
Gasperini turns to Primavera duo Maccaroni and Kilvinger for Sassuolo clash
Gian Piero Gasperini is looking to his youth ranks to widen his options, with two Primavera players set to be called up to the first-team squad for Roma's Serie A match against Sassuolo, the eleventh matchday fixture. Injuries and a congested fixture schedule have pushed the coach to draw on the Primavera squad, giving some of its most promising players a chance to step closer to the first team. Among the new names on the matchday squad list is Valerio Maccaroni, a midfielder born in Rome on 3 June 2008. The 1.74-metre player is one of the most versatile members of the Primavera. His natural role is attacking midfielder, but he has also been used as a box-to-box midfielder and an offensive winger as he has developed. His main qualities are technique, vision and the ability to move between the lines, which allow him to adapt to different tactical systems. Maccaroni progressively earned space in the Primavera after his time in the lower youth categories. In the 2025/26 season he stood out for his ability to help build play, winning consistent starts. He has also worn the shirts of Italy's youth national teams up to the Under-19 level, taking part in the Under-17 European Championship and the 2025 Under-17 World Cup, which Italy finished in third place. This season he has continued his development, and was deployed in midfield in the recent Youth League clash with Manchester United, which ended 1-1. The Sassuolo fixture marks his first call-up to the first-team squad. The other new face is Levente Kilvinger, a Hungarian goalkeeper born on 20 March 2009. At 17 he is part of the Roma Primavera, where he is gaining experience both in the league for his age group and in European competition. For the 2026/27 season he has been included in Roma's list for the UEFA Youth League, in which he has already played in goal. Kilvinger defended the Roma goal in the away game against Manchester United on 3 November in the Youth League, which finished 1-1. It is an important international experience for a player who is still very young and continuing his development.






