Dybala, Malen and squad showcase new away kit for 2026–27 season

Roma will operate with a skeleton crew at Trigoria during the twenty-day international break following the draw against Inter, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having only seven first-team players available for training and preparation. The available squad members are goalkeepers Mile Svilar and Pierluigi Gollini, defenders Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Devyne Rensch, midfielder Marten de Roon, and forward Paulo Dybala. Dybala will take a leave of absence during the break to travel to Argentina and participate in Leo Messi's farewell international match. All other players will be away on international duty with their respective national teams. To maintain training intensity and match fitness, Gasperini will draw heavily on Roma's Primavera squad, though the youth sector has also lost several players to Italian national selections at Under 17 to Under 19 level, including Arena, Bonifazi, Giammattei and Guaglianone. The club has arranged a pair of friendly matches to keep the team sharp during the pause.

AS Roma will resume training tomorrow afternoon, but Gian Piero Gasperini faces a significant squad shortage across the next 20 days as just seven players remain at the club's Trigoria training ground. The available players are goalkeepers Mile Svilar and Pierluigi Gollini, defenders Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Devyne Rensch, midfielder Marten de Roon, and forward Paulo Dybala—who will himself be unavailable for several days to participate in Leo Messi's international farewell match. All other squad members are away on international duty with senior or Under-21 national teams. To maintain adequate training numbers, Roma will need to draw heavily on players from the Primavera academy. However, several academy prospects including Arena, Bonifazi, Giammattei and Guaglianone are themselves unavailable, having been called up to youth international squads ranging from Under-17 to Under-19 level. The club has a pair of friendly matches scheduled during this period, according to Andrea Pugliese's report in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Gianluca Mancini turned down a significantly richer offer from Inter this summer to remain at Roma, a decision driven by loyalty to the club. During Roma's big match against Inter, the Curva Sud paid tribute to the defender with a banner reading: "In a football where only money counts, there is someone who listened to his heart. Honour to Gianluca Mancini." Mancini, substituted during the match, rose from the bench and applauded the Roma supporters in return. The 23-year-old has become an idol to the Roma fanbase and earlier renewed his contract until 2029, cementing his future at the club. His decision to prioritise Roma over a more lucrative move underscores the strength of his commitment to the Giallorossi.

Leonardo Balerdi has emerged as one of this summer's most underrated signings, establishing himself as indispensable to Gasperini's Roma within three weeks of arriving in the final days of the transfer window. Two brief appearances against Atalanta and Fenerbahce were enough to convince the coach that Roma cannot function without the Argentine defender. Against Torino he was the best player on the pitch; against Inter, while Koné claimed the MVP award, Balerdi played as a wall. Despite facing opponents of increasing calibre—from Simeone to Lautaro Martínez—the former Marseille centre-back showed no drop in level. His statistics support the impression: six defensive recoveries, four duels won out of five, and two tackles won out of three before an hour of play when cramps forced his withdrawal. Gasperini's enforced substitution disrupted the manager's plans, but the coach knows he has access to a top-level centre-back. Balerdi's rapid integration has placed him at the heart of Roma's defence. Gianluca Mancini—who has made two errors already this season—and Evan N'Dicka risk losing their places should the Argentine's form continue. The Como fixture looms as the next test, and it seems unlikely Gasperini will drop him. Balerdi has settled well into the squad and wants to stay at the club. The Argentine arrived on loan with conditions to trigger a permanent transfer. If he plays at least 55% of Roma's matches across all competitions—with a minimum of 45 minutes per game, a threshold he has already met twice—an obligation to buy will activate at €14 million. A variable mechanism reduces the fee if his involvement is more limited: between 40% and 55% of matches, the obligation triggers at €11 million. A further clause protects Marseille against deliberate restrictions on his playing time in the second half of the season—if he appears in just 20% of matches in that period, the obligation becomes €9 million. Given his current performances, meeting these thresholds appears inevitable.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash between the two in-form sides of the season. The major Italian sports newspapers published their player ratings following the final whistle, with a clear consensus emerging on the standout performances. Manu Koné drew the highest marks across all outlets, consistently rated 8 out of 10 for his midfield display. Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante also earned strong praise, with most papers rating them 7. The principal criticism fell on Gianluca Mancini, who received 5 or 5.5 across the board—the lowest mark given to any Roma starter. Gian Piero Gasperini, the head coach, was rated between 6 and 7 by the papers. Mile Svilar in goal, Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and Matías Soulé in attack all received ratings in the 6–7 range. Evan N'Dicka, who came on as a replacement after Mancini's 60th-minute departure, was rated 5.5 to 6.5 depending on the outlet. Devyne Rensch, who entered at the same juncture at left-back, received 5.5 to 6. Mario Hermoso drew ratings of 5 to 6 before being substituted in the 81st minute. Wesley earned marks of 5 to 6.5 at right-back, while Donyell Malen completed the attacking line with ratings of 5 to 6.5.

Leonardo Balerdi has emerged as one of this summer's most underrated signings, establishing himself as indispensable to Gasperini's Roma within three weeks of arriving in the final days of the transfer window. Two brief appearances against Atalanta and Fenerbahce were enough to convince the coach that Roma cannot function without the Argentine defender. Against Torino he was the best player on the pitch; against Inter, while Koné claimed the MVP award, Balerdi played as a wall. Despite facing opponents of increasing calibre—from Simeone to Lautaro Martínez—the former Marseille centre-back showed no drop in level. His statistics support the impression: six defensive recoveries, four duels won out of five, and two tackles won out of three before an hour of play when cramps forced his withdrawal. Gasperini's enforced substitution disrupted the manager's plans, but the coach knows he has access to a top-level centre-back. Balerdi's rapid integration has placed him at the heart of Roma's defence. Gianluca Mancini—who has made two errors already this season—and Evan N'Dicka risk losing their places should the Argentine's form continue. The Como fixture looms as the next test, and it seems unlikely Gasperini will drop him. Balerdi has settled well into the squad and wants to stay at the club. The Argentine arrived on loan with conditions to trigger a permanent transfer. If he plays at least 55% of Roma's matches across all competitions—with a minimum of 45 minutes per game, a threshold he has already met twice—an obligation to buy will activate at €14 million. A variable mechanism reduces the fee if his involvement is more limited: between 40% and 55% of matches, the obligation triggers at €11 million. A further clause protects Marseille against deliberate restrictions on his playing time in the second half of the season—if he appears in just 20% of matches in that period, the obligation becomes €9 million. Given his current performances, meeting these thresholds appears inevitable.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash between the two in-form sides of the season. The major Italian sports newspapers published their player ratings following the final whistle, with a clear consensus emerging on the standout performances. Manu Koné drew the highest marks across all outlets, consistently rated 8 out of 10 for his midfield display. Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante also earned strong praise, with most papers rating them 7. The principal criticism fell on Gianluca Mancini, who received 5 or 5.5 across the board—the lowest mark given to any Roma starter. Gian Piero Gasperini, the head coach, was rated between 6 and 7 by the papers. Mile Svilar in goal, Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and Matías Soulé in attack all received ratings in the 6–7 range. Evan N'Dicka, who came on as a replacement after Mancini's 60th-minute departure, was rated 5.5 to 6.5 depending on the outlet. Devyne Rensch, who entered at the same juncture at left-back, received 5.5 to 6. Mario Hermoso drew ratings of 5 to 6 before being substituted in the 81st minute. Wesley earned marks of 5 to 6.5 at right-back, while Donyell Malen completed the attacking line with ratings of 5 to 6.5.

Manu Koné scored twice but it was not enough for Roma to beat Inter, according to ratings published by five Italian newspapers. Koné earned an 8 from Corriere dello Sport, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo, with 8 also from Il Messaggero's match assessment, and 7.5 from La Repubblica. He shared best-in-field honours with Bryan Cristante in most outlets' evaluations. The Argentinian defenders Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina also impressed, as did Paulo Dybala, who received ratings of 7 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and 6.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica. Gianluca Mancini's defensive error proved decisive, allowing Lautaro to open the scoring for Inter. Mancini was universally marked down across the newspapers, receiving a 5 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, 5.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica, and 5.5 from Il Tempo. He was substituted at the 60-minute mark. Evan N'Dicka replaced him and earned ratings between 5.5 and 6.5. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini received marks of 7, 6.5, 6.5, 6 and 6.5 respectively. Other defenders and midfielders drew mixed assessments. Mile Svilar in goal was rated 6.5 to 7.5, while Mario Hermoso, who also departed early (81 minutes), received 5 to 6. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen both earned 6 to 6.5 marks. Wesley and Molina's departures at the 60-minute mark saw them replaced by Devyne Rensch and other squad rotation options across the newspapers' 3-4-2-1 formation analysis.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash between the two in-form sides of the season. The major Italian sports newspapers published their player ratings following the final whistle, with a clear consensus emerging on the standout performances. Manu Koné drew the highest marks across all outlets, consistently rated 8 out of 10 for his midfield display. Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante also earned strong praise, with most papers rating them 7. The principal criticism fell on Gianluca Mancini, who received 5 or 5.5 across the board—the lowest mark given to any Roma starter. Gian Piero Gasperini, the head coach, was rated between 6 and 7 by the papers. Mile Svilar in goal, Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and Matías Soulé in attack all received ratings in the 6–7 range. Evan N'Dicka, who came on as a replacement after Mancini's 60th-minute departure, was rated 5.5 to 6.5 depending on the outlet. Devyne Rensch, who entered at the same juncture at left-back, received 5.5 to 6. Mario Hermoso drew ratings of 5 to 6 before being substituted in the 81st minute. Wesley earned marks of 5 to 6.5 at right-back, while Donyell Malen completed the attacking line with ratings of 5 to 6.5.

Manu Koné scored twice but it was not enough for Roma to beat Inter, according to ratings published by five Italian newspapers. Koné earned an 8 from Corriere dello Sport, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo, with 8 also from Il Messaggero's match assessment, and 7.5 from La Repubblica. He shared best-in-field honours with Bryan Cristante in most outlets' evaluations. The Argentinian defenders Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina also impressed, as did Paulo Dybala, who received ratings of 7 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and 6.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica. Gianluca Mancini's defensive error proved decisive, allowing Lautaro to open the scoring for Inter. Mancini was universally marked down across the newspapers, receiving a 5 from Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, 5.5 from Il Messaggero and La Repubblica, and 5.5 from Il Tempo. He was substituted at the 60-minute mark. Evan N'Dicka replaced him and earned ratings between 5.5 and 6.5. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini received marks of 7, 6.5, 6.5, 6 and 6.5 respectively. Other defenders and midfielders drew mixed assessments. Mile Svilar in goal was rated 6.5 to 7.5, while Mario Hermoso, who also departed early (81 minutes), received 5 to 6. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen both earned 6 to 6.5 marks. Wesley and Molina's departures at the 60-minute mark saw them replaced by Devyne Rensch and other squad rotation options across the newspapers' 3-4-2-1 formation analysis.