Gasperini considers Mora for opening match; Pisilli leads race to partner Koné

Roma and Fiorentina meet in what is arguably the most compelling opening fixture of the 2026–27 season. The two clubs arrive from markedly different 2025–26 campaigns: Roma finished strongly to become protagonists, while Fiorentina struggled throughout. Both have signalled growth ambitions in the transfer market. Gasperini requested reinforcements and secured some of them, while Fiorentina's roster has been bolstered by what is described as a fantastic summer window. The match will pit established strengths against new arrivals—Malen and Kean chief among the recognised talents on show—as both sides prepare to compete.

Roma are continuing their transfer activity one day before facing Fiorentina, with director D'Amico hunting a final addition to complete Gasperini's squad. Oosterwolde is expected to arrive in the capital in the coming hours after his deal was sealed. The search for a winger has centred on Malick Fofana and Gittens, though Chelsea are holding firm against a loan proposal from Roma and further contact is expected next week as the Italian club explores a possible change in the English club's position. Luis Henrique remains a target but no agreement has been reached with the player despite Roma and Inter progressing on the financial terms of a transfer. The deal remains far from completion. In defence, Jan Ziółkowski is being lined up for departure, with Saudi Arabian clubs showing interest. Roma value him at €20 million, and should he leave the club will move for a defender on loan. Salah-Eddine continues to wait for further offers after rejecting Olympiacos.

Roma will begin their Serie A campaign against Fiorentina within 24 hours, looking to build on last season's third-place finish. Nahuel Molina is ready for his debut on the right wing, with Devyne Rensch as backup, while Wesley has fully recovered from a ankle problem and will start on the left. The main tactical uncertainty centres on the attacking midfield slot alongside Paulo Dybala and behind striker Donyell Malen. Matías Soulé currently holds the advantage for that position after impressing the coaching staff during pre-season training, losing weight and setting aside transfer speculation. Rodrigo Mora poses a rival claim and is eager to make his debut. However, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini retains an alternative tactical option: deploying Bryan Cristante as a trequartista. The 1995-born midfielder has been used successfully in that role several times last season within the 3-4-1-2 formation, providing defensive stability and strong results. Should Gasperini opt for Cristante in advance, the midfield pivot would comprise Manu Koné alongside either Neil El Aynaoui or Niccolò Pisilli. The final decision will come only after the training session on the eve of the match, pending assessments of Aynaoui's fitness following the World Cup and the condition of young Italian academy product Pisilli, who has only recently rejoined the group.

Gian Piero Gasperini defended Roma's transfer approach at his pre-match press conference on 22 August, two days before the Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. The coach confirmed that UEFA financial regulations have forced a strategic shift in the market, compounding constraints that stem from years of previous spending. "The profile is only that of UEFA; there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which our ownership, even wanting to, cannot escape. I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions League the situation would be resolved, but it is not so." Gasperini emphasised that Roma remain the only Italian club currently under UEFA supervision. "Roma has already had two deferrals and probably cannot have any more," he noted. "Now the reckoning has arrived, but we will do well anyway." Despite those constraints, he expressed satisfaction with arrivals in the window. Álex Molina replaced Zeki Çelik after winning the World Cup two months earlier; Christos Koulierakis joined as a defensive profile the squad lacked; and Rodrigo Mora arrived as a young long-term investment. Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson departed, replaced by Mateo Castro. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas also left. Gasperini stated: "All the players who arrived have strongly wanted to come to Roma. They have also reduced their salaries—and under this aspect I believe very positive work has been done. There are still ten days of the market left and we hope to complete everything." On the left wing position that Roma had pursued, Gasperini offered flexibility: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I am not going to load myself with players just for the sake of it." Numerically, two squad slots remain available from a full complement of 23. He praised Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante for accepting significant wage cuts. On Dybala's fitness prospects, Gasperini said: "I am certain, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a pre-season perhaps for the first time without injuries." Dybala suffered two serious injuries last season—one requiring meniscus surgery that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini stated that further squad exits may follow only if they represent tactical switches rather than pure departures. "If there are other exits it is only for changes, to switch," he said. "In this moment there is nothing certain." The window closes in ten days. Roma finished last season on 73 points and third place in Serie A, but Gasperini stressed the slate resets: "Every year you start from zero. What was done was very positive and satisfactory for all, but when the season starts everyone begins at 0 points and the 73 points from last year must be played again."

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed Roma's transfer strategy and squad preparation two days before the Fiorentina fixture, emphasising that while the squad is more competitive, UEFA financial controls have forced creative market decisions. Gasperini confirmed the club can still add two players numerically to the 23-strong squad sheet, but only if conditions can be met within budget limits. "The profile is only that of the UEFA regulations, there are no other possibilities," Gasperini said. "There are situations that UEFA imposes and from which even our ownership, much as they would like, cannot escape. If we had done Summerville we could not have done anything else. There are technical parameters that cannot be explained—you must have trust in the society that they are complex enough and force a club under UEFA control like Roma, unique in Italy right now, to comply." Gasperini revealed that reaching the Champions League last season had not resolved Roma's financial strictures as initially expected. "I thought that after six months or with arrival in the Champions the situation would be resolved, it is not so and this forces this type of market," he said. Roma remains the only Italian club subject to UEFA Financial Fair Play monitoring following accumulated deficits from previous years and has already received two deferrals; no further extension is available. Despite these constraints, Gasperini backed the recruitment approach, particularly the arrivals of Rodrigo Mora from Porto—described as "a very important investment, especially in perspective"—and the swap dealing that saw Zeki Çelik depart for Molina, and Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk exit for Castro. He also praised the contract reductions undertaken by Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, as well as renewals by Bryan Cristante and others. On the left-wing position, Gasperini stated he will only pursue a signing if it adds genuine value: "Numerically the discussion is what I said before—two players can be added. But only if they can be reached under the conditions we can have. If the market offers this it will be so, otherwise we stay as we are." Regarding Dybala, Gasperini expressed confidence the 32-year-old will achieve more appearances this season. "I am sure of this because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He had a preparation that perhaps for a long time he could not complete, without injuries. Last year in my view he was very unlucky. I remember two injuries, kicking the penalty in Milan and the free kick against Turin. Two borderline cases—in one it cost him a meniscus and he was out three and a half months. Muscularly he seems much more toned. Perhaps he no longer has the speed and power of shot from when he was young, but he has improved other qualities. At 32 years old today you are in the prime of technical and physical maturity. I think he will have a great season." Gasperini will take stock of any remaining recruitment possibilities before facing Fiorentina, a heavily renovated side. He acknowledged uncertainty in his starting formation for the opening match, citing the integration of recently arrived players Mora and Molina alongside squad members returning from World Cup duty with different fitness levels. On the season's ambitions, Gasperini declined to discuss the Scudetto prospect, saying: "We must look at our own path, we are trying to do the best possible for our possibilities. I am convinced we will do well. To speak of a final result I do not know, it will also depend on the opponents."

Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference at Trigoria on 22 August, two days before Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico, addressing the club's summer recruitment and the direction of the campaign ahead. Gasperini confirmed that Roma have completed several signings this summer while managing strict financial constraints. Alexis Molina has arrived as a replacement for Zeki Çelik; Mateo Castro came in following the departures of Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson; Koulierakis joined as a defensive reinforcement; and Rodrigo Mora has been signed as an investment for the future. El Shaarawy, Bryan Zaragoza, Angeliño and Kostas Tsimikas have all departed. Gasperini noted that new arrivals targeted young players willing to reduce their wages to join Roma. He highlighted the salary reductions accepted by Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante as evidence of the players' commitment. The club remains constrained by UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations—Roma are the only Italian club currently under UEFA monitoring—which has forced a shift from the original transfer strategy. Gasperini acknowledged that early plans to sign players like Summerville proved unsustainable within those parameters. On Mora, Gasperini said: "Rodrigo is a very young player but has already reached important levels. It is a very significant investment by the club, especially for the future. He is a player with all the characteristics to emerge and perform well." Regarding the left flank, where Roma pursued a specific profile, Gasperini stated: "Only if he can be added value, otherwise I won't load myself with players just for the sake of it. Whoever arrives is strongly wanted and wants to play for Roma." He confirmed that two squad slots remain available for up to four players, leaving the door open for further arrivals before the window closes in ten days. On Paulo Dybala's injury record, Gasperini expressed optimism: "I'm certain of it, because I see him not only determined as he was last year but also particularly strong. He completed a preparation without injuries—something he hadn't managed for some time. Physically he looks much more toned." Last season Dybala suffered two significant injuries, including a meniscus problem that sidelined him for three and a half months. Gasperini will assess the squad's competitiveness against Fiorentina's challenge on the pitch. He stated that last season's 73 points and third-place finish will not carry over into 2026-27: "You restart from zero every year. The 73 points from last year must be replayed." With ten days of the transfer window remaining, Roma will look to complete their squad while operating under continued FFP restrictions.

Roma will begin the 2026–27 season at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow against Fiorentina with nearly 65,000 supporters expected, but the focus will be on Gasperini's trusted core of players rather than wholesale change. The coach has consistently praised a nucleus of squad members, and Paulo Dybala, Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini form the backbone of his plans. Dybala has impressed throughout pre-season, scoring seven goals during the summer training camp—two each against Cannes and Roma Primavera, plus strikes against Trastevere, Cardiff and Borussia Dortmund—while creating numerous assists. Gasperini said of the Argentine: "I am confident he will play more than in previous years, because I see Paulo determined and particularly strong. He has completed a preparation that perhaps he had not managed for some time, without injuries. Of course you always cross your fingers—last season he was very unlucky, getting injured kicking a penalty in Milan and a free kick with Torino. But physically he seems much more toned. Perhaps he no longer has the speed and shooting power of when he was young, but he has improved other qualities. At 32 he is in the prime of his technical and physical maturity, I think he will end up having a great season." The benefit will extend to Donyell Malen, who has sparkled whenever receiving Dybala's passes. Having Dybala at full strength does not merely add creativity and unpredictability—it generates roughly 20 per cent more danger across the entire attack, starting with the Dutch winger.

Oosterwolde embodies the prototype of the modern full-back for Gasperini: pure centre-back physicality combined with high running volume and an appetite to influence the final third—a profile Arsenal has long deployed in players such as Hincapié and former Roma man Calafiori. The statistics from his last season at Fenerbahce tell the story. In both the Super Lig and Europa League, Oosterwolde ranked among the best for crosses and crossing success rate, averaging 0.21 crosses per match with a 43% success rate in the Super Lig, alongside a high volume of potential assists (0.07 per match, an exceptional figure for a centre-back) and ball recovery in the opponent's third. Roma require varied weapons to trouble opponents. Gasperini's plan is to deploy a left-sided defender who operates either as part of a three-man defence in the Mancini mould or on the left flank as a Wesley replacement with a profile closer to Molina's—combining defensive solidity with attacking threat.

Wesley has returned to full training and will start at left-back in Monday's Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico (20:45), after recovering from an ankle injury that disrupted his summer preparation. Gian Piero Gasperini has settled on a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence, Wesley and Molina on the wings, and Dybala and Malen leading the attack. The main tactical question concerns the number 10 position: Gasperini is tempted to deploy Rodrigo Mora's pure talent from the start, but faces a dilemma. Launching Mora could risk losing defensive balance and midfield cover; instead, Gasperini appears inclined toward a more cautious approach, pairing either Pisilli or El Aynaoui alongside Koné in midfield, with Cristante advanced to the number 10 role to provide substance, runs, and physical presence. Lorenzo Pellegrini remains unavailable as he continues his rehabilitation after knee surgery, while young Bah has successfully undergone right-knee surgery.

Wesley has returned to full training and will start at left-back in Monday's Serie A opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico (20:45), after recovering from an ankle injury that disrupted his summer preparation. Gian Piero Gasperini has settled on a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence, Wesley and Molina on the wings, and Dybala and Malen leading the attack. The main tactical question concerns the number 10 position: Gasperini is tempted to deploy Rodrigo Mora's pure talent from the start, but faces a dilemma. Launching Mora could risk losing defensive balance and midfield cover; instead, Gasperini appears inclined toward a more cautious approach, pairing either Pisilli or El Aynaoui alongside Koné in midfield, with Cristante advanced to the number 10 role to provide substance, runs, and physical presence. Lorenzo Pellegrini remains unavailable as he continues his rehabilitation after knee surgery, while young Bah has successfully undergone right-knee surgery.

Former Roma player Antonio Carlos Zago appeared on Radio Romanista's Romanista Show to assess the club's transfer activity and squad prospects for the 2026–27 season. Zago, currently managing The Strongest in Bolivia, identified Castro and Molina as the two principal signings of the summer, praising Castro for his recent form at Bologna and noting that his arrival gives Roma two important attacking options alongside Donyell Malen. On the Portuguese winger Endrick, Zago urged caution despite acknowledging his potential. "You cannot say he is already a champion—he must prove he is strong in a team like Roma in a competitive league like Italy's, where there are many more strong teams than in Portugal," Zago said. "Now things change and he must prove he is strong all the same." Zago reserved stronger criticism for Evan N'Dicka's defending, particularly last season. "Last year N'Dicka made too many mistakes and damaged Roma's defensive unit in matches where you cannot afford to slip up," he said. "N'Dicka I like, but this year he must make fewer mistakes. Roma must still count on him because he is good, but especially in the most important matches he must be more concentrated." Zago also reflected on his own Roma days, recalling an unforgettable moment involving himself, another player, and Gabriel Batistuta that unlocked a decisive victory in a title-chasing season.

Wesley has returned to full training and will occupy the left flank in Monday's season opener against Fiorentina at the Olimpico, with an ankle problem now resolved. The Brazilian, who missed a friendly against Borussia Dortmund, scored against the Viola at the same venue last season and is ready to feature. Molina will make his debut on the opposite flank. In midfield, Gasperini will deploy the Cristante–Koné pairing, while the main uncertainty centres on the attacking midfield role behind Dybala and Malen, where Mora and Soulé are competing. The defence will be anchored by Svilar in goal, with Mancini, N'Dicka, and Hermoso forming the back three. Pisilli is also available, though Pellegrini will need more time to recover. Roma are primed for their 2026–27 campaign.