radar of Inter under Chivu, though Stuttgart resisted both clubs' advances. The window's conclusion left gaps that Gasperini is now tasked with addressing through future recruitment cycles.

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed Roma's commercial partners at Relais Appia Antica, speaking about the club's demanding nature and the squad's recent performance. He said: "I knew that Roma footballically is very demanding and difficult. But beyond results it matters to show you are working seriously, and that is always appreciated." Gasperini called the recent match against Inter "a spectacle" and thanked the business leaders for their confidence in the club. He also unveiled a personal project: a new wine from his vineyard called "Freisa 3-4-3", releasing on 5 October. "The 3-4-3 has been my fortune and I hope it is a good omen: with that system I built almost all my successes," he said. Roma have begun planning for the January transfer window to expand Gasperini's squad options. Among the profiles being monitored is Giorgi Kvernadze, a Georgian winger from Frosinone born in 2003, who has made a strong start to the season. Roma's scouts have closely followed the player, who has recorded 5 goals and 2 assists in Serie A and Coppa Italia. Frosinone appear reluctant to sell easily and have reportedly set the price at around €25 million. Napoli have also shown interest in Kvernadze. In his book "Oltre", Francesco Totti revealed a backstory from Paulo Dybala's arrival at Roma. The club had considered giving Dybala the number 10 shirt and wanted Totti himself to present it during the unveiling. Totti refused bluntly: "The answer was sharp: 'Are you all mad?' If you have the courage, give it to him yourselves. Nothing against the player—I like him very much as a person too." Dybala ultimately chose number 21, avoiding a direct comparison with Totti's legacy. Totti explained he would not oppose seeing the number 10 worn again, but with one condition: "Every day I hope another Totti manifests himself. One born in Rome, grown up in Rome, who chooses Roma for life. That shirt should go to someone who can build a long and deep bond with the club."

Roma have made an emphatic start to the 2026-27 season, claiming four wins and two draws across their opening six matches without defeat, and their attacking shape under Gian Piero Gasperini is becoming increasingly defined. The side have generated one of Serie A's strongest offensive phases, producing 111 total shots over six matches—an average of 20.6 per game—with 68% coming from the central area, 18% from the left and 15% from the right. Gasperini's system combines aggressive pressing, high tempo and collective play with relentless shot creation, generating 14 goals so far: 12 from open play, one from a set piece and one on the counter. Donyell Malen has emerged as the attacking focal point, already on six goals with 20 shots (10 on target) as Roma's primary reference point in the box. However, the creative engine runs through Paulo Dybala on the right flank. The Argentine leads Serie A for chances created (22) and assists (4), and has completed 201 successful passes, underscoring his centrality to Roma's build-up play. Gasperini's tactical identity also involves using inverted wingers—Wesley, for instance, frequently plays on the left to cut inside onto his right foot, a pattern that generated his goal against Juventus last season in a 3-3 draw at the Olimpico. In the match against Inter, Nahuel Molina, deployed on the left, finished with three shots. While Roma shoot most from the centre, the right flank proves most productive in creating opportunities, generating 39% of offensive chances. The combination of Dybala's creativity and the movement patterns Gasperini has installed suggest Roma's attacking threat remains multifaceted and difficult to defend, grounded in the manager's clear strategic blueprint of aggressive, high-tempo football that prioritises collective movement and continuous offensive production.

Roma have set a record that has never been achieved in the club's history: ten consecutive Serie A matches in which they have scored at least two goals. The streak began on 25 April with a 0–2 win at Bologna and has survived the change of season, spanning the final five matches of last season and the opening five of the current campaign under Gasperini. During this run the squad has scored 27 goals, won nine matches and drawn one, while conceding just five goals in total—remarkably, Roma kept clean sheets in seven of these ten fixtures. The start to the 2026–27 season has accelerated the phenomenon. After five matchdays Roma have 14 goals at an average of 2.8 per game, the best offensive opening by the club since Serie A returned to 20 teams in 2004–05. The previous best in that span was 13 goals in 2016–17. Roma have not conceded more than two goals in any match; Fiorentina and Lecce each shipped four, while Atalanta, Torino and Inter conceded two apiece. The 2–2 draw with Inter left intact another distinction: Roma have not started a campaign without a loss in their opening five matches since 2014–15. All 14 goals have come from inside the penalty area, with zero from distance and zero penalties awarded. Roma have produced 99 shots, 35 on target, and 72 chances according to official Lega Serie A data, indicating that their prolificty stems from an enormous volume of dangerous situations created close to goal. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in the opening five matchdays and after just four fixtures joined an exclusive club: only Pedro Manfredini and Francesco Totti had reached six goals in their first four league matches for Roma. Malen closed last season with 14 goals in 18 Serie A appearances; across both campaigns he has now scored 20 goals in 23 league matches. Paulo Dybala has not yet scored this season but has supplied four assists in five appearances, currently leading the Serie A assists table. Three of those came together in Roma's 4–0 win over Fiorentina on matchday one. Manu Koné's brace in the first half against Inter saw him become only the fifth Roma player to score twice in the opening 45 minutes of a Serie A match against the Nerazzurri, after Roberto Pruzzo, Francesco Graziani, Abel Balbo and Francesco Totti.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on three key issues facing Roma as the season progresses: the speculation around midfielder Kvernadze, the development of Rodrigo Mora, and the decision to sell Niccolo Romano to Cagliari. Alessio Nardo criticised the timing of any potential move for Kvernadze. "If you were smart, you would have gone to get him in July or mid-August," Nardo said. "Now he's had an extraordinary start to the season, and after three weeks Frosinone will make you pay triple. Now it's foolish to go and get Kvernadze." Piero Torri added context: Frosinone are likely to demand €20–25 million for the player, but the price could rise further if Roma move slowly. Torri also flagged that Roma's position in the league table in December, and UEFA's verdict on the club's situation by mid-November, will determine whether the ownership feels obliged to invest in January. On Mora, Daniele Lo Monaco offered a technical assessment tempered by concerns about readiness. "From a technical standpoint I think Rodrigo Mora is superior to Matías Soulé," Lo Monaco said. "For me, Mora has only Dybala above him, because he does extraordinary things that others can only imagine. But from a physical point of view you have some doubts, because when he goes into a challenge, opponents push him around. And every so often during the match he loses focus, and with Gasperini you cannot afford that. Today he is not quite ready to play with Gasperini, but he will become ready soon, especially if he does not have the pressure on him of having to prove he is worth €50 million, because otherwise it becomes a problem." Fabio Petruzzi framed the Romano sale as a difficult but necessary choice. "Romano is a good player, I do not say otherwise, but I would be cautious," Petruzzi said. "He would not have played at Roma. Roma had to make a choice: either Pisilli or Romano." Stefano Carina highlighted the oddity of Romano's sale: the initial asking price was €9 million, but the player departed for €5 million. "If you were asking nine million then perhaps this lad is worth something," Carina noted. "Cagliari saw further ahead, and now it seems like a big regret."

Radio pundits have dissected Roma's performance in Saturday's match against Inter, with debate centring on the club's attacking midfield options and whether the squad can sustain momentum in the coming weeks. Several commentators highlighted Roma's improvement compared to last season, though assessments of the Inter encounter differed. Vocalelli argued that Inter's squad remains stronger in prospect despite Roma fielding a full side, noting that Inter still need to integrate three summer signings. Pugliese suggested Roma has narrowed the gap from last season but remains below Inter's overall organisation, adding that fixtures against Napoli, Como and Madrid will reveal the squad's true level and how new arrivals suit Gasperini's system. Ferrajolo called the performance a sign of maturity, stating Roma has historically struggled against the top sides: "Nella partita di sabato le due squadre sono apparse alla pari, e devo dire che il risultato è lusinghiero per la Roma, perché ha giocato una partita alla pari con l'Inter." Camelio expressed concern about Roma's left flank depth but backed the defensive strength, adding that a January signing could push Roma's title challenge. Mora emerged as a focal point of debate. Chiara Ciotti noted that Soulé is preferred because of his understanding with Dybala and Malen. Impallomeni said: "Mora ha dei mezzi importanti, ma bisogna avere pazienza. Mi auguro che possa farci vedere cosa sa fare." Davide Fidanza observed: "Mora vive d'istinto, ha giocate importanti, ma estemporanee," contrasting him with Soulé, who he described as "tatticamente più completo" and more effective in team play. Fidanza drew a parallel to Pisilli's development, suggesting Mora requires time to mature and adapt his game.

Marten De Roon has played 361 matches under Gian Piero Gasperini — more than any other player in the world — and the midfielder's integration at Roma will be defined not by tactical learning but by physical fitness. De Roon arrived at Trigoria without having played minutes in the early part of the season under his previous manager, prompting Gasperini to use him cautiously. The international break, however, offers a chance to rebuild his athletic condition to match the high-intensity football Gasperini demands, with his role in the squad rotation set to increase substantially from October onward. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the plan is to alternate De Roon primarily with Bryan Cristante, forming a midfield pairing with either Manu Koné or Niccolò Pisilli. Rather than a rigid hierarchy, Gasperini will deploy flexible combinations that allow tactical adjustment and energy management without sacrificing balance. At 35, De Roon represents an investment in the present, not the future — unlike younger squad members such as Mora, Castro, or Koulierakis. He brings experience, reading of the game, personality, and an almost automatic understanding of what Gasperini demands on the pitch. For a coach seeking to "play in twenty" — using a deep squad across many matches — having such a player provides a shortcut. De Roon does not need to learn the system; he simply needs to regain his legs to execute it. He has already built a strong relationship with his Dutch compatriot Donyell Malen, and his prior knowledge of Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante has made his entry into the dressing room feel natural. By observation, he appears to have been at Roma far longer than a few weeks. The fixture list after the break is designed to accelerate his integration. Between Serie A and Champions League, Roma face a congested schedule that will make it impossible to demand everything constantly from Cristante, Koné, and other midfielders. In Europe, De Roon's extensive international experience under Gasperini — understanding rhythm, moment management, and composure in high-stakes matches — will prove invaluable. From October onward, he could finally become the certainty Roma needs.

Bryan Cristante has been withdrawn from Italy's Nations League squad after sustaining an injury in Roma's Serie A match against Inter, forcing manager Roberto Mancini to call up Samuele Ricci as his replacement. Cristante was originally selected for the campaign but the physical problem forced him to withdraw from the squad for the clash against Belgium, which marks the start of Italy's new Nations League cycle. The absence provides an opportunity to examine Cristante's relationship with the Nations League and Italy's overall performance with and without him. Across 22 Nations League matches in the period examined, Cristante has appeared eight times. In the other 14 occasions, he has been unavailable: 12 times through non-selection and twice through remaining on the bench. When the Roma midfielder has featured, Italy have recorded four wins, two draws and two defeats. In the 14 matches where Cristante did not play, the Azzurri collected seven wins, six draws and just one loss. Looking specifically at the last six Nations League Finals matches analysed, Cristante appeared in exactly half of them—three times—while not being selected twice and remaining on the bench on one occasion. With Cristante on the pitch, Italy faced Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, securing two victories and one defeat. A notable detail involving Roma's current squad emerged from the Netherlands match: Cristante started that fixture while Donyell Malen started for the opposition. Both players now share Roma's dressing room under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. In the three matches of that cycle where Cristante was not used, Italy recorded two losses against Germany and Spain, alongside a draw against Germany.

Roma have made an emphatic start to the 2026-27 season, claiming four wins and two draws across their opening six matches without defeat, and their attacking shape under Gian Piero Gasperini is becoming increasingly defined. The side have generated one of Serie A's strongest offensive phases, producing 111 total shots over six matches—an average of 20.6 per game—with 68% coming from the central area, 18% from the left and 15% from the right. Gasperini's system combines aggressive pressing, high tempo and collective play with relentless shot creation, generating 14 goals so far: 12 from open play, one from a set piece and one on the counter. Donyell Malen has emerged as the attacking focal point, already on six goals with 20 shots (10 on target) as Roma's primary reference point in the box. However, the creative engine runs through Paulo Dybala on the right flank. The Argentine leads Serie A for chances created (22) and assists (4), and has completed 201 successful passes, underscoring his centrality to Roma's build-up play. Gasperini's tactical identity also involves using inverted wingers—Wesley, for instance, frequently plays on the left to cut inside onto his right foot, a pattern that generated his goal against Juventus last season in a 3-3 draw at the Olimpico. In the match against Inter, Nahuel Molina, deployed on the left, finished with three shots. While Roma shoot most from the centre, the right flank proves most productive in creating opportunities, generating 39% of offensive chances. The combination of Dybala's creativity and the movement patterns Gasperini has installed suggest Roma's attacking threat remains multifaceted and difficult to defend, grounded in the manager's clear strategic blueprint of aggressive, high-tempo football that prioritises collective movement and continuous offensive production.

Roma have set a record that has never been achieved in the club's history: ten consecutive Serie A matches in which they have scored at least two goals. The streak began on 25 April with a 0–2 win at Bologna and has survived the change of season, spanning the final five matches of last season and the opening five of the current campaign under Gasperini. During this run the squad has scored 27 goals, won nine matches and drawn one, while conceding just five goals in total—remarkably, Roma kept clean sheets in seven of these ten fixtures. The start to the 2026–27 season has accelerated the phenomenon. After five matchdays Roma have 14 goals at an average of 2.8 per game, the best offensive opening by the club since Serie A returned to 20 teams in 2004–05. The previous best in that span was 13 goals in 2016–17. Roma have not conceded more than two goals in any match; Fiorentina and Lecce each shipped four, while Atalanta, Torino and Inter conceded two apiece. The 2–2 draw with Inter left intact another distinction: Roma have not started a campaign without a loss in their opening five matches since 2014–15. All 14 goals have come from inside the penalty area, with zero from distance and zero penalties awarded. Roma have produced 99 shots, 35 on target, and 72 chances according to official Lega Serie A data, indicating that their prolificty stems from an enormous volume of dangerous situations created close to goal. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in the opening five matchdays and after just four fixtures joined an exclusive club: only Pedro Manfredini and Francesco Totti had reached six goals in their first four league matches for Roma. Malen closed last season with 14 goals in 18 Serie A appearances; across both campaigns he has now scored 20 goals in 23 league matches. Paulo Dybala has not yet scored this season but has supplied four assists in five appearances, currently leading the Serie A assists table. Three of those came together in Roma's 4–0 win over Fiorentina on matchday one. Manu Koné's brace in the first half against Inter saw him become only the fifth Roma player to score twice in the opening 45 minutes of a Serie A match against the Nerazzurri, after Roberto Pruzzo, Francesco Graziani, Abel Balbo and Francesco Totti.