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Gasperini's Roma breaks records with goals and defence ahead of Inter clash
·16 September 2026·45d ago

Gasperini's Roma breaks records with goals and defence ahead of Inter clash

Source: Forza Roma

Roma have started the 2026–27 season in record form, winning all four of their opening Serie A matches with a conviction not seen since 2014. Gasperini has never begun a campaign more successfully—even during Atalanta's strongest years he managed no more than three opening wins, achieved in 2020–21. The club's latest victory came in Turin, where the giallorossi proved the partnership between Dybala and Malen, and discovered that players further down the squad list—Balerdi, Pisilli, de Roon and Molina—can make a decisive difference. Saturday brings the season's first major test: Inter visit the Olimpico in a fixture that will say much about Roma's title ambitions. The stadium is already sold out.

Defensively, Roma have conceded just one goal in four league matches—a figure matched only by Arsenal among Europe's top five leagues. Friburgo lead the Bundesliga with the same record but have played only three matches. In attack, Roma have scored twelve goals, averaging three per game. Only Barcelona (21), Real Madrid (14) and Inter (13) have better figures across Europe's elite competitions. The combination of defensive solidity and attacking potency has created optimism at the club, with Gasperini's arrival from Atalanta having forged complete harmony with the environment, squad and staff.

Saturday's encounter at the Olimpico offers the chance to reinforce those standings further.

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Story Coverage3 sources on this story

Roma begin Saturday's home clash against Inter unbeaten in Serie A, having won all four opening matches—a record start for manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who has never opened a campaign more successfully even during his Atalanta years. The Olimpico is already sold out for what promises to be the season's first major test of Roma's title credentials. Defensively, Roma have conceded just one goal across those four matches, matching Arsenal's figure among Europe's top five leagues. In attack, they have scored twelve goals—averaging three per game and ranking among Europe's elite, behind only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter.

Former Roma striker Francesco Graziani has praised both Mourinho's lasting legacy at the club and Gasperini's current project. Speaking to Il Tempo, Graziani credited Mourinho with restoring the environment and bringing unity to the club, effects still visible at the stadium today. Of Gasperini's arrival from Atalanta, he noted the manager came with strong ambition to prove himself, and that the recruitment of D'Amico as sporting director has been decisive—the two know each other well and have already shown they can build top-level teams.

Radio debate ahead of Inter centres on tactical approach. Ugo Trani argued Roma should not play with fear and must continue their attacking style, while Francesco Balzani suggested deploying Pisilli higher up the pitch could exploit Inter's weak defence in the opening periods, as Udinese and Napoli have done. Piero Torri emphasised that great teams impose their way rather than adapt, suggesting Gasperini could deploy extra attacking bodies to pressure Inter's solid but vulnerable defence. Roberto Pruzzo noted Roma arrives with a settled identity, while Nando Orsi warned Inter possess unmatched reaction spirit and change matches through substitutions.

AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.

Testo Originale / Source Text

“A tutto Gasp, stavolta è davvero il caso di dirlo. Perché una Roma così in alto e con così tanta convinzione non si vedeva dal 2014 e perché il tecnico mai aveva raccolto quattro vittorie nelle prime quattro giornate. No, nemmeno nei tempi d'oro dell'Atalanta. E allora sognare è lecito anche perché…”

Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.

Read original on Forza Roma →

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Gian Piero Gasperini said Roma's goal tally from many different scorers is a "great signal" after his side beat Udinese 4-0 in the tenth round of Serie A at the Bluenergy Stadium. Roma have scored 28 goals in ten matches, a striking change from last season, and Malen is not the only source of their threat. "The numbers sometimes count and say something. Certainly, as well as scoring many goals, we are scoring them with many different players. This is also a sign of confidence, of many players who now believe they can be decisive, both in the assist, as in this case, and in the finish. So we are scoring more goals and with more players. This is a great signal." Roma led 4-0 at half-time, but the second half saw them ease off, particularly in offensive intensity. Gasperini said the drop was understandable: "I don't know, because even the teams fighting for the top positions have some small problems. I have to say it is quite normal. 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Gian Piero Gasperini said Roma's goal tally from many different scorers is a "great signal" after his side beat Udinese 4-0 in the tenth round of Serie A at the Bluenergy Stadium. Roma have scored 28 goals in ten matches, a striking change from last season, and Malen is not the only source of their threat. "The numbers sometimes count and say something. Certainly, as well as scoring many goals, we are scoring them with many different players. This is also a sign of confidence, of many players who now believe they can be decisive, both in the assist, as in this case, and in the finish. So we are scoring more goals and with more players. This is a great signal." Roma led 4-0 at half-time, but the second half saw them ease off, particularly in offensive intensity. Gasperini said the drop was understandable: "I don't know, because even the teams fighting for the top positions have some small problems. I have to say it is quite normal. When you go 4-0 up, although at half-time we told each other to be very careful, keep defending well and not conceding, it is clear something can drop. We play in Manchester in three days, we are playing a lot. This was our eighth match in less than twenty days. So what is lacking is not so much physical strength as a little attention and concentration. Then we conceded a goal from distance that reopened the game a little. It was a bad goal, because we were set up and that is exactly the sign of having switched off mentally. We would never have conceded a goal like that. But it is also true that as soon as we had the chance to accelerate, we could still be dangerous." Asked about the impressive performances of Roma's young players, and Ghilardi's goal, Gasperini credited the group's attitude: "I have the good fortune of having all the players, even the less young ones, who give me great availability. With young players there is always this availability, because they want to emerge and improve. I am lucky to have a group with a fantastic mix. We may have other kinds of faults, but in terms of availability it is total." He added: "Ghilardi, moreover, was quite angry because recently a goal was disallowed for him in the Champions League against Slovan, a really beautiful goal. That desire to score stayed inside him and tonight he scored a beautiful goal." On the physical demands of the calendar, Gasperini said: "A period this long, with this continuity of matches three times a week, I struggle to remember. It has happened to me at other times, for example with Atalanta in the year we won the Europa League. We had reached the final of the Coppa Italia too and were fighting for the Champions League in the league. But that was March-April, a different period. A situation like this I do not remember. There is certainly a lot of fatigue, because the matches you go to play are all high-level and very difficult. I think after the next break, although the commitments will continue to be many, the situation will be a little less heavy. Especially for us, who for almost all of this period have had the absences of Svilar, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini. Being able to rotate the squad, get everyone playing and distribute minutes is certainly helping us." Asked whether any of the injured players could return before the break, Gasperini said: "It is difficult, but I hope so. In theory all three could recover, but it could also be that none of them do. We will see, this will be a decisive week." On Cristante, who was outstanding, Gasperini said: "The pre-season preparation has stayed the same. What varies a little is the reading of individual players, we also work individually. It is difficult to train Mora the same as Mancini or N'Dicka, we have our own parameters and reads, and we work a lot on the players, that yes. There is a lot of individualised work. Honestly, I remember Cristante like this." He explained that Cristante had been out for a month with a knee injury that affected the collateral ligament, adding: "He has played three games in a row after a month out, a bit like De Roon, the more he plays the better he gets. He recovers quickly and that is a good sign." Gasperini also reflected on the season so far: "You can never know beforehand what will happen. I have a group that is hungry to improve and sets team goals to get better, we are not thinking about anything grand. Tactical work we do not have much time for, we learn during matches. By playing we have undoubtedly grown, and we have great confidence in the whole squad. Using everyone also helps, so everyone is ready." On the attacking play, he said: "I see myself in all the concepts of play. 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Roma have scored 28 goals in their first ten matches of the 2026-27 season, a club record, after a 5-3 win at Udinese. The tally surpasses the previous record of 26 goals, set in 1960/61 and 2016/17, and the goals have come from a wide spread of players rather than relying on Donyell Malen, although he is leading the side. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma have become a side that is always dangerous and always able to finish, with many matches won by at least four goals across Serie A and the Champions League. Roma have scored with 14 different players so far: Malen, Niccolò Pisilli, Manu Koné, Matías Soulé, Mario Hermoso, Emanuele Lulli, Rodrigo Mora, Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Santiago Castro, Nahuel Molina and Leonardo Balerdi. Evan N'Dicka and Daniele Ghilardi also scored against Udinese and join that list. The results are reflected in the table: 24 points from ten matches, the club's best start since 2013. Last season Roma had 21 points at this stage, and two seasons ago they had just 13. To find similar numbers, you have to go back to 2022, when Mourinho reached 22 points. The Udinese victory was not simply a big win but proof of a team that scores with a consistency never seen before at the club. The 28 goals in the opening ten rounds represent a milestone the club had never reached, and the tally was built across Serie A and the Champions League alike.

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Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium this afternoon to face Udinese, managed by Kosta Runjaic, in the tenth round of Serie A. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrive in Friuli unbeaten in the league and looking to build on their midweek win over Cagliari. Udinese are seeking a victory they have not managed since late August, and will try to use home advantage against a Roma side still missing several players. Gasperini will be without Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala. With two hours to kick-off, the Roma coach appears set to make further changes from the Cagliari game. Ghilardi is expected to get a chance in defence, while Rodrigo Mora is the favourite to partner Soulé behind Malen in attack. Udinese's probable line-up is in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Okoye; Abankwah, Kabasele, Ebosse; Vojvoda, Karlström, Piotrowski, Kamara; Ekkelenkamp, Zaniolo; Davis. Roma are also set up 3-4-2-1: Gollini; Ghilardi, Ndicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Udinese's substitutes are Mrozek, Padelli, Lovric, Zarraga, Bertola, Palma, Miller, Zanoli, Arizala, Unai Gomez and Chakvetadze. Roma's bench comprises Vasquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Castro, Lulli, Mancini, Balerdi, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Camara. The referee is Maresca of Napoli, with assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi L. The fourth official is Chiffi, while Paterna is the VAR and Aureliano the assistant VAR.

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Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma are planning to attack Udinese's vulnerability from dead-ball situations, with the aim of winning the match at Udine and catching out coach Runjaic. Roma need points as Inter and Lazio keep up the pressure at the top, and the article says the Giallorossi cannot afford to fall behind in the chase. Gasperini has reportedly passed on the message that it is no time to give up. Udine will not be easy. Udinese have taken less from their results than they deserved, and against Parma they faced a real siege, with twenty shots and no goals. Runjaic is looking for a turnaround and wants to find it precisely against Roma. The Friulani have already shown they can trouble the Giallorossi, and last season Gasperini's side suffered badly against their physicality. Roma's plan starts with taking the game onto technical ground and quality, avoiding a contest of duels and tackles where Udinese can use all their strength. With the ball at their feet, Roma believe they have the quality to make the difference. Udinese have won one of their last seven matches, scoring few goals and conceding many. Since Monza, they have conceded the most goals from set pieces, five in total, with an average of 0.57 xG conceded per match from these situations. Roma, meanwhile, have been less effective from set pieces this season: they are ninth for goals from dead-ball situations with three, compared with fifteen in 2025-26, when they finished fourth in Serie A. Gasperini has the men and the options to hurt Udinese. Hermoso is a guarantee in the air, Cristante knows how to attack the near post, and Balerdi can also be a resource. Bryan Cristante has already shown he can be decisive from these situations: with De Rossi on the bench, his header decided a nerve-shredding match. The match kicks off at 18:00, and the article suggests set pieces could be the key to taking the game.

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