Gasperini demands swift reinforcements after Cardiff defeat

Roma won away at Torino to record four straight victories in the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season. The result sets up a title clash against Inter that could reveal much about the club's genuine ambitions. Gasperini has the squad running smoothly, and the summer transfer activity has equipped Roma with quality depth across the bench to rotate effectively across three competitions. The manager now has high-calibre alternatives capable of stepping in at any position, strengthening the bench with experienced signings made in the current window.

Roma won 2–0 away at Torino with goals from Malen and Pisilli to remain level on points with Inter at the Serie A summit, both teams on four victories from their opening four matches. The squad returned to training at Trigoria this morning ahead of Saturday's meeting at the Stadio Olimpico against Inter, who sit joint-top with a perfect record. Lorenzo Pellegrini is available after recovering from injury and is in contention to make his seasonal debut. Inter's preparations have been hampered by injury setbacks. Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will miss Saturday's fixture after suffering a muscular strain of the right adductor, with Inter confirming: "Hakan Calhanoglu underwent instrumental examinations this morning which revealed a muscle strain of the right adductor. His condition will be assessed in the coming days." Defender John Stones, who departed yesterday during his competitive debut with injury, is also a doubt; his status will be monitored day by day until the match. John Galantic made his first appearance at a Lega Serie A assembly as Roma's new chief executive, sitting in on discussions regarding international broadcasting rights. The gathering featured presentations from league chief executive Luigi De Siervo and JP Morgan adviser on investment fund interest and proposals. Galantic told reporters on the sidelines: "It was a first meeting, all good." No clear consensus has emerged among clubs, who have yet to examine the specific financial proposals in detail. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo praised the team's performance against Torino on Radio Radio: "I liked Roma: in the first half-hour it found solutions, exploited opponents' errors. Malen is too decisive and too dangerous, Dybala showed he is in good condition." Analyst Stefano Carina added: "Roma seems to me to have something more even compared to rivals, even Inter, who seem to have some injury problems, especially in defence. Roma instead seems well set, alongside Como. Inter don't have their attackers anywhere else in Italy: Lautaro didn't play yesterday and nobody noticed, but they have problems that Roma and Como don't have."

Paulo Dybala gave his match shirt to a young Roma supporter at the end of the club's victory away at Torino. After the final whistle, Dybala approached the section occupied by Roma's travelling supporters and spotted a child in the stands. He removed his shirt and handed it to the boy, who was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears before proudly raising the gift as those around him applauded. The gesture underscores the bond between Roma's players and their supporters. Roma shared video of the moment on their official social media channels, captioning it: "Much more than a simple shirt". Though the incident falls outside the result and league table, it transformed an evening already made memorable by victory into what may prove an unforgettable memory for that young fan. The club's post highlighted the human connection between team and followers that moments like these create, reminding supporters why such gestures often resonate far beyond the ninety minutes on the pitch.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has named three AS Roma players in his squad for friendlies against Bolivia on 30 September, Burkina Faso on 3 October and Benin on 6 October. The trio are defender Leonardo Balerdi, and forwards Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé. Balerdi has already earned 11 caps for Argentina, while Castro and Soulé are both awaiting their debuts for the national team and will be hoping to feature for the first time. The friendlies hold particular significance as they will include Lionel Messi's final match for Argentina. The legendary forward will play his farewell game against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, providing a fitting conclusion to his international career.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has named three Roma players in his squad for the international window at the end of September and start of October: Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro. Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina were omitted and will remain available to Gian Piero Gasperini during the break. Bareldi's recall comes after strong performances in Roma's defence since his arrival. The central defender has settled quickly into the giallorossi backline and his form has caught Scaloni's attention. Soulé and Castro return to the Argentina squad after being left out of the coach's recent selections, giving both players a chance to press their claims for the national team. Argentina will play Bolivia on 30 September, Burkina Faso on 3 October and Benin on 6 October. Lionel Messi is also included in the squad. The Argentina forward previously expressed his intention to leave international football and will use these three friendlies as his final opportunity to play for the Selección before his retirement from the national team. Roma will therefore release three players to Argentina while Dybala and Molina stay behind.

Argentina head coach Scaloni has selected three Roma players for the national team's forthcoming friendlies: Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro. The trio will feature in matches against Bolivia on 30 September, Burkina Faso on 3 October and Benin on 6 October. Balerdi has impressed in Roma's defence, while Soulé and Castro return to the squad after falling out of the technical staff's rotation. Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina have been omitted from the selection. Lionel Messi has also been included in the squad. The Argentine legend, who previously announced his retirement from international football, will bid farewell to supporters in the final match against Benin at the Monumental before departing the Selección.

Roma won 2–0 away at Torino with goals from Malen and Pisilli to remain level on points with Inter at the Serie A summit, both teams on four victories from their opening four matches. The squad returned to training at Trigoria this morning ahead of Saturday's meeting at the Stadio Olimpico against Inter, who sit joint-top with a perfect record. Lorenzo Pellegrini is available after recovering from injury and is in contention to make his seasonal debut. Inter's preparations have been hampered by injury setbacks. Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will miss Saturday's fixture after suffering a muscular strain of the right adductor, with Inter confirming: "Hakan Calhanoglu underwent instrumental examinations this morning which revealed a muscle strain of the right adductor. His condition will be assessed in the coming days." Defender John Stones, who departed yesterday during his competitive debut with injury, is also a doubt; his status will be monitored day by day until the match. John Galantic made his first appearance at a Lega Serie A assembly as Roma's new chief executive, sitting in on discussions regarding international broadcasting rights. The gathering featured presentations from league chief executive Luigi De Siervo and JP Morgan adviser on investment fund interest and proposals. Galantic told reporters on the sidelines: "It was a first meeting, all good." No clear consensus has emerged among clubs, who have yet to examine the specific financial proposals in detail. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo praised the team's performance against Torino on Radio Radio: "I liked Roma: in the first half-hour it found solutions, exploited opponents' errors. Malen is too decisive and too dangerous, Dybala showed he is in good condition." Analyst Stefano Carina added: "Roma seems to me to have something more even compared to rivals, even Inter, who seem to have some injury problems, especially in defence. Roma instead seems well set, alongside Como. Inter don't have their attackers anywhere else in Italy: Lautaro didn't play yesterday and nobody noticed, but they have problems that Roma and Como don't have."

Paulo Dybala delivered another performance of high quality against Torino, laying on the assist for Donyell Malen's opening goal, but it was an off-field gesture that captured hearts. As Dybala left the pitch, he noticed a young Roma fan holding a sign asking for his shirt. Without hesitation, he approached the stands and handed over his jersey to a steward, who passed it to the child. The boy was overcome with emotion, breaking down in tears of joy at receiving the gift. The video of the moment spread rapidly across social media, shared by Roma's official accounts and the Serie A social media pages, garnering thousands of comments praising Dybala's kindness.

Donyell Malen is establishing himself as one of Roma's top players this season, operating at the highest level alongside Paulo Dybala. His goal against Torino demonstrated an exceptional hunger to score and underscored his impact on the squad. The Dutch forward's form reflects Roma's quality in attack during the early stages of the 2026-27 campaign. His emergence as a leading performer marks a significant development for the club's attacking options.

Roma's defensive department has emerged as one of the strongest in Europe through the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign. After finishing last season as Serie A's second-best defence behind Como, the backline under Gian Piero Gasperini has been further reinforced with the arrivals of Leonardo Balerdi and Konstantinos Koulierakis, joining established defenders Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso and Daniele Ghilardi. In this season's opening fixtures, Roma have conceded just one goal—scored by Ederson in the match against Atalanta. Comparing the opening rounds across Europe's five major leagues, Roma's defensive record is matched only by Arsenal, the runners-up in the European championship, who have also conceded a single goal in their first four matches. Freiburg in the Bundesliga has the same record but across three games played, while Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga have both conceded four goals and four clubs in Ligue 1 sit at two goals conceded. At shot-on-target metrics, Roma rank second in Serie A, allowing an average of three shots per match—just behind Como's 2.75—while Arsenal lead across Europe with 2.25 per game, according to Sofascore data. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has provided crucial protection between the posts, making decisive interventions in moments of defensive vulnerability. This strong defensive performance stands in sharp contrast to Inter, Roma's next league opponent, who have already conceded six goals in their opening matches.

Roma have conceded just one goal in Serie A this season, matching Arsenal's record among Europe's top five leagues and establishing themselves as the continent's tightest defence. The solitary goal came from Atalanta's Ederson in one of the few attempts the visitors managed. Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, Mario Hermoso, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis form the core of a defensive unit reinforced by Leonardo Balerdi's recent arrival. Last season Roma's defence was the best in Europe for much of the campaign before finishing second in Serie A behind Como. Germany's Freiburg has also conceded one goal but from three matches, while Real Madrid and Barcelona share Spain's best record with four. France has four teams on two goals conceded. Roma rank first across Italy for shots faced, with goalkeeper Mile Svilar proving decisive when danger arrives—a stark contrast to Inter, who have already conceded six goals this season.

Roma's transfer strategy this summer has drawn criticism from sections of the media, particularly the departures and arrivals in defence. Jan Ziółkowski, signed in August 2025 at a low fee following scout Massara's assessment of his potential in Poland, has left to gain playing time elsewhere after Gasperini identified other priorities. Alongside Konstantinos Koulierakis, Leonardo Balerdi arrived late in the window—the former Marseille captain—prompting complaints from observers who questioned why Ziółkowski was sold if money was then spent on a replacement. The logic behind Roma's approach is becoming clearer in the opening weeks of the season. Ziółkowski may return one day ready to compete for a starting place, or he may represent a useful profit for the club's finances. For now, Balerdi is what Roma need. What rankles some commentators is that those now celebrating Balerdi's arrival were among those who dismissed his signing initially, often appearing unfamiliar with his name. Before Turin-Roma, some called for Balerdi to replace Gianluca Mancini, whom they had written off as finished after errors against Atalanta and Fenerbahçe. Mancini, however, produced a monumental display at Turin, exposing the opportunism of those quick to turn on him. The article criticizes media outlets for excitement in watching Roma stumble rather than genuine engagement with the club's direction.