Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference before and after Roma's Serie A match against Torino on 14 September, discussing the partnership between Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, the performance of Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and the demands of the upcoming fixture against Inter.
On Dybala and Malen, who formed their partnership eight months earlier, Gasperini said: "The satisfaction is there from everyone, and it's beautiful for fans and those who love football to see two champions who manage to create practically every match situations where goals can be scored, dangerous situations. Beyond being strong individually they complete each other greatly, they have important connections that they manage to turn into goals." He explained the decision to substitute Malen during the match as part of squad rotation, noting that attackers who play the full 90 minutes every time cannot repeat their performances across multiple games in a week. "If we can spare 20–30 minutes they can play more matches in a week," he said. Gasperini added that younger players must learn from champions like Malen and Dybala not just technically but in temperament and determination: "If we manage to do this, the squad becomes stronger."
On Balerdi's performance, Gasperini compared him favourably to one of Italian football's greatest defenders, saying: "A strong defender, very strong. He is certainly a modern defender, strong physically and quick. I can't invoke any name — a central defender like that was Baresi. But without going to invoke him, for how he interprets the role with aggression and speed in recoveries plus participation in play… Baresi was number 1 absolutely, nobody touches him, but as characteristics we are similar." He later added: "He made an extraordinary recovery with speed, he saved a difficult situation. We know we have taken a beautiful player." On the Rome-Inter fixture ahead, Gasperini noted that last season Roma had lost heavily on the return leg but improved significantly afterward: "There was an escalation, not only of results but also of attitudes, behaviour and mentality. Inter is the reference team of our championship for everyone, it's a strong team and rightly indicated as the strongest. Although in my opinion Como are very close to them. It's an opportunity for us too to measure ourselves and do better than the last matches."
Gasperini confirmed squad absences for the Torino match: Wesley had suffered a heavy blow in the previous fixture and had not yet fully recovered, while Evan N'Dicka had suffered a bout of flu that night and did not travel to the stadium. He described Santiago Castro's development positively, stating: "Castro is doing very well in all situations in which he is engaged. Compared to the start he is in good condition. We all expect a lot from him but we are very convinced because he is a boy who deserves it and who has great qualities."
Story Coverage3 sources on this story
Roma secured a 4-2 victory over Torino on 14 September, a performance that highlighted the attacking partnership between Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini praised both players as elite talents who complement each other exceptionally. "It is beautiful for the fans and those who love football to see two champions who manage to create practically every game goal-scoring situations," Gasperini said. "Beyond being individually strong they complement each other enormously, they have crucial links that they manage to convert into goals." The partnership, which formed eight months earlier when Malen joined the club, has become central to Roma's attacking play this season.
Gasperini defended his decision to rotate Malen during the match, citing the demands of playing three fixtures in eight days and the importance of developing younger squad members. "If we can save 20–30 minutes for the attackers they can play more matches in a week," he explained. He also highlighted defensive stability in the victory, noting that while Roma played "an excellent game," they had to show defensive resilience when Torino introduced fresh attacking options. The coach offered comparisons when assessing defender Leonardo Balerdi's modern profile, suggesting characteristics reminiscent of Franco Baresi in his aggression and speed in recoveries.
On squad availability, Wesley sustained a heavy knock in the previous match and had not fully recovered, while Evan N'Dicka was unavailable after suffering influenza overnight. Roma News notes that Malen has made 24 consecutive starts with 20 goals and 4 assists, while Dybala is working toward his next goal following his recent return from knee surgery.
AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.
Testo Originale / Source Text
“Gian Piero Gasperini interviene ai microfoni dei giornalisti in occasione di Torino-Roma, gara valida per la quarta giornata di Serie A. Queste le dichiarazioni del tecnico giallorosso nel prepartita e poi al termine della sfida dello Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
La Dybalen è nata proprio qui 8…”
Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.
