Newport County 1–0 Roma: Hermoso own goal in pre-season friendly

Mario Hermoso scored to give Roma a 1–0 victory over Newport County in a pre-season friendly during the club's Welsh training camp on 4 August. The result comes after two disappointing warm-up matches: Roma conceded three goals in a comeback loss to Cannes and suffered a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff. Gasperini's squad faces the second stage of the Welsh retreat with this victory marking a turnaround in form during the pre-season schedule. The match entered its second half with Roma already ahead through Hermoso's goal.

Mario Hermoso put Roma ahead in the 38th minute during their second pre-season friendly in Wales against Newport County at Rodney Parade. Bryan Cristante recovered possession to launch the move, then found Hermoso with the help of a deflection off Castro, with the Spanish defender finishing from close range to settle the opening period at 1–0. Gasperini's side began slowly but grew into the match. Mile Svilar made a vital save in the 14th minute to deny Doidge after the Newport forward was left unmarked, while Paulo Dybala and Castro posed occasional threats in attack. Newport threatened early through Biggins, whose long-range effort struck the crossbar in the 4th minute, but Roma's defence gradually tightened. The friendly served as a fitness-building exercise during the Wales training camp. Donyell Malen was absent through fever. Gasperini made a tactical adjustment in the 36th minute, switching Wesley to the right flank and Devyne Rensch to the left. Jenkins received a booking for Newport in the 40th minute. The match was officiated by Martin, with Tweson-Morris and Hooper as assistants.

Newport is preparing an elaborate welcome for Roma ahead of their fixture at the Welsh club's stadium. The town is in celebratory mood, with Newport laying on a full hospitality package to honour Gasperini's side. The club has arranged yellow-and-red scarves, a commemorative shirt dedicated to Roma, and specially made stickers for the occasion. Nearly 10,000 seats are expected to be sold out. Roma's visit represents one of the most significant fixtures in Newport's recent history. The Welsh club is determined to ensure everything runs smoothly for what they see as a major occasion. Club staff and supporters alike are preparing an atmosphere befitting the occasion, with flags and banners visible around the stadium and throughout the town. The fixture promises to be a celebration rather than a contest, with organisers emphasising the festive nature of the event. The stadium setup and local preparations underscore the importance Newport attaches to welcoming one of European football's established sides.

Mario Hermoso scored to give Roma a 1–0 victory over Newport County in a pre-season friendly during the club's Welsh training camp on 4 August. The result comes after two disappointing warm-up matches: Roma conceded three goals in a comeback loss to Cannes and suffered a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff. Gasperini's squad faces the second stage of the Welsh retreat with this victory marking a turnaround in form during the pre-season schedule. The match entered its second half with Roma already ahead through Hermoso's goal.

Mario Hermoso put Roma ahead in the 38th minute during their second pre-season friendly in Wales against Newport County at Rodney Parade. Bryan Cristante recovered possession to launch the move, then found Hermoso with the help of a deflection off Castro, with the Spanish defender finishing from close range to settle the opening period at 1–0. Gasperini's side began slowly but grew into the match. Mile Svilar made a vital save in the 14th minute to deny Doidge after the Newport forward was left unmarked, while Paulo Dybala and Castro posed occasional threats in attack. Newport threatened early through Biggins, whose long-range effort struck the crossbar in the 4th minute, but Roma's defence gradually tightened. The friendly served as a fitness-building exercise during the Wales training camp. Donyell Malen was absent through fever. Gasperini made a tactical adjustment in the 36th minute, switching Wesley to the right flank and Devyne Rensch to the left. Jenkins received a booking for Newport in the 40th minute. The match was officiated by Martin, with Tweson-Morris and Hooper as assistants.

Roma secured a 1–0 win at Newport County in their second pre-season friendly of their training camp in Wales, with Mario Hermoso scoring. The match marked the competitive debut of new arrival Koulierakis, who lined up in defence alongside Gianluca Mancini and Evan N'Dicka, while Hermoso was deployed in midfield. Another new signing, Castro, also featured. Roma came into the fixture on the back of a heavy defeat to Cardiff in their opening warm-up game. Gasperini used the Newport outing to continue assessing his squad ahead of the 2026–27 season. The team took to the field with an unchanged eleven for the second half, maintaining continuity in their setup at the Rodney Parade.

Roma's vice-president Ryan Friedkin attended the club's match at Newport County on 4 August, as the club's delegation travelled to Wales for the pre-season fixture. Alongside Friedkin, Roma's hierarchy including Gandler and Galantic were present for the encounter. El Aynaoui returned to the squad for the Newport match after a recent absence. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's attacking options remained depleted, with five forwards unavailable. The club continued to pursue transfer targets, with Castro among those in contention for selection. Roma's recruitment efforts also focused on alternative options as the club worked on reinforcements for the season ahead. The visit underlined the Friedkin Group's continued involvement in the club's operations and pre-season preparations ahead of the 2026–27 campaign.

Neil El Aynaoui is pushing hard to establish himself as a key figure in Gasperini's Roma midfield. After a mixed previous season that saw him instrumental in the club's late Champions League push, the midfielder returned from Morocco's World Cup campaign with a minor left knee problem but has integrated fully into group training. To accelerate his fitness, he completes additional solo running sessions around the club's training base, working under close supervision from Gasperini's staff. In a behind-closed-doors match two days ago, El Aynaoui scored twice—once with a header from a Cherubini cross and once from distance—as he competes for regular minutes. El Aynaoui arrived from Lens with a goalscoring reputation, having netted 8 goals in 24 matches. Since joining Roma he has managed only two goals—one in Serie A and one in the Europa League—a return that falls short of expectation. Aston Villa has enquired about him, but his future remains with the Giallorossi. Gasperini faces midfield injury problems: Bah has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, Pisilli is still unavailable, and Koné is expected back only on 10 August. Manchester United continue to pursue Koné without having made a concrete move, but El Aynaoui is determined to climb the hierarchy and carve out a leading role in Roma's midfield.

Mohamed Bah suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Roma's friendly against Cardiff on 3 August and will undergo surgery with Dr Georg Ahlbaumer, with a recovery period estimated at approximately nine months. The 19-year-old Gambian midfielder's season is over before it has begun. Bah was struck by the same injury two years ago during the summer 2024 pre-season retreat under Daniele De Rossi, when he tore the ACL in his left knee at Saint Moritz and missed eleven months of action. Roma's pre-season training at Vale Resort in Hensol continues under Gian Piero Gasperini, who has maintained high-intensity work as the squad prepares for their second warm-up fixture. Wesley is unavailable for tonight's friendly at Rodney Parade in Newport, having sustained a minor ankle sprain in Saturday's match against Cardiff City, which Roma lost 4–1. The club is taking precautionary rest with the winger. Neil El Aynaoui is gradually returning to full training. Tonight's Newport County match kicks off at 19:00 local time (20:00 Italian time). Kostas Koulierakis, the latest arrival, trained with the squad for the first time on Sunday after joining the Welsh retreat on Saturday afternoon and will feature as Roma look to improve on Saturday's defensive display, when clear lapses in concentration contributed to a heavy defeat.

Mario Hermoso put Roma ahead in the 38th minute during their second pre-season friendly in Wales against Newport County at Rodney Parade. Bryan Cristante recovered possession to launch the move, then found Hermoso with the help of a deflection off Castro, with the Spanish defender finishing from close range to settle the opening period at 1–0. Gasperini's side began slowly but grew into the match. Mile Svilar made a vital save in the 14th minute to deny Doidge after the Newport forward was left unmarked, while Paulo Dybala and Castro posed occasional threats in attack. Newport threatened early through Biggins, whose long-range effort struck the crossbar in the 4th minute, but Roma's defence gradually tightened. The friendly served as a fitness-building exercise during the Wales training camp. Donyell Malen was absent through fever. Gasperini made a tactical adjustment in the 36th minute, switching Wesley to the right flank and Devyne Rensch to the left. Jenkins received a booking for Newport in the 40th minute. The match was officiated by Martin, with Tweson-Morris and Hooper as assistants.

Paulo Dybala impressed during Roma's visit to Newport, where the Welsh town laid on a special welcome for the Argentine forward. Giallorossi fans decorated the city with yellow and red scarves and shirts ahead of the fixture. Roma held a 1–0 lead at half-time as the second half got under way. The club's hierarchy travelled to Wales for the match, with representatives including Gandler, Ryan Friedkin, and Galantic present to support the team. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was working with a depleted attacking unit, missing five forwards for the outing. The squad was pursuing further transfer activity in attack, with a fresh bid being prepared for Nusa, while Fofana remained under consideration as an option.

Donyell Malen will miss Roma's friendly against Newport this evening (kickoff 19:00) due to fever, though the Dutch winger is expected to return within days and will be available for Saturday's fixture against Brighton at 15:00. Castro takes his place in attack alongside Paulo Dybala, a pairing that worked in a previous friendly at Cardiff. Wesley has recovered from a right ankle problem and was included in the squad. Koulierakis, another recent addition, starts from the first minute. Vice-president Ryan Friedkin joined the squad at Vale Resort ahead of the match. Malen's absence is not deemed serious and he is expected to be fully fit for the Brighton game on Saturday.