Dybala Shines in Roma Win but Future in Doubt; Derby May Be Last Olimpico Appearance

Napoli took the lead against Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in their Serie A 2026-27 matchday 8 fixture, with Frank Anguissa scoring in the 28th minute. The goal ended Roma's run of away-day shutouts, as the Giallorossi had kept a clean sheet in all three of their previous away league games this season. The strike came from a free kick taken by Politano in the 28th minute, which Anguissa converted. Roma had gone into the match with a record of not conceding on the road, and that run came to an end at Napoli's ground. Roma have now conceded their first goal in an away match this campaign, having kept the door shut in their first three trips of the 2026-27 Serie A season.

Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli spoke to Dazn before the match against Napoli, saying the team arrives at the game full of energy after playing well in recent fixtures. "We have played well in the last few matches. We arrive with a lot of energy and we want to do well," he said. Pisilli, a Roma academy product, was asked about his increased responsibilities after wearing the captain's armband in the most recent match. He said: "It was an honour to wear the armband, but I am focused on today's match." The midfielder, who is a Roma academy product and has never signed for another club, is now taking on a more prominent role in the squad as the team seeks momentum against a strong Napoli side. Asked whether he is a fan of the bordocam, the close-up camera used to show the players' bench and dressing area, Pisilli smiled and said: "Yes, I don't watch it straight away, but I always see them all."

Roma's Primavera side came from two goals down to salvage at least a point against Genoa at the Tre Fontane, a result coach Scala said should give the young squad confidence. Scala, head coach of the Roma Primavera side, wanted to highlight the group's spirit, choosing to focus on the positives after a very intense match. The match was one of two faces, with Roma once again falling behind before showing the ability to turn the game around. Scala gave his assessment to the club's official channels. He said: "We started well and could have gone ahead in the first few minutes on two occasions. Then came an ingenuity from a set piece, not only in the action that led to their goal, where we were too passive, but also in the request for a medical check, which was not necessary. The team certainly has in its DNA the ability to come back into games and never give up. But we must not need to go behind before we bring the right competitive fire that allows us to recover. We also need to get back to taking the lead and managing the result." Asked how the team can grow in this area, Scala said: "We have to keep working on the mental side and have a little patience. Today we were facing a side with five 2007-born players and one 2006, while we had many 2009s whom we are gradually bringing in, and the lack of a certain experience at these levels is paid for. It is part of our journey, we have said it from day one, and we take what comes." Roma had a large number of absentees, with injured, called-up and suspended players. Asked whether next week will allow better preparation, Scala said: "The prospect is of a better week to work, and that is positive. There are never any excuses of any kind. The absences put us in a position to give other young players a chance and showcase them, so they are an opportunity. Some of those who had played little at the start, in my opinion, did very well today, such as Ballarin or Giammattei, who came on and changed the match for us. The squad is long, we wear an important shirt, and we must prove in every match that we are stronger than the opponent." On the mood in the dressing room, Scala said: "The atmosphere at half-time was boiling, because I made myself heard, and quite a lot. I think the boys have understood that they must give more, because we have a great responsibility. They are certainly disappointed, not so much by how the first half went, but at finding themselves behind and not taking home the three points we probably deserved." Scala also acknowledged the team's attacking output: "We are collecting little compared with what we produce. It happens often. Today we hit a crossbar and a post, and their goalkeeper made a couple of important saves. We are building a lot, and this happens because in the few days we can work together we get to pass on certain concepts that are starting to show. However, we must avoid always going behind and then being forced to come back into matches."

Gasperini's Roma face Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli in Serie A's eighth round this afternoon at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Kickoff is at 18:00, with the turnstiles open from 15:30. Roma travel without Svilar, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini. Gasperini does have Cristante available again, and Malen is back in the starting frame after serving a one-match suspension. Cristante is the favourite to start in a more advanced role ahead of Mora. Napoli are expected to rely on Højlund, supported by Politano and Lang. In Roma's expected line-up, Lulli is favoured over Molina on the right flank. Cristante is set to play further forward, with Soulé and Malen completing the attack. The choice over Cristante's role is the main open question before the team sheets are released. Napoli (4-3-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Badiashile, Rafa Marin, Olivera; Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Politano, Højlund, Lang. Substitutes: Meret, Contini, Beukema, Marianucci, Rrahmani, Spinazzola, Gilmour, Lobotka, Vergara, Giovane, Lucca. Coach: Massimiliano Allegri. Roma (3-4-1-2): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Soulé, Malen. Substitutes: Vasquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Di Nunzio, Mora, Castro, Camara. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini. The referee is Colombo of Como, with assistants Bindoni and Rossi M. Fourth official: Sacchi J.L. VAR: Aureliano. Assistant VAR: Meraviglia.

Former coach Andrea Stramaccioni has praised Donyell Malen, likening the Dutch forward's movement to that of Andriy Shevchenko, as Roma prepare to face Napoli at the Maradona. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Stramaccioni also highlighted the way Gian Piero Gasperini's side defends by attacking. Roma's form has been strong, with a clear identity, a productive attack and an effective defensive phase. Stramaccioni said: "It is impressive, ever more in tune with the verticality of Roma's final pass. His half-moon of movement away from his marker, the first controlled touch oriented forward, and the speed with which he does it remind me, with the appropriate comparisons, of the movements Andriy Shevchenko liked to make." He then turned to the team as a whole: "Roma have scored with 11 different players, and Dybala, Mancini, Wesley and Pellegrini are still missing. But the out-of-possession phase stands out more: Gasperini's side 'defends by attacking' while controlling the ball. It is the best defence in Serie A (and two of the three goals conceded came against Inter) and has the best goal difference in the league." On the Napoli fixture, Stramaccioni said: "He is too experienced, he knows that at Napoli the level of difficulty is very high. He will find a side 'wounded', which cannot afford to lose again and will play to the death in front of their very hot crowd. And Gasp knows this well. He will prepare a high-intensity match, taking time and space away from Napoli's build-up, meaning limiting Lobotka and De Bruyne. And trying to exploit the vertical spaces that may open up." He also pointed to a potential weakness. "Roma have conceded little when defending in a set shape, but have suffered from second balls from dead-ball situations: look at Inter and Real Madrid. On the other side, isolating the attackers one-on-one in open space and forcing Allegri's wide players to chase Wesley and company can cause Napoli problems." On squad depth, Stramaccioni said: "Without injuries I would have said Napoli, although they are a little short in midfield. But now, with Roma missing key players, I see them as similar. Roma's real advantage is a year of work with Gasperini: more certainty and enthusiasm." Finally, he assessed the ambitions of both clubs. "Napoli are a great potential in search of certainty, continuity and solidity. Roma are a group full of enthusiasm who have plenty of certainty, but to stay up there they must win matches like this one."

Manu Koné is getting closer to a return to action for Roma, with his recovery progressing well ahead of the club's trip to Napoli. The midfielder has been sidelined since the Champions League match against Real Madrid on 14 October, when he suffered a muscle injury. He was found to have a first-degree tear of the right hamstring. Roma are short on numbers for the difficult trip to the Maradona, and Gian Piero Gasperini's side are also dealing with a squad reduced to the bare minimum. In the infirmary, there is also encouraging news about Paulo Dybala, who is pushing to speed up his own timetable and is aiming to return already on Tuesday against Cagliari. Koné is expected to be available again between the Champions League match against Manchester United on 3 November and the Serie A fixture against Sassuolo the following weekend. That timeline points to his return coming at the start of November, when Roma face a demanding run of fixtures. Il Messaggero reports in today's edition that Koné is increasingly close to a comeback, and the French midfielder's return is now a step away. Roma will be hoping that the 3 November Champions League tie against Manchester United and the Sassuolo game give Gasperini a fully fit midfielder to call on once again.

Napoli defender Benoît Badiashile has spoken to Dazn ahead of the club's match against Roma, praising Roma forward Donyell Malen and saying Napoli will need to work as a unit to stop him. Asked how he is settling in, Badiashile said: "I'm happy to be here. At the start it was tough, but now I feel good." On how to deal with Malen, a player he knows well, Badiashile said: "I played against him when he was at Aston Villa, he is really strong. We will have to work as a team to stop him." The comments come before a meeting between Napoli and Roma, with Malen one of the attacking threats Napoli have identified ahead of kick-off. Badiashile's remarks focus on the collective defensive effort required rather than any individual plan.

Roma defender Badiashile says he is settling in better in Italy, after a difficult start to life in a league that differs greatly from England. Speaking ahead of Napoli-Roma, a match in matchday eight of Serie A, he discussed his adaptation and the challenge of facing Donyell Malen. Badiashile said: "I'm very happy to be here. The start was hard because it is very different from England, but I'm adapting better." His comments offer an insight into how the Frenchman is finding his feet in Serie A, a competition that has posed its own demands since his arrival. He has faced Malen before, during his time at Aston Villa, and he spoke about the threat the forward poses. Badiashile said: "He is an excellent striker. To stop a striker like that, individual work is not enough, we need teamwork." The message points to a collective defensive effort from Roma as they prepare to meet Napoli.

Roma head to Napoli with their unbeaten Serie A run intact and aim to keep it going today. Gian Piero Gasperini has settled on his line-up for the clash with Antonio Allegri's side, who need a response after a heavy defeat at Venezia. Roma's starting XI is Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, de Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Soulé, Malen. Cristante plays further forward, alongside Soulé behind Malen. Napoli line up Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Badiashile, Marín, Olivera; Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Lang, in a 4-3-3. Roma's bench includes Vasquez, De Marzi, Lulli, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Di Nunzio, Mora, Castro and Camara. Napoli's bench features Meret, Contini, Beukema, Gilmour, Giovane, Lobotka, Lucca, Marianucci, Rrahmani, Spinazzola and Vergara.