Greenwood to challenge Gasperini as Turkish press predicts Roma destruction

Roma scouts were among those watching Porto against PSV Eindhoven at the Estádio do Dragão in the Champions League, as the club keeps working ahead of the January transfer window to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. Sporting director D'Amico is looking for talent to complete the attack and the wide areas, where a left-sided midfield winger is still missing. Scouts from Everton, Manchester United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest were also present, according to English outlet Sport Witness. Many talents featured for PSV as well as for Porto, who are coached by Farioli. Among the possible targets Roma are monitoring is Sven Mijnans, an attacking midfielder born in 2000 who had already been followed in the summer. Also on the list is Bajraktarević, a Bosnian left-sided winger born in 2005. Roma will keep working on these ideas in the coming weeks, as a side that has made a top start still needs reinforcements. Porto's young standouts also drew attention. Oscar Pietuszewski, a right-footed winger born in 2008, is very young. Alberto Costa, a 23-year-old full-back, was close to joining Roma in January 2025.

Roma's defence has been named in the Sofascore Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, with Mario Hermoso, Leonardo Balerdi and Daniele Ghilardi all selected and dominating the back line of the ideal side. The trio's performance earned the recognition after they kept a clean sheet against Slovan Bratislava, the club's first clean sheet in Europe this season, and gave nothing away to Yaya Touré's side. The spotlight on the defence comes as Roma prepare for a big match against Napoli, with the squad continuing its work at Trigoria. The back line has been one of the strengths of the start to the campaign, conceding just three goals in the first seven Serie A matches. The Italian report adds that the award reflects the solid form of a unit that has been central to Roma's strong start, with the three defenders combining for a shutout that underlined the club's improved resilience at the back. Roma are next in action against Napoli, with the squad focused on maintaining that defensive record.

Roma's central defenders Hermoso, Balerdi and Ghilardi have been named in Sofascore's Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, after a performance that kept Slovan Bratislava out completely. The three Roma defenders gave away nothing to the side coached by Yaya Touré. Roma have conceded only three goals in their first seven Serie A matches, a record built on a back line that is growing more solid despite the absence of several players who were fundamental in recent years. The arrivals of Balerdi and Koulierakis, and the continued development of Ghilardi, have given Gasperini the option to rest two first-team regulars, Ndicka and Mancini. Sofascore's selection was described as deserved. The Team of the Week's defence, drawn from the best side in the League Phase, was dominated by Gasperini's Roma backline. The selection also includes attackers Doué, Nico Paz, Foden and Ngumoha from the wider group of top clubs in the competition.

Former coach Andrea Stramaccioni has praised Donyell Malen, likening the Dutch forward's movement to that of Andriy Shevchenko, as Roma prepare to face Napoli at the Maradona. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Stramaccioni also highlighted the way Gian Piero Gasperini's side defends by attacking. Roma's form has been strong, with a clear identity, a productive attack and an effective defensive phase. Stramaccioni said: "It is impressive, ever more in tune with the verticality of Roma's final pass. His half-moon of movement away from his marker, the first controlled touch oriented forward, and the speed with which he does it remind me, with the appropriate comparisons, of the movements Andriy Shevchenko liked to make." He then turned to the team as a whole: "Roma have scored with 11 different players, and Dybala, Mancini, Wesley and Pellegrini are still missing. But the out-of-possession phase stands out more: Gasperini's side 'defends by attacking' while controlling the ball. It is the best defence in Serie A (and two of the three goals conceded came against Inter) and has the best goal difference in the league." On the Napoli fixture, Stramaccioni said: "He is too experienced, he knows that at Napoli the level of difficulty is very high. He will find a side 'wounded', which cannot afford to lose again and will play to the death in front of their very hot crowd. And Gasp knows this well. He will prepare a high-intensity match, taking time and space away from Napoli's build-up, meaning limiting Lobotka and De Bruyne. And trying to exploit the vertical spaces that may open up." He also pointed to a potential weakness. "Roma have conceded little when defending in a set shape, but have suffered from second balls from dead-ball situations: look at Inter and Real Madrid. On the other side, isolating the attackers one-on-one in open space and forcing Allegri's wide players to chase Wesley and company can cause Napoli problems." On squad depth, Stramaccioni said: "Without injuries I would have said Napoli, although they are a little short in midfield. But now, with Roma missing key players, I see them as similar. Roma's real advantage is a year of work with Gasperini: more certainty and enthusiasm." Finally, he assessed the ambitions of both clubs. "Napoli are a great potential in search of certainty, continuity and solidity. Roma are a group full of enthusiasm who have plenty of certainty, but to stay up there they must win matches like this one."

Roma head to Naples for a Serie A eighth-round clash with Napoli, coached by Max Allegri, with Gian Piero Gasperini facing a single selection question over who will partner Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen up front. Bryan Cristante is ahead in the race, while Rodrigo Mora is expected to start on the bench. Gasperini has already set the tone, saying: "Non svegliateci" ("Don't wake us up"), as his side look to build on a superb start to the league campaign and show they are not ready to slow down. Roma have made a strong start to the season, and the Napoli fixture is a major test that will say much about the club's real ambitions. Lulli returns on the right side of the defence, with Molina among the substitutes. Behind Gollini, the established back three of Ndicka, Mancini and Hermoso is set to start. Gasperini will be without several players, including Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala, but has two important returns in Cristante, who was already called up for the Slovan Bratislava match on Tuesday evening, and Malen, who has served his league suspension. Both are expected to start from the first minute at the Maradona. Napoli are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 with Milinkovic-Savic in goal, Di Lorenzo, Badiashile, Marín and Olivera in defence, Anguissa, De Bruyne and McTominay in midfield, and Politano, Hojlund and Lang in attack. Roma are set to play a 3-4-1-2 with Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso; Lulli, de Roon, Pisilli and Wesley; Cristante; and Soulé and Malen. Among the substitutes are Vásquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Di Nunzio, Mora, Castro and Camara. The match, valid for the eighth round of Serie A EniLive, kicks off at 18:00 and is broadcast live and exclusively on DAZN. Viewers will need a DAZN subscription and can access the match through a smart TV app, or on consoles such as Xbox or PlayStation. Alternatively, it can be watched on devices including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and TIM VISION Box. Live coverage is also available through Forzaroma.info's Cronaca Live and its social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The Slovan Bratislava meeting in Europe is a fixture Roma have not faced for 15 years, since their only previous meeting, in the 2011/12 Europa League play-off, when the Slovaks won 1-0 away and drew 1-1 at the Olimpico to eliminate the giallorossi. Roma's record against Slovak sides reads one win, two draws and one defeat. Their sole victory came in 2009, when they beat Košice 7-1 at the Olimpico in the Europa League qualifiers after a 3-3 draw in the first leg. Slovan Bratislava have won only one of their five away matches in Italy, drawing one and losing three. Roma are also counting on the Olimpico, having won eight of their last ten home Champions League matches.

Roma's electric start to the season has drawn praise from every quarter, and former coach Stramaccioni has singled out Donyell Malen, comparing the Dutch forward's movement to that of Andriy Shevchenko. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Stramaccioni, now a pundit, said: "He is impressive, increasingly in tune with the verticality of Roma's final pass. His half-moon run to get free, the first oriented touch and the speed with which he does it remind me, with the due comparisons, of the movements Shevchenko loved to make." Roma have played with flair, scoring and convincing, and have shown no obvious weak spots. Their only slip came against Real Madrid, and they have won every game since. Stramaccioni also highlighted Roma's defensive solidity, noting that the side have scored with 11 different players. "Gasperini's team 'defends by attacking'. It has the best defence and the best goal difference in Serie A," he said. Now comes a tough test, as Napoli visit the Stadio Olimpico. Stramaccioni warned that Roma will face a wounded side: "They will find a team that is hurt, that cannot afford to lose again, and will play to the death in front of their very hot home crowd." He views limiting Lobotka and De Bruyne, denying Napoli time and space in build-up, and exploiting chances to counter vertically as the key to the game. For Stramaccioni, Roma's advantage lies in the work done under Gasperini, which has brought "more certainty and enthusiasm". Yet he believes a further step is needed to stay at the top. "Roma is a group full of enthusiasm that has plenty of certainty, but to stay up there it must win matches like this one."