Gasparri backs Dybala to stay at Roma, takes swipe at Gasperini

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Bryan Cristante has been withdrawn from Italy's Nations League squad after sustaining an injury in Roma's Serie A match against Inter, forcing manager Roberto Mancini to call up Samuele Ricci as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.