Gasperini grants squad two days off as Roma prepare for Wales leg of pre-season

Leonardo Balerdi has spoken to DAZN after Roma's win over Napoli, admitting that scoring a brace was a first for him. He said the goals were not chance and credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini for giving him the freedom to make attacking runs. Asked whether he expected to be a key figure in the match, Balerdi said: "No, it is the first time I have scored a brace." Asked whether Gasperini is teaching him these attacking movements, he replied: "Of course, he gives me this freedom. I try to do what he asks me." Balerdi also reflected on how settled he feels at the club. He said: "I am very happy here, I said it from the first day. They welcomed me very warmly. I feel that I have been here for 2-3 years thanks to them. This gives me the strength to play the way I am playing."

Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli spoke to Dazn before the match against Napoli, saying the team arrives at the game full of energy after playing well in recent fixtures. "We have played well in the last few matches. We arrive with a lot of energy and we want to do well," he said. Pisilli, a Roma academy product, was asked about his increased responsibilities after wearing the captain's armband in the most recent match. He said: "It was an honour to wear the armband, but I am focused on today's match." The midfielder, who is a Roma academy product and has never signed for another club, is now taking on a more prominent role in the squad as the team seeks momentum against a strong Napoli side. Asked whether he is a fan of the bordocam, the close-up camera used to show the players' bench and dressing area, Pisilli smiled and said: "Yes, I don't watch it straight away, but I always see them all."

Napoli beat Roma 2-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Serie A's eighth round, with Anguissa and McTominay scoring for the hosts and Matías Soulé pulling one back for Roma. Gian Piero Gasperini's side were without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Gasperini did, however, have Bryan Cristante back in the starting XI and Donyell Malen available again after serving a one-match suspension. Massimiliano Allegri started Højlund, supported by Politano and Lang, while Rrahmani was ruled out by flu and did not make the bench. Roma's starting line-up was Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Rensch, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Soulé, Malen. Rensch lined up at right-back, and Cristante was pushed further forward, with Pisilli alongside him in midfield. Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rafa Marin, Badiashile, Olivera; Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Politano, Højlund, Lang. Colombo of Como refereed, with Bindoni-Rossi M. and Sacchi J.L. as assistants, Aureliano on VAR and Meraviglia as VAR assistant. Rafa Marin was booked after three minutes for a heavy challenge on Wesley, and Cristante and Rensch were also cautioned, in the 28th and 45th minutes. Roma had early chances through Soulé, who fired a left-footed effort wide in the 8th minute, and Cristante, whose powerful right foot struck the outside of the net in the 20th minute. Malen went close from the edge of the box in the 24th minute, when Meret saved with his foot. Gollini kept Roma in the game with a pair of saves, first rushing out to deny De Bruyne in the 34th minute and then stopping Olivera at close range in the 43rd. Cristante hit the left-hand post with a header in the 44th minute. Hermoso had a shooting chance in the 37th minute that was deflected wide. Napoli took the lead in the 27th minute when Anguissa scored with an overhead kick in the Roma area, although Gollini was unable to do anything. The move had started from a free kick that appeared to have no foul on De Bruyne. Before half-time Malen wasted a good opening for Roma. Napoli doubled their lead in the 47th minute, when Politano's right-wing cross was headed in by McTominay, who got ahead of Rensch. Gollini then made a save to deny Politano in the 56th minute, after Wesley had lost possession. Badiashile limped off with an injury in the 51st minute and was replaced by Beukema. Roma made three changes in the 58th minute, bringing on Molina, Balerdi and Castro for Rensch, Pisilli and Hermoso. Napoli also made a substitution in the 65th minute, with Giovane replacing Politano. Soulé reduced the deficit in the 69th minute with a left-footed strike from a tight angle, set up by Malen, to make it 2-1. Napoli held on to take the three points.

Neil El Aynaoui has impressed at RB Leipzig, and a permanent move to the German club in June is looking increasingly likely. The midfielder had asked to leave Roma towards the end of the summer transfer window, having not fully convinced Gasperini to give him a leading role at the club. Player and coach spoke calmly with each other and found a solution in the final week of the window, which allowed the Moroccan to win a place in the Leipzig starting line-up. He has made 9 appearances this season, with one assist and three consecutive starts in the Champions League. According to the latest information from Germany, Leipzig are satisfied with the Moroccan's performances, and the obligation to buy is looking more and more probable in June. Leipzig have already paid 3 million plus 1 million in bonuses for his loan. They hold an option to buy for 25 million plus 3 million, up to a maximum of 28 million. Roma could therefore make a useful profit on a sale in June. The club also holds a 20% sell-on clause, which it could collect in the future should Leipzig increase his value further.

Robinio Vaz's injury scare has eased, with the Roma loanee back in training after tests ruled out significant damage, while Neil El Aynaoui endured a bruising week in Europe and Bundesliga. Vaz, on loan at Hull City, came on in the 68th minute of their Premier League trip to Fulham, a 1-0 defeat decided by a goal from Iwobi. In stoppage time, at the 94th minute, he was hit hard by Ryan Sessegnon in the Achilles area. Sessegnon was sent off with a straight red card, and Vaz had to leave the pitch accompanied by medical staff. Initial impressions were worrying, but the subsequent checks were far more reassuring: the MRI scan showed no significant injury and Vaz returned to training on Tuesday 20 October. He recorded no goals or assists in the minutes he played against Fulham. Whether he will be available for the next game against Brentford remains to be confirmed. El Aynaoui, on loan at RB Leipzig, played three matches in a few days with mixed results. Leipzig beat PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a goal from Gruda, and El Aynaoui started and played the full 90 minutes. The Moroccan midfielder then started the Bundesliga trip to Bayern Munich, who thrashed Leipzig 6-1. He stayed on the pitch from start to finish but could not turn the game, which Bayern dominated. On 21 October Leipzig suffered another European defeat, losing 4-1 at the Bernabéu to Real Madrid. El Aynaoui again started alongside Seiwald but was replaced in the 63rd minute by Rocco Reitz, with Leipzig already two goals down. He recorded no goals or assists across the three matches, but he logged significant minutes that confirm his place in Demichelis's rotation. The heavy defeats to Bayern and Real Madrid left the team with a very negative overall record. Anass Salah-Eddine, on loan at Panathinaikos, is showing encouraging signs as the Moroccan wing-back fights for a place in the Greek side. He was not in the squad for the 2-1 win over Borac Banja Luka in the first matchday of the Conference League League Phase on 15 October. Three days later he started and played all 90 minutes of a comprehensive 5-1 league win over Asteras Tripolis. In the 47th minute he surged down the left flank and delivered a precise ball to Taborda, whose header was cleared off the line by Papakanellos. It was a good move that could have brought an assist but did not appear on the scoresheet. Salah-Eddine recorded no goal, official assist or card, but gave positive indications of his ability to support the attack. Panathinaikos return to Conference League action today against Kairat Almaty. Filippo Reale continues his good form at Carrarese, where he is increasingly picked by Guido Pagliuca. The centre-back, born in 2006, started and played the full 90 minutes in Carrarese's 2-1 home win over Modena, with goals from Abiuso and Rubino before Belotti replied for the visitors. He helped protect the lead in the closing stages as part of the back three. The most unusual moment came in the 96th minute, when Reale embarked on a long run from his own half, covered the entire left flank and shot into the box, only to send his diagonal effort wide. Carrarese have now won consecutive matches. Radoslaw Zelezny was also impressive for Perugia, starting in their 5-1 win at Campobasso. He played the entire game and conceded only Stoppa's equaliser in the 35th minute, before Perugia pulled clear in the second half. He was not held responsible for the goal, and SportPerugia gave him a 6 for his precise handling and his lack of blame. Marco Litti came off the bench for Lecco in their 5-0 win over Pro Vercelli, replacing Manetti in the 59th minute, when Manetti had scored the goal that made it 3-0. Litti took up position on the flank and helped manage the lead over the final half hour. He recorded no goal, assist or booking. Mohamed Seck, meanwhile, remains in a difficult spell with Foggia, who lost 3-1 at Giugliano in the Monday 19 October fixture. Seck was named in the back three by Gaetano Auteri and played the full game. Ravasio gave Foggia the lead in the 16th minute, but Baldé and De Rosa turned the match around before the break, and Esposito added the final goal after the restart. Seck was booked in the 21st minute. Foggia have conceded six goals in their last two league games. Luigi Cherubini, on loan at Benevento, was on the bench for their 2-2 home draw with Vicenza, having scored against Cesena. He came on for Lamesta in the 65th minute, with Benevento ahead 2-0 through Siatounis and Kouan. In the second half Benevento gradually lost control and were pegged back by goals from Corazza and Caferri.

Roma's loan contingent produced mixed results across European and domestic competitions this week, with midfielder Luigi Cherubini and midfielder Neil El Aynaoui delivering attacking contributions while others awaited their chance. Cherubini, on loan at Benevento with a right of option and obligation to buy, scored in the 93rd minute of Benevento's 2–0 win over Cesena. Introduced from the bench in the 79th minute, the 2004-born winger capitalized on a defensive error by Ilic, rounded the goalkeeper and finished to seal victory. He was booked in the 81st minute and initially had a goal ruled out for offside before his late winner. The performance earned him a rating of 7 from BeneventoNews24 and PianetaSerieB as Benevento secured a third consecutive victory. El Aynaoui, a midfielder on loan at RB Lipsia with a right of rescission, provided the assist for Banzuzi's opening goal after just one minute in a 6–0 Bundesliga demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt. Deployed in the starting lineup by Demichelis, El Aynaoui contributed to a dominant first half that saw Lipsia lead 4–0 at the interval, including a hat-trick from Nkunku. He was booked in the 27th minute and substituted in the 58th when the scoreline already stood at 5–0. Elsewhere, defender Filippo Reale (Carrarese, on loan with option and counter-option) played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win over Padova, maintaining a clean sheet. Young defender Mohamed Seck (Foggia, on loan) completed all 90 minutes in a 3–1 home defeat to Potenza and received a rating of 5, criticized for poor positioning during the opposition's counter-attacks. Forward Artem Dovbyk (Bologna, on loan with right of rescission) returned to the squad after a muscular injury to his flexors but remained unused on the bench in Bologna's 2–1 away win at Lecce. Forward Robinio Vaz (Hull City) was named in the squad for a 2–2 Premier League draw against Everton but played no part, remaining on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

Robinio Vaz's injury scare has eased, with the Roma loanee back in training after tests ruled out significant damage, while Neil El Aynaoui endured a bruising week in Europe and Bundesliga. Vaz, on loan at Hull City, came on in the 68th minute of their Premier League trip to Fulham, a 1-0 defeat decided by a goal from Iwobi. In stoppage time, at the 94th minute, he was hit hard by Ryan Sessegnon in the Achilles area. Sessegnon was sent off with a straight red card, and Vaz had to leave the pitch accompanied by medical staff. Initial impressions were worrying, but the subsequent checks were far more reassuring: the MRI scan showed no significant injury and Vaz returned to training on Tuesday 20 October. He recorded no goals or assists in the minutes he played against Fulham. Whether he will be available for the next game against Brentford remains to be confirmed. El Aynaoui, on loan at RB Leipzig, played three matches in a few days with mixed results. Leipzig beat PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a goal from Gruda, and El Aynaoui started and played the full 90 minutes. The Moroccan midfielder then started the Bundesliga trip to Bayern Munich, who thrashed Leipzig 6-1. He stayed on the pitch from start to finish but could not turn the game, which Bayern dominated. On 21 October Leipzig suffered another European defeat, losing 4-1 at the Bernabéu to Real Madrid. El Aynaoui again started alongside Seiwald but was replaced in the 63rd minute by Rocco Reitz, with Leipzig already two goals down. He recorded no goals or assists across the three matches, but he logged significant minutes that confirm his place in Demichelis's rotation. The heavy defeats to Bayern and Real Madrid left the team with a very negative overall record. Anass Salah-Eddine, on loan at Panathinaikos, is showing encouraging signs as the Moroccan wing-back fights for a place in the Greek side. He was not in the squad for the 2-1 win over Borac Banja Luka in the first matchday of the Conference League League Phase on 15 October. Three days later he started and played all 90 minutes of a comprehensive 5-1 league win over Asteras Tripolis. In the 47th minute he surged down the left flank and delivered a precise ball to Taborda, whose header was cleared off the line by Papakanellos. It was a good move that could have brought an assist but did not appear on the scoresheet. Salah-Eddine recorded no goal, official assist or card, but gave positive indications of his ability to support the attack. Panathinaikos return to Conference League action today against Kairat Almaty. Filippo Reale continues his good form at Carrarese, where he is increasingly picked by Guido Pagliuca. The centre-back, born in 2006, started and played the full 90 minutes in Carrarese's 2-1 home win over Modena, with goals from Abiuso and Rubino before Belotti replied for the visitors. He helped protect the lead in the closing stages as part of the back three. The most unusual moment came in the 96th minute, when Reale embarked on a long run from his own half, covered the entire left flank and shot into the box, only to send his diagonal effort wide. Carrarese have now won consecutive matches. Radoslaw Zelezny was also impressive for Perugia, starting in their 5-1 win at Campobasso. He played the entire game and conceded only Stoppa's equaliser in the 35th minute, before Perugia pulled clear in the second half. He was not held responsible for the goal, and SportPerugia gave him a 6 for his precise handling and his lack of blame. Marco Litti came off the bench for Lecco in their 5-0 win over Pro Vercelli, replacing Manetti in the 59th minute, when Manetti had scored the goal that made it 3-0. Litti took up position on the flank and helped manage the lead over the final half hour. He recorded no goal, assist or booking. Mohamed Seck, meanwhile, remains in a difficult spell with Foggia, who lost 3-1 at Giugliano in the Monday 19 October fixture. Seck was named in the back three by Gaetano Auteri and played the full game. Ravasio gave Foggia the lead in the 16th minute, but Baldé and De Rosa turned the match around before the break, and Esposito added the final goal after the restart. Seck was booked in the 21st minute. Foggia have conceded six goals in their last two league games. Luigi Cherubini, on loan at Benevento, was on the bench for their 2-2 home draw with Vicenza, having scored against Cesena. He came on for Lamesta in the 65th minute, with Benevento ahead 2-0 through Siatounis and Kouan. In the second half Benevento gradually lost control and were pegged back by goals from Corazza and Caferri.

Roma's loanees made their mark during the international break, with Mohamed Seck delivering a commanding defensive display, Luigi Cherubini scoring for Italy's Under-21s, and Neil El Aynaoui clocking over 240 minutes for Morocco across three matches. Seck, a 2007-born defender, started the full 90 minutes in Foggia's 2-0 victory at Cosenza, keeping a clean sheet and earning praise from local media. The Corriere della Calabria awarded him 6.5, while Foggiacalciomania highlighted an almost flawless performance. He picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute but remained unaffected. Radoslaw Zelezny continued his fine form between the sticks for Perugia, playing all 90 minutes in a 3-1 derby win over Gubbio; he conceded little that was preventable and earned a 6.5 rating for his security in possession and distribution. Federico Nardin also impressed at Pescara, completing the full match in a 1-0 win at Livorno achieved by a late Sardo goal, and has now been called up to Italy's Under-19 squad for friendlies against Scotland on 10 and 13 October. Cherubini made the most impact during the break. After coming off the bench in the 79th minute of Italy U21's 1-0 win in Armenia, he was introduced again at the same stage against Poland on 4 October and scored just seven minutes later to seal a 6-2 victory and confirm Italy's direct qualification to the Under-21 European Championship final tournament. El Aynaoui started all three of Morocco's matches—a 2-0 win over Gabon (90 minutes), a 2-0 victory against Lesotho (67 minutes), and a 1-1 draw with Mali on 4 October (full 90)—demonstrating his standing with the national team. Anass Salah-Eddine also featured for Morocco, starting the full 90 minutes at left-back in the Mali friendly. Marash Kumbulla entered Albania's 3-0 Nations League win over San Marino at half-time and played the full second half. Artem Dovbyk, on loan at Bologna, skipped his Ukraine convocation to continue recovering from a muscular problem affecting his hamstring and has already resumed full training with the Bolognese squad ahead of the league's resumption.

Roma's players on loan across Europe experienced a mixed week of midweek and league fixtures. Neil El Aynaoui performed well for RB Leipzig despite a 2–0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, completing 31 of 34 passes and winning 8 of 14 duels while receiving a yellow card in the 74th minute. His statistical rating reached 7.2, among Leipzig's best performances. Anass Salah-Eddine made a convincing debut for Panathinaikos in a Greek Cup tie against Kifisia, playing all 90 minutes on the left flank in a 2–0 victory. FotMob rated him 7.3 for a clean display as Panathinaikos dominated with 71 per cent possession in the first half. By contrast, Angeliño's week at Deportivo La Coruña ended disastrously: he was sent off for a challenge on Miguel Sierra in the 59th minute of a midweek fixture against Sevilla—initially given a yellow card before the VAR review led to a direct red—leaving his side to lose 1–0 already down in the scoreline. Statistical ratings gave him just 5.7, and Deportivo manager Hidalgo noted how the expulsion undermined the team's comeback effort. Angeliño subsequently missed the following 1–1 draw against Betis through suspension. Mohamed Seck at Foggia produced sharply contrasting displays within days. Playing 90 minutes in a goalless midweek draw against Savoia, he was identified as Foggia's best performer, winning nearly every duel against opposing attackers. Coach Auteri retained him for the next match against Inter U23, but this time his form dipped noticeably. Foggia lost 2–1, and a careless passing error by Seck enabled the decisive goal from Fumagalli. Foggiacalciomania rated him 5.5, noting good physical condition but a costly mistake. The week illustrated the growth trajectory of a defender aged just 20, with evident talent and physicality that must be coupled with fewer lapses in concentration. Elsewhere, Federico Nardin at Pescara played the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 midweek draw against Gubbio, earning ratings of 6 and 6.9 for personality and reliability despite some refinements needed, but sat out the subsequent 1–0 win at Vado. Filippo Reale completed 90 minutes for Carrarese in a 1–0 home defeat to Benevento, earning 6 and 6.7 ratings for an orderly display, while Luigi Cherubini entered at the 77th minute for Benevento and struck the post with a close chance in the 83rd. Radoslaw Zelezny, Perugia's goalkeeper, conceded five goals across two matches but received ratings of 6 in both a 3–0 home loss to Spezia and a 2–0 away defeat at Grosseto, with no clear responsibility on most goals. Robinio Vaz at Hull City entered off the bench in the 78th minute during a 2–1 loss at Newcastle after more than ten minutes without notable incident, marking his second consecutive Premier League appearance. Marash Kumbulla remained unused at Rayo Vallecano despite being named in squads for a 2–1 win against Espanyol and a 1–1 draw at Osasuna. Jan Ziolkowski has not returned to action for Monza, continuing recovery from plantar fasciitis. Artem Dovbyk spent another week without playing time at Bologna.

Roma came from behind to earn a point at Napoli's Maradona stadium, with the Argentines at the centre of the story. Soulé produced the first moment of quality, before Balerdi scored a brace to rescue the draw. Afterwards, Santiago Castro, who came on after the break, shared his reaction on social media. He wrote: "A great demonstration of character from the whole team, let's keep going like this always." The post drew a playful response from Leonardo, who replied: "Thanks for the assist" and added a nose emoji. The joke refers to Balerdi's second goal, which came from a fortunate touch of the face by Castro. The exchange offered a lighter moment for Roma's Argentine contingent after a hard-fought result on the road. The comeback was built on Soulé's goal and Balerdi's two strikes, with Castro's contribution in the second half adding to the good mood in the camp.

Roma came from behind twice to draw 3-3 with Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Serie A matchday eight, and Gian Piero Gasperini's side were rescued by Leonardo Balerdi, who came off the bench and scored a brilliant brace. Giallorossi.net's player ratings, written by Andrea Fiorini, gave Balerdi an 8 and Gasperini a 7 for a difficult away trip made without several important players. Gollini was rated 6, with a superb save from Olivera standing out, though he was uncertain with crosses into the box and could have done more on McTominay's shot. Ndicka was rated 6.5 for winning a physical duel with Hojlund, who had little impact. Hermoso, also 6.5, attacked often and tried several times to shoot, but his efforts were always deflected for corners, and Politano often took him on. Mancini was rated 5.5, lacking quality in attack and pace in defence, improving slightly after the break. Rensch, rated 6, made a crucial intervention on Lang but was rated as playing with the handbrake on, offering little going forward. Molina, who replaced him at 58', was rated 6.5 after Gasperini deployed him on the left, where his runs brought energy to the flank. De Roon, rated 6.5, grew into the game and was a wall in the second half. Pisilli was rated 5.5 and was not especially bright, with disappointing set-piece deliveries. Castro, who came on for him at 58', was rated 6 and gave the team a jolt, unsettling the Napoli defence. Wesley was rated 6, described as confused but running tirelessly, with a fine cross for Cristante that hit the post, and an assist for Balerdi's equaliser late on. Cristante was rated 6.5 for his physicality and a few good chances, though he lacked quality with the final pass. Soule was rated 7.5, a constant threat who troubled Napoli and set up Malen inside the area, though Malen wasted the chance. In the second half Soule struck a stunning left-foot shot that revitalised Roma and changed the momentum of the match. Malen was rated 6, wasting a penalty by hitting a weak effort in the area, and was saved only by his assist for Soule. Mora came on late without a rating. Gasperini was praised for his substitutions, which proved decisive in the final 3-3.

Balerdi came off the bench to score a brace and Roma salvaged a 3-3 draw at Napoli after trailing 2-0 and then 3-2, with McTominay's goal coming late in the game. Soulé was the outstanding attacking performer, with a stunning left-footed strike from distance among his contributions. Gasperini's side had to respond twice in a match that swung back and forth, and the equaliser came in a dramatic finish. The match was a test of character for a Roma side that had dropped in the first half-hour. Gasperini was not satisfied with the team in the opening thirty minutes, and the coach's tactical changes at half-time helped turn the game. Cristante returned to the lineup and brought variety to the midfield, providing Roma's first shot on goal. Gollini was at the centre of the defensive effort, making a Neuer-style rush off his line to deny De Bruyne and then a Svilar-like save from a cross by the same Belgian. Match ratings from the Italian report: Gollini 6, Mancini 6 (replaced by Ghilardi at 82 minutes), N'Dicka 6, Hermoso 6.5, Rensch 6 (replaced by Molina 6.5 at 57 minutes), Pisilli 5.5 (replaced by Castro 6 at 57 minutes), De Roon 6.5, Wesley 5.5, Cristante 7, Soulé 7.5, Malen 6.5 (replaced by Mora at 83 minutes), Gasperini 7. Balerdi, who came on for Hermoso at 57 minutes and was booked soon after, was rated 8. The report said Balerdi produced a double inside half an hour, with his finish summed up as the Argentine 'claw of the lion'. De Roon was credited for clearing a Hojlund shot off the line and for the cross that set up Balerdi's header. Soulé was praised for his dribbling, his defensive work, and his winning strike. The report noted Hermoso's ambition, including a long-range shot that struck the crossbar and a challenge on Hojlund, and Malen's assist for Soulé. Wesley was described as being under pressure from Politano on the right, while Pisilli was criticised for shyness in the first half and for his corner delivery. Gasperini's side finished the game with a point after Roma came back from a two-goal deficit and then from a 3-2 scoreline to draw level.