Dybala set to feature as mentor in EA Sports FC 27

Roma have opened contact with Matteo Darmian, the 1989-born defender who left Inter at the end of his contract on 30 June. According to Tuttomercatoweb.com, discussions between the club and the player have taken place in recent weeks, with Darmian receptive to a one-year deal on modest financial terms. For head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the move would add experience and reliability to the squad during a season in which Roma compete on multiple fronts. Darmian's versatility across the defence and flanks would provide an additional alternative to the existing defensive options. A low-cost acquisition of this kind would allow Gasperini to strengthen his options without significant expenditure. No agreement has yet been finalised. The player is expected to make a decision on his future in the coming days, with proposals from Dubai also on the table. Roma are waiting to see which path Darmian chooses, but the free-agent option remains on the club's radar as a potential addition of proven quality to the defensive ranks.

Pierluigi Massa has been appointed to referee Roma's upcoming match against Inter, a decision that has drawn scrutiny from former referee Graziano Cesari. Roma have failed to win in ten matches in which Massa has officiated, a record that has fuelled concern among supporters. The frustration stems partly from the recent Como–Roma fixture, where Wesley was sent off in a controversial decision. Cesari, now a commentator, spoke to Sportmediaset about the appointment, calling it a "conservative" choice by Giancarlo Orsato, who made the designation. "I expected one of either Massa or Marco Guida," Cesari said. "He is an arbitrator of great experience, with excellent knowledge of the players and their characteristics. If the match becomes more intense at an agonistic level, he could face difficulty in managing it. Experience, character and clarity can certainly help him, but that too is an aspect to keep in mind."

Gianluca Mancini rejected Inter's advances this summer and signed a contract renewal with Roma despite being offered more lucrative terms elsewhere. The defender's agent Giuseppe Riso, as Corriere dello Sport reported, actively pushed for a move to Milan, where Chivu was prepared to welcome him, but Mancini showed no hesitation about remaining in the capital despite childhood admiration for Inter's side under Materazzi. Mancini chose to extend his deal on reduced financial terms. His fixed salary fell from €2.5 million in the previous season, and he accepted a structure built around performance bonuses and seasonal objectives shared with Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante. The decision reinforces Roma's commitment to players willing to align compensation with team success. The 1996-born defender now aims to increase his goal tally against Inter, where he has already scored four times. Three of those goals came in a Roma shirt, though only one has so far yielded points for his side.

Gian Piero Gasperini has refused to set title ambitions after Roma's opening four consecutive victories, insisting that realistic objectives can only be discussed after roughly 20 matches. Speaking to Sky Sport Insider, the coach acknowledged the city's dreams but grounded expectations in reality: "The reality is that objectives can be discussed only after about twenty matches. Setting them after four or five makes no sense. We certainly have confidence, certainly we want to be high in the table, but at this moment this is the only concrete objective." Gasperini defended his squad's trajectory by noting that Roma began the season with significant advantages over last year's opener. "We had the conviction of having good preparation behind us, and a squad that started advantaged compared to the beginning of last season: we have been together longer, we know each other better, many things we have already assimilated," he said. He highlighted younger players including Emanuele Lulli, Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi, praising their hunger and willingness to learn. On Leonardo Balerdi's impact, Gasperini noted the Argentine defender had delivered "immediately positive" form despite completing only partial preparation with the club, drawing a comparison to Franco Baresi for his recovery speed, intensity in challenges, and composure in building play. Gasperini outlined the complementary nature of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen: "Their characteristics fit together well. Dybala has the capacity to read Malen's runs even when it seems he is not looking at him, and the quality with which he serves him is remarkable. Malen for his part has an extraordinary capacity to convert into goals actions that seem simple but are not. It is a combination that works." He reflected on Roma's return to the Champions League after seven years, describing it as not assured: "The Champions League forces you to overcome obstacles, gives you the opportunity to play against Europe's best teams, puts you against a more difficult and complicated football from which you can grow." When asked to identify flaws, Gasperini said: "The big defects we have eliminated." He credited the unity among environment, squad, supporters and the board as the club's greatest strength, and acknowledged the broader social environment's influence on results as deeply positive.

Gian Piero Gasperini has outlined Roma's approach after a perfect beginning to the 2026-27 season, emphasizing that while supporters are entitled to dream of the Serie A title, the club itself remains grounded in reality. Speaking to Sky Sport on 17 September, the head coach reflected on four consecutive wins and the mental benefit they bring, noting that Roma started this season in a stronger position than a year ago. "Me lo auguravo, più che aspettarmelo," he said. "D'altronde avevamo la convinzione di avere alle spalle un buon rodaggio, e una squadra che partiva avvantaggiata rispetto all'inizio della scorsa stagione: siamo insieme da più tempo, ci conosciamo meglio, tante cose le abbiamo già assimilate." On the atmosphere at the club after more than a year in the capital, Gasperini stressed the positive influence of Roma's environment. "L'ambiente influenza tantissimo. Ma come ho sempre detto, influenza in modo positivo, non negativo, perché è un ambiente di grande passione e di grande amore verso la propria squadra, e quindi sono tutte componenti fortemente positive." He credited the unity between players, supporters, club and management as Roma's greatest strength. "Il pregio più grande, tra i tanti, è che si è creata una grande unità tra ambiente, squadra, tifoseria e società, e questo è qualcosa che ti aiuta a lavorare bene e ti dà fiducia per fare i migliori risultati." Gasperini praised the partnership between Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, explaining their complementary qualities. "Dybala ha la capacità di leggere gli smarcamenti di Malen anche quando sembra non guardarlo, e la qualità con cui lo serve è notevole. Malen dal canto suo ha una straordinaria capacità di tradurre in gol azioni che sembrano semplici ma non lo sono." He also highlighted the development of young players including Emanuele Lulli, Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi, noting their professionalism and desire to improve. On the Scudetto question, Gasperini rejected setting concrete objectives so early. "L'asticella non si alza mettendo degli obiettivi più o meno raggiungibili: si alza migliorando ogni giorno." He added: "Ci rendiamo conto che intorno a noi si fanno tutte le previsioni possibili, ed è giusto così: la gente ha i suoi sogni, vuole il massimo. Per quanto riguarda noi, come ogni anno, dobbiamo guardare in faccia la realtà." Gasperini described upcoming matches against Inter, Como and Real Madrid as opportunities to measure Roma's true capabilities against elite opponents, noting that Como are a team "doing truly giant steps" and now belong among the campaign's big sides. On Leonardo Balerdi's arrival and immediate impact, he explained a comparison he had made to Franco Baresi, emphasizing shared defensive characteristics rather than absolute level. Balerdi, he said, had arrived in excellent condition despite limited preparation time and had already proven himself a strong professional making an instant contribution.

Gian Piero Gasperini has praised Roma's start to the 2026-27 season after four straight victories, crediting preparation and familiarity for the strong opening. "I hoped for it rather than expected it," he said. "We had the conviction of good training behind us, and a squad that started with an advantage compared to the start of last season: we've been together longer, we know each other better, we've already assimilated many things." Gasperini highlighted the club's unity between environment, squad, supporters and hierarchy as Roma's greatest strength. He explained how the younger players—Lulli, Pisilli and Ghilardi among them—drive improvement through their hunger to learn despite playing in Serie A at a very young age, while established figures like Balerdi set a professional standard. He noted that the defensive solidity on display contradicts his reputation for attacking football, but attributed this to balance rather than a change of philosophy. Roma's return to the Champions League after seven years, he added, exposes the team to Europe's best sides and accelerates their growth. On the striking partnership of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, Gasperini said: "Perhaps it's the fact that they are complementary—their characteristics fit well together. Dybala has the capacity to read Malen's movement even when he seems not to be looking at him, and the quality with which he serves him is remarkable. Malen for his part has an extraordinary capacity to turn into goals actions that seem simple but are not. It's a combination that works." He drew comparison between Balerdi and Franco Baresi, explaining: "With Balerdi I said Baresi, because by characteristics—obviously not by absolute level—Balerdi reminds me of Franco: the speed with which Baresi went to recover certain danger situations, the intensity with which he went into challenges, the security with which he set up play... It's in this mix of modernity and ancient qualities that I see the similarity." When asked about scudetto expectations after four games, Gasperini was cautious. "The reality is that objectives can only be discussed after about twenty matches," he said. "Setting them after four or five games makes no sense. Of course we have confidence, of course we want to be high in the table, but right now this is the only concrete objective."