Ghilardi's second assist in three games lifts Gasperini's defence

Goalkeeper Gollini was one of the key figures in Roma's 4-2 win over Cagliari, making six saves and producing a rare statistical feat in the build-up play. Gollini has been standing in admirably during Svilar's absence over recent matches. According to Sofascore data, Gollini finished the match with 100% passing accuracy, completing 32 of 32 passes, and 100% accuracy on his goal kicks, completing 3 of 3. It is a rare achievement: no goalkeeper had matched it since the 2019-20 season, when Szczesny reached 100% in both categories in Juventus's 1-0 win over Milan. The performance came as Gollini has continued to deputise for Mile Svilar, who is currently absent. His contribution against Cagliari went beyond shot-stopping, with his distribution proving as important as his saves in a convincing home win.

Academy products Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli combined to create a goal for Roma against Cagliari, the first time Roma academy players had combined for a goal like this since 2016, when Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti were involved. Pierluigi Franza writes that this Roma already has the future in its hands. Pisilli and Lulli are both products of the Roma youth system, and their link-up at the Cagliari match is presented as a sign of the club's homegrown talent breaking through. The move is the kind of moment that supporters of the Giallorossi have long hoped to see from players who came through the academy, and it comes as the squad looks to build on a strong run of form. The article notes that the goal was built by the two young players, with the 2016 precedent of De Rossi and Totti offered as the closest comparison. Franza's headline and opening line frame the goal as proof that the club's future is already within reach of the first team. Pisilli and Lulli are both Roma academy products who are part of the current squad.

Rodrigo Mora scored a decisive header for Roma yesterday, and it marked his first goal celebration at the Stadio Olimpico. The Portuguese midfielder has been labelled a flop by some observers, but the goal offered a clear answer to those doubts. The Italian report suggests the player simply needed more time to settle in. Mora's first moment of real joy in front of the home fans was a welcome sight for the club. The header came at a point when his place in the squad was being openly questioned.

Rodrigo Mora headed the decisive goal as Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari 4-2, with Donyell Malen scoring the fourth. Mora, who stands 1.68 metres tall, rose to head home the 3-2 goal, a moment that reversed the momentum after the match had seemed to slip away from the hosts. Il Messaggero described the Portuguese forward's header as a moment that brought the young but tired Roma side back into the game. Gian Piero Gasperini was smiling at the final whistle despite a second half that his side played poorly, with many individual and collective errors, Roma conceding more than they should have and creating less than usual. The result came after Roma had shipped five goals in their last two matches, a worrying return even though the fear of conceding appeared to have disappeared against Cagliari. The win came in the style of Inter, with Roma absorbing pressure before striking back, and the Italian paper noted the Giallorossi tend to be pushed back without ever managing to counter seriously. Cagliari had the edge in shots in the closing stages, 9 to 8. Gollini, in the mould of Svilar, made a save to deny Mendy shortly before Maldini's goal put Cagliari in front, which proved to be the moment that woke Roma up for a second time. Mora flew to meet a cross from Ghilardi and headed in, a late development in the match. Malen then sealed the 4-2, collecting another fine piece of play from the Portuguese midfielder, after Mora had again been involved in delivering the ball into the area for the Dutch forward. Gasperini, the paper concluded, once again went beyond the difficulties and errors with his decisions in the closing stages.

Roma's goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was the man of the moment in the aftermath of the win over Cagliari, with several Radio Roma commentators praising his display. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, former Roma striker Pruzzo said: "Molina and Castro are struggling." Gollini, who made three or four important saves according to Pugliese on Radio Radio, was highlighted by multiple pundits as the key figure in keeping the result intact. Cagliari produced 19 shots against Roma, making it the most difficult of the five matches that could help Roma's season, according to Pugliese on Radio Radio. Marcacci said Gasperini's criticism of his players began in the opening minutes, as he sensed the match would be difficult, and that Roma had been under pressure from Cagliari. Gollini had shown over six matches that he was up to the task, Pugliese added, calling him a great goalkeeper. Mora was praised for taking advantage of a Cagliari defensive error to score. Marcacci said the goal would be remembered at the end of the season because it came when Cagliari still had the most energy. Camelio questioned Molina's substitution, saying Mancini could no longer continue and should have been taken off earlier. Vocalelli said Roma had been forced to play every three days, arrived with five injured players and chose to rest some players, adding that the reaction after the 2-2 could not be criticised. Di Giovambattista said that a player like Mora could never score with his head. Pedrelli, on Radio Bruno Roma, said that with Lulli and Pisilli the future was already the present, and wished Mora and Ghilardi more space. Verdenelli praised a Roma side that refuses to accept defeat, saying: "A Roma that does not accept defeat, a Roma that always wants to impose its own game, a Roma that in the end always manages to get the result. We are the reflected image of those who coach us, and I like it." Ferri said Roma had a strong mentality despite important absences and that Gasperini was the added value, adding that Mancini should rest for now. Pruzzo said that if Gasperini had another substitute he would have taken Mora off, but he was happy that two academy players had solved the problems. He said: "I am an admirer of Castro, but Mina put him in his pocket yesterday. He needs to make a mental switch, Molina struggles in Italian football. I have big doubts about the Giallorossi market." Orsi, on Radio Radio Mattino, said Roma had not struggled against Cagliari and that he had the feeling Roma could never lose the match, adding: "Gollini saved the team, I am happy for him. Anyway, the Giallorossi were far superior to Cagliari."

Roma's unbeaten run has reached 16 matches following their win over Cagliari, a streak that began after the 5-0 defeat by Inter. Coach Gasperini has equalled Garcia's mark and now has his sights set on the club's historic records. Ahead of the other stories in the round-up, former striker Marco Borriello, speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, offered a measured view of Donyell Malen, who has scored 10 goals this season. He said: "He has quality, Gasperini brings it out of him, but Serie A today has more mediocrity than in my time. If you put him in a big Spanish or English club, he sits on the bench." Borriello was far warmer about Daniele De Rossi, saying: "He is a predestined one. He is proving to be a competent and intelligent coach, the 'Smart One'. If I were the president of Genoa, I would hold on to him tightly." The unbeaten run is now 16 matches, and Gasperini has matched Garcia's figure. Roma's historic benchmarks lie ahead, with runs of 19, 20, 24 and 25 matches all above them. The most significant mark is the 30 consecutive unbeaten league results set by Liedholm, a record that has stood since the 1980-81 season. In the player ratings, Lulli was named the best player on the pitch unanimously by the newspapers, with a 7.50. Mora followed on 7.25, a standout performance after coming off the bench. Gollini (7.08) and Malen (6.92) also earned praise, while Ghilardi and Soulé (both 6.75) received positive reviews. At the bottom, Mancini was rated 5.08, clearly the worst, followed by Rensch (5.58) and Castro (5.75).

Roman radio pundits were largely focused on Roma after the win over Cagliari, with the debate centring on Mancini's performance, Mora's goal and the fitness of Paulo Dybala. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: “Maybe it was the worst match Mancini has played since he’s been here at Roma. Honestly, after that first half I didn’t think he could come back out, and yet he did.” He added: “In a normal world, you had to take Mancini off after 20 minutes. He wasn’t presentable.” Gianluca Piacentini said Mora's goal had silenced his serial critics, and praised Gasperini for stressing that the points Roma have taken this season, the same number as last season, carry greater weight because they came against Como, Inter, Napoli and Atalanta. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended Mancini against the whistles he received, saying: “Mancini plays as a striker on Gasperini’s orders. You can’t go back and forth at two hundred an hour; you lose something along the way.” On the Roma-Cagliari match, Corsi described it as a lacklustre game, adding that the young players had turned it around. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport praised Gollini, who made three important saves, and said he was playing with a concentration he had never shown before, having been given a great opportunity by Svilar’s misfortune. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said: “Mora? If Gasperini had another substitute, he’d have taken him off after a quarter of an hour. That was my impression.” He also said he was pleased that Pisilli and Lulli had partly sorted out the match, and said: “If you have to compare yourself to the Roma market, my friend… I had backed Castro, but if Mina has you in his pocket for 80 minutes, you need changing.” He added that Molina struggles to play in Italian football, and that De Roon was static in midfield. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said: “I thought Roma never would lose this one.” Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma had suffered before taking full points. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Roma are unbeaten with six wins and three draws, and argued that Lazio’s eight wins from nine carry a different weight. He said: “I don’t see the Leicester effect in any way. If Lazio finish in the top three, I’ll become a priest.” Mario Corsi said Lazio do not have a team fit for the top places, and Torri noted that Lazio have taken 25 points from 27, with fixtures against Roma, Napoli, Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Torino still to come. The focus then turned to the coming fixtures. Alessio Nardo said the Dybala situation was thorny: he had seemed set to return against Cagliari, but now risked missing the next three matches. He said: “I expect a very, very difficult match against Udinese, and it will take a great Roma to win it.” Lorenzo Pes said Dybala had returned to training on Sunday but would miss Saturday’s game against Udinese, adding: “I think he doesn’t want to miss Manchester-Roma at Old Trafford.” Checco Oddo Casano said the doubt for Saturday against Udinese would be between Mora and De Roon, and said the club’s hopes in attack now depend on Soulé.

Roma's goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was the man of the moment in the aftermath of the win over Cagliari, with several Radio Roma commentators praising his display. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, former Roma striker Pruzzo said: "Molina and Castro are struggling." Gollini, who made three or four important saves according to Pugliese on Radio Radio, was highlighted by multiple pundits as the key figure in keeping the result intact. Cagliari produced 19 shots against Roma, making it the most difficult of the five matches that could help Roma's season, according to Pugliese on Radio Radio. Marcacci said Gasperini's criticism of his players began in the opening minutes, as he sensed the match would be difficult, and that Roma had been under pressure from Cagliari. Gollini had shown over six matches that he was up to the task, Pugliese added, calling him a great goalkeeper. Mora was praised for taking advantage of a Cagliari defensive error to score. Marcacci said the goal would be remembered at the end of the season because it came when Cagliari still had the most energy. Camelio questioned Molina's substitution, saying Mancini could no longer continue and should have been taken off earlier. Vocalelli said Roma had been forced to play every three days, arrived with five injured players and chose to rest some players, adding that the reaction after the 2-2 could not be criticised. Di Giovambattista said that a player like Mora could never score with his head. Pedrelli, on Radio Bruno Roma, said that with Lulli and Pisilli the future was already the present, and wished Mora and Ghilardi more space. Verdenelli praised a Roma side that refuses to accept defeat, saying: "A Roma that does not accept defeat, a Roma that always wants to impose its own game, a Roma that in the end always manages to get the result. We are the reflected image of those who coach us, and I like it." Ferri said Roma had a strong mentality despite important absences and that Gasperini was the added value, adding that Mancini should rest for now. Pruzzo said that if Gasperini had another substitute he would have taken Mora off, but he was happy that two academy players had solved the problems. He said: "I am an admirer of Castro, but Mina put him in his pocket yesterday. He needs to make a mental switch, Molina struggles in Italian football. I have big doubts about the Giallorossi market." Orsi, on Radio Radio Mattino, said Roma had not struggled against Cagliari and that he had the feeling Roma could never lose the match, adding: "Gollini saved the team, I am happy for him. Anyway, the Giallorossi were far superior to Cagliari."

Roma's unbeaten run has reached 16 matches following their win over Cagliari, a streak that began after the 5-0 defeat by Inter. Coach Gasperini has equalled Garcia's mark and now has his sights set on the club's historic records. Ahead of the other stories in the round-up, former striker Marco Borriello, speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, offered a measured view of Donyell Malen, who has scored 10 goals this season. He said: "He has quality, Gasperini brings it out of him, but Serie A today has more mediocrity than in my time. If you put him in a big Spanish or English club, he sits on the bench." Borriello was far warmer about Daniele De Rossi, saying: "He is a predestined one. He is proving to be a competent and intelligent coach, the 'Smart One'. If I were the president of Genoa, I would hold on to him tightly." The unbeaten run is now 16 matches, and Gasperini has matched Garcia's figure. Roma's historic benchmarks lie ahead, with runs of 19, 20, 24 and 25 matches all above them. The most significant mark is the 30 consecutive unbeaten league results set by Liedholm, a record that has stood since the 1980-81 season. In the player ratings, Lulli was named the best player on the pitch unanimously by the newspapers, with a 7.50. Mora followed on 7.25, a standout performance after coming off the bench. Gollini (7.08) and Malen (6.92) also earned praise, while Ghilardi and Soulé (both 6.75) received positive reviews. At the bottom, Mancini was rated 5.08, clearly the worst, followed by Rensch (5.58) and Castro (5.75).

Rodrigo Mora deserves patience, but he should be played in the centre of the attacking third, where he is most dangerous, according to this analysis. The 19-year-old, who has been considered a future star in Portugal for years, has scored twice in 274 minutes while playing in the No. 10 role. That works out to one goal every 137 minutes, a better rate than Alajbegovic (still scoreless), Kolo Muani (one in 697 minutes), Atta (still scoreless), Goncalo Ramos (one every 357 minutes) and Mateo Pellegrino (one every 275 minutes). The writer is careful not to overstate the comparison: Mora is not the best of that group, at least not yet, but he is scoring at the rate of a centre-forward while playing as a trequartista. The question is not simple. Gasperini's usual system is built around two wide players, and the No. 10, a role the writer says is slowly disappearing in modern football, does not fit that template. Mora has nonetheless already been counted among the best summer signings in Serie A, despite early criticism. Roma are also scoring freely: they have 23 goals in their first nine matches, their best start since 2016, when Luciano Spalletti was in charge. The writer credits Gasperini's attacking philosophy for part of Mora's form, as well as the club's transformation from a defensive fortress into a goal-scoring machine. Gasperini has never doubted the player's talent. He said: "He is extraordinary, every time he touches the ball something beautiful happens." The writer concludes that Mora could not have found a better coach or a better environment in which to grow and express the qualities of a top player.

Rodrigo Mora scored a decisive header for Roma yesterday, and it marked his first goal celebration at the Stadio Olimpico. The Portuguese midfielder has been labelled a flop by some observers, but the goal offered a clear answer to those doubts. The Italian report suggests the player simply needed more time to settle in. Mora's first moment of real joy in front of the home fans was a welcome sight for the club. The header came at a point when his place in the squad was being openly questioned.

Roman radio pundits were largely focused on Roma after the win over Cagliari, with the debate centring on Mancini's performance, Mora's goal and the fitness of Paulo Dybala. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: “Maybe it was the worst match Mancini has played since he’s been here at Roma. Honestly, after that first half I didn’t think he could come back out, and yet he did.” He added: “In a normal world, you had to take Mancini off after 20 minutes. He wasn’t presentable.” Gianluca Piacentini said Mora's goal had silenced his serial critics, and praised Gasperini for stressing that the points Roma have taken this season, the same number as last season, carry greater weight because they came against Como, Inter, Napoli and Atalanta. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended Mancini against the whistles he received, saying: “Mancini plays as a striker on Gasperini’s orders. You can’t go back and forth at two hundred an hour; you lose something along the way.” On the Roma-Cagliari match, Corsi described it as a lacklustre game, adding that the young players had turned it around. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport praised Gollini, who made three important saves, and said he was playing with a concentration he had never shown before, having been given a great opportunity by Svilar’s misfortune. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said: “Mora? If Gasperini had another substitute, he’d have taken him off after a quarter of an hour. That was my impression.” He also said he was pleased that Pisilli and Lulli had partly sorted out the match, and said: “If you have to compare yourself to the Roma market, my friend… I had backed Castro, but if Mina has you in his pocket for 80 minutes, you need changing.” He added that Molina struggles to play in Italian football, and that De Roon was static in midfield. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said: “I thought Roma never would lose this one.” Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma had suffered before taking full points. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Roma are unbeaten with six wins and three draws, and argued that Lazio’s eight wins from nine carry a different weight. He said: “I don’t see the Leicester effect in any way. If Lazio finish in the top three, I’ll become a priest.” Mario Corsi said Lazio do not have a team fit for the top places, and Torri noted that Lazio have taken 25 points from 27, with fixtures against Roma, Napoli, Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Torino still to come. The focus then turned to the coming fixtures. Alessio Nardo said the Dybala situation was thorny: he had seemed set to return against Cagliari, but now risked missing the next three matches. He said: “I expect a very, very difficult match against Udinese, and it will take a great Roma to win it.” Lorenzo Pes said Dybala had returned to training on Sunday but would miss Saturday’s game against Udinese, adding: “I think he doesn’t want to miss Manchester-Roma at Old Trafford.” Checco Oddo Casano said the doubt for Saturday against Udinese would be between Mora and De Roon, and said the club’s hopes in attack now depend on Soulé.