Hermoso, Balerdi and Ndicka lead Roma's defensive goal haul

Roma closed their run of fixtures before the international break with a 3-0 win over Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has granted the squad three days of rest. Eleven Giallorossi will join their respective national teams in the coming days, while the players who remain in the capital will return to work. Roma players who are not called up will resume training at Trigoria on Wednesday afternoon, when preparation for their next commitments begins. The rest period gives Gasperini a clear window to plan the work ahead of the club's upcoming fixtures. The Italian original also carries links to the club's free news channels on Telegram and WhatsApp, which are not part of the match or training report.

Roma's intensive run of fixtures is over, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given the squad three days off. Training resumes on Wednesday, with Roma's next match away at Parma on 21 November, after the international break. Gasperini is hopeful of having Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar back available. Gianluca Mancini will not join up with his national team because of a muscle strain in his right hamstring, and he will remain in Rome to receive treatment. Manu Koné will also be available to the coach for the next two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini's recovery is taking longer, and he is not expected back until 2027.

Roma beat Sassuolo with composure, quality and collective sharpness, with Soulé and Mora taking centre stage and Rodrigo Mora finding his third league goal in three consecutive matches. Mario Hermoso gave Roma the lead with a powerful strike just minutes after an own goal forced by Donyell Malen, and the match was effectively settled from there. Vásquez, in the words of the match report, had practically a day off in goal. The win followed a difficult spell for the club, and the report describes it as a cycle of passion that has now ended with a chance to breathe before the end of November, which brings Parma and PSG. Roma's form in the league has been strong, and Mora's scoring run has made him a key figure in the attack. Gasperini's side regained control of the match after a heavy setback in England, starting cautiously and calmly before finding the gap in the Sassuolo defence after half an hour. Hermoso was rated 7.5 for a performance in which he played as an improvised partner to Malen, opened the scoring with a goal from the edge of the box, and was involved in the third goal after winning the ball. Balerdi (6.5) produced a headed clearance on the line and a shot from distance, while N'Dicka (6.5) was calm and composed. Cristante (6.5) covered an impressive distance, and Koné (6.5) controlled the midfield with calm and intelligence, though the report suggested he could shoot more often. Soulé (6.5) was praised for his control but criticised for choosing not to shoot into an empty net. Mora was rated 7, with the report calling his left foot velvet-soft and noting he ran as much as Cristante in the first half. Malen (6.5) was marked closely throughout, but scored with a diagonal shot after a double deflection and created an assist for Mora. Gasperini was rated 7 for restoring the team's composure after the English defeat and taking total control of the game. Molina (6) was criticised for focusing too often on backward passes, while Wesley (6) was sharp when Sassuolo tried to close space. Substitutes included Ghilardi, Koulierakis, de Roon (6), Pisilli (6) and Castro. Gasperini said: "giochiamoci questo campionato", which can be rendered as: "Let's play for this league title." The sentiment follows his earlier comment that he would not settle for second place. Roma now face a short break before the Parma match and PSG at the end of November.

Roma responded to their European defeat at Manchester in emphatic fashion, beating Sassuolo 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico to lift their Serie A goal tally to 31 and head into the international break on a high. Hermoso opened the scoring in the first half, heading home after a deadly one-two with Malen and then driving a left-foot shot past Muric. Malen doubled the lead just three minutes later, with a shot deflected by Walukiewicz that completely wrong-footed Muric and found the net. The result came despite fatigue from a recent run of hard fixtures and an injury list that remains crowded, with key absences including Svilar and Dybala. Roma kept total control of the match throughout. Gian Piero Gasperini's side enjoyed their dangerous attack, and the win strengthens their position in the league as they look ahead to their next Serie A and Champions League commitments. In the second half the hosts built on their lead, overwhelming Sassuolo through the play of their attacking stars. Mora sealed the 3-0, his second-half goal coming from another precise one-two with Malen. Mora is increasingly a technical leader in the final third, and his finish capped a dominant performance. The three points allow Roma to consolidate their league campaign and enjoy a well-earned break from action.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his side will not be drawn into talk of finishing second, after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo, and insisted the team would "stay on the perch like owls" while focusing only on their own results. Speaking to Sky Sport after the match, Gasperini praised Balerdi, who had played well at Manchester, and said the defeats in the Champions League were different from one another. "There are defeats and defeats," he said. "We lost against Real and Manchester, we had a run of wins, we drew and then always won in the league. The defeats hurt because they came late, but with performances of a high level and against teams of absolute value." Gasperini explained how Roma have been scoring goals with ease. "We reach the goal in a different way and with many players: we have reached confidence and clarity. The goal Hermoso scores is that of a quality striker. Soulé's performance was extraordinary, we have a predisposition to score, and we have done it even in defeats. This squad gives confirmations, not answers, and then you can lose." He added: "There was an unlucky episode at Manchester, that of Balerdi, and the match was born from an absurd penalty, and that must be said." Asked whether he would sign up for second place, Gasperini replied: "No. It is nice to play this championship. You must not have illusions, but neither should you be disappointed, especially when you make a journey like ours. Inter are the most accredited team, and for everything else we can compete like all the others. If you want Lazio too, I put them among these. If Inter slip up a bit, everyone else can have a go. We do not look at the others, they do not interest us: we will stay on the perch like owls." Gasperini also responded to Ciro Ferrara, who had recalled his early steps in Juventus's youth sector. "You were an incredible powerhouse, I learned a lot watching your training sessions. At that time Italian football was really strong. It was a great school." On the international break, which interrupts the league again, though only for one week this time, he said: "I hope to find the squad just as I left it. International matches please me when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little substance it is a shame to lose so many players, although wearing the national team shirt is always a milestone for a player." Gasperini concluded by discussing the fixture schedule: "It is difficult to play 9 matches in 27 days. We have had tough clashes against Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. Managing the workload has not been a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad and everyone has played several times. It has also been an advantage in giving value to everyone." He turned to injuries: "The problem is injuries. We have had Svilar out for 9 matches, Cristante at the start, Dybala, Koné has returned today, and we have lost Pellegrini. Our squad is competitive but numerically it is not among the largest. We have had some injuries to strong players but not very long ones, and not many in number, at most 3-4."

Roma beat Sassuolo with composure, quality and collective sharpness, with Soulé and Mora taking centre stage and Rodrigo Mora finding his third league goal in three consecutive matches. Mario Hermoso gave Roma the lead with a powerful strike just minutes after an own goal forced by Donyell Malen, and the match was effectively settled from there. Vásquez, in the words of the match report, had practically a day off in goal. The win followed a difficult spell for the club, and the report describes it as a cycle of passion that has now ended with a chance to breathe before the end of November, which brings Parma and PSG. Roma's form in the league has been strong, and Mora's scoring run has made him a key figure in the attack. Gasperini's side regained control of the match after a heavy setback in England, starting cautiously and calmly before finding the gap in the Sassuolo defence after half an hour. Hermoso was rated 7.5 for a performance in which he played as an improvised partner to Malen, opened the scoring with a goal from the edge of the box, and was involved in the third goal after winning the ball. Balerdi (6.5) produced a headed clearance on the line and a shot from distance, while N'Dicka (6.5) was calm and composed. Cristante (6.5) covered an impressive distance, and Koné (6.5) controlled the midfield with calm and intelligence, though the report suggested he could shoot more often. Soulé (6.5) was praised for his control but criticised for choosing not to shoot into an empty net. Mora was rated 7, with the report calling his left foot velvet-soft and noting he ran as much as Cristante in the first half. Malen (6.5) was marked closely throughout, but scored with a diagonal shot after a double deflection and created an assist for Mora. Gasperini was rated 7 for restoring the team's composure after the English defeat and taking total control of the game. Molina (6) was criticised for focusing too often on backward passes, while Wesley (6) was sharp when Sassuolo tried to close space. Substitutes included Ghilardi, Koulierakis, de Roon (6), Pisilli (6) and Castro. Gasperini said: "giochiamoci questo campionato", which can be rendered as: "Let's play for this league title." The sentiment follows his earlier comment that he would not settle for second place. Roma now face a short break before the Parma match and PSG at the end of November.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his side will not be drawn into talk of finishing second, after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo, and insisted the team would "stay on the perch like owls" while focusing only on their own results. Speaking to Sky Sport after the match, Gasperini praised Balerdi, who had played well at Manchester, and said the defeats in the Champions League were different from one another. "There are defeats and defeats," he said. "We lost against Real and Manchester, we had a run of wins, we drew and then always won in the league. The defeats hurt because they came late, but with performances of a high level and against teams of absolute value." Gasperini explained how Roma have been scoring goals with ease. "We reach the goal in a different way and with many players: we have reached confidence and clarity. The goal Hermoso scores is that of a quality striker. Soulé's performance was extraordinary, we have a predisposition to score, and we have done it even in defeats. This squad gives confirmations, not answers, and then you can lose." He added: "There was an unlucky episode at Manchester, that of Balerdi, and the match was born from an absurd penalty, and that must be said." Asked whether he would sign up for second place, Gasperini replied: "No. It is nice to play this championship. You must not have illusions, but neither should you be disappointed, especially when you make a journey like ours. Inter are the most accredited team, and for everything else we can compete like all the others. If you want Lazio too, I put them among these. If Inter slip up a bit, everyone else can have a go. We do not look at the others, they do not interest us: we will stay on the perch like owls." Gasperini also responded to Ciro Ferrara, who had recalled his early steps in Juventus's youth sector. "You were an incredible powerhouse, I learned a lot watching your training sessions. At that time Italian football was really strong. It was a great school." On the international break, which interrupts the league again, though only for one week this time, he said: "I hope to find the squad just as I left it. International matches please me when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little substance it is a shame to lose so many players, although wearing the national team shirt is always a milestone for a player." Gasperini concluded by discussing the fixture schedule: "It is difficult to play 9 matches in 27 days. We have had tough clashes against Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. Managing the workload has not been a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad and everyone has played several times. It has also been an advantage in giving value to everyone." He turned to injuries: "The problem is injuries. We have had Svilar out for 9 matches, Cristante at the start, Dybala, Koné has returned today, and we have lost Pellegrini. Our squad is competitive but numerically it is not among the largest. We have had some injuries to strong players but not very long ones, and not many in number, at most 3-4."

Roma beat Sassuolo with composure, quality and collective sharpness, with Soulé and Mora taking centre stage and Rodrigo Mora finding his third league goal in three consecutive matches. Mario Hermoso gave Roma the lead with a powerful strike just minutes after an own goal forced by Donyell Malen, and the match was effectively settled from there. Vásquez, in the words of the match report, had practically a day off in goal. The win followed a difficult spell for the club, and the report describes it as a cycle of passion that has now ended with a chance to breathe before the end of November, which brings Parma and PSG. Roma's form in the league has been strong, and Mora's scoring run has made him a key figure in the attack. Gasperini's side regained control of the match after a heavy setback in England, starting cautiously and calmly before finding the gap in the Sassuolo defence after half an hour. Hermoso was rated 7.5 for a performance in which he played as an improvised partner to Malen, opened the scoring with a goal from the edge of the box, and was involved in the third goal after winning the ball. Balerdi (6.5) produced a headed clearance on the line and a shot from distance, while N'Dicka (6.5) was calm and composed. Cristante (6.5) covered an impressive distance, and Koné (6.5) controlled the midfield with calm and intelligence, though the report suggested he could shoot more often. Soulé (6.5) was praised for his control but criticised for choosing not to shoot into an empty net. Mora was rated 7, with the report calling his left foot velvet-soft and noting he ran as much as Cristante in the first half. Malen (6.5) was marked closely throughout, but scored with a diagonal shot after a double deflection and created an assist for Mora. Gasperini was rated 7 for restoring the team's composure after the English defeat and taking total control of the game. Molina (6) was criticised for focusing too often on backward passes, while Wesley (6) was sharp when Sassuolo tried to close space. Substitutes included Ghilardi, Koulierakis, de Roon (6), Pisilli (6) and Castro. Gasperini said: "giochiamoci questo campionato", which can be rendered as: "Let's play for this league title." The sentiment follows his earlier comment that he would not settle for second place. Roma now face a short break before the Parma match and PSG at the end of November.

Gian Piero Gasperini praised his Roma side after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round of Serie A, with Gianluca Hermoso's goal from the centre-forward position unlocking a stubborn Sassuolo defence. Roma scored three goals through central routes. Gasperini said: "No, tante cose, tutte quante messe insieme. Ci sono state prestazioni notevoli questa sera. È chiaro che il gol di Hermoso è stato un gran gol, anche per come ha gestito la palla e per come ha calciato. È quello che ha sbloccato la partita e non era facile, perché loro si chiudevano molto. Però abbiamo avuto pazienza, abbiamo giocato con qualità." On the club's habit of responding quickly to defeat, the coach agreed but drew a distinction. Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United, the latter at Old Trafford, and the coach said those defeats came after performances of the highest level against teams of real quality. Roma drew with Como and at Napoli before a run of victories. Gasperini said: "Sì, è vero, però ci sono sconfitte e sconfitte. È chiaro che questa striscia di partite è stata veramente incredibile: nove partite in 27 giorni. Abbiamo perso quelle due partite contro il Real Madrid e il Manchester United, però abbiamo fatto anche un'altra striscia di vittorie. Abbiamo pareggiato col Como e a Napoli, poi abbiamo sempre vinto. Quelle due sconfitte bruciano perché sono maturate nel finale e in quel modo, ma sono arrivate al termine di prestazioni di altissimo livello, contro squadre di assoluto valore." Asked about the need for a character response after Old Trafford, Gasperini rejected the premise. He said: "Devo dire che sul discorso della risposta non sono molto d'accordo, perché questa squadra continua a dare delle conferme, non ha bisogno di dare risposte. Poi si può anche perdere una partita, magari per come è andata. Ricordiamoci che c'è stato un episodio sfortunato con Balerdi e che la partita è cambiata per un rigore assurdo. Forse è meglio dirlo anche, no? Su certi campi non è facile giocare, quindi ci sta." On second place, he said: "Guarda, brutale no. Però ti dico che è bello giocarlo questo campionato. Noi ce lo stiamo veramente giocando. Non bisogna mai avere illusioni e mai delusioni. Non bisogna illudersi troppo delle cose, ma neanche deludersi quando si sta facendo un percorso come quello che stiamo facendo noi. Non so cosa saremo capaci di fare." On the title race he said: "Io credo che l'Inter, come dicono giustamente tutti, sia la squadra più accreditata. Per tutto il resto ce la possiamo giocare noi, come tutte le altre che sono nelle prime posizioni. Anche la Lazio: se fa nove vittorie su dieci partite, io la metto tra quelle. E poi tutte le squadre che sono lì davanti. Se l'Inter sbaglia un po', tutte se la possono giocare." Inter play Como tomorrow at 18:00. Asked whom he would favour, he said: "Forse per il pareggio! Ma noi non guardiamo, non ci interessa. Siamo tutti sul trespolo, come i gufi." He will be in Genoa at that time to collect an award, a city where he lived for many years, adding: "sarò informatissimo sui risultati!" On development, Gasperini said: "Ci sono sempre cose da migliorare e sicuramente anche noi cerchiamo in questo momento di toglierci qualche difetto, anche se stasera ne abbiamo avuti veramente pochi, se non quello di aver sbagliato qualche gol di troppo. Però dobbiamo avere anche la soddisfazione di vedere questa squadra che a tratti gioca bene, gioca veramente un buon calcio e cerca sempre il gol." Asked whether this is the strongest side he has coached, having led Atalanta to very high levels, he said: "Questa è una squadra forte, ma ogni squadra è diversa e non si possono fare paragoni, anche perché sono diversi gli avversari." He added that the aim this season is to improve. On the transfer market, asked whether the club had discussed signing a striker in January, he said: "Non lo so. In questo momento seguo il campionato, seguo la mia squadra e la mia rosa. Sono preoccupato di recuperare al meglio i nostri giocatori, perché è abbastanza evidente che, anche per giocare così tante partite, siamo coperti in tanti reparti, mentre davanti un po' meno. Quello che si potrà fare a gennaio, eventualmente, si vedrà. Per adesso non ne abbiamo parlato." On Koné's return, Gasperini said: "Siamo molto contenti di averlo ritrovato. Ci è mancato molto. Si era fatto male con il Real Madrid, praticamente all'inizio della partita, dopo un quarto d'ora, e quindi lo abbiamo perso per sette partite." He noted that injuries have not been excessive compared with other clubs, but that a player out for twenty days typically misses six or seven matches when a squad plays this often.

Roma beat Sassuolo with composure, quality and collective sharpness, with Soulé and Mora taking centre stage and Rodrigo Mora finding his third league goal in three consecutive matches. Mario Hermoso gave Roma the lead with a powerful strike just minutes after an own goal forced by Donyell Malen, and the match was effectively settled from there. Vásquez, in the words of the match report, had practically a day off in goal. The win followed a difficult spell for the club, and the report describes it as a cycle of passion that has now ended with a chance to breathe before the end of November, which brings Parma and PSG. Roma's form in the league has been strong, and Mora's scoring run has made him a key figure in the attack. Gasperini's side regained control of the match after a heavy setback in England, starting cautiously and calmly before finding the gap in the Sassuolo defence after half an hour. Hermoso was rated 7.5 for a performance in which he played as an improvised partner to Malen, opened the scoring with a goal from the edge of the box, and was involved in the third goal after winning the ball. Balerdi (6.5) produced a headed clearance on the line and a shot from distance, while N'Dicka (6.5) was calm and composed. Cristante (6.5) covered an impressive distance, and Koné (6.5) controlled the midfield with calm and intelligence, though the report suggested he could shoot more often. Soulé (6.5) was praised for his control but criticised for choosing not to shoot into an empty net. Mora was rated 7, with the report calling his left foot velvet-soft and noting he ran as much as Cristante in the first half. Malen (6.5) was marked closely throughout, but scored with a diagonal shot after a double deflection and created an assist for Mora. Gasperini was rated 7 for restoring the team's composure after the English defeat and taking total control of the game. Molina (6) was criticised for focusing too often on backward passes, while Wesley (6) was sharp when Sassuolo tried to close space. Substitutes included Ghilardi, Koulierakis, de Roon (6), Pisilli (6) and Castro. Gasperini said: "giochiamoci questo campionato", which can be rendered as: "Let's play for this league title." The sentiment follows his earlier comment that he would not settle for second place. Roma now face a short break before the Parma match and PSG at the end of November.

Roma bounced back from their defeat to Manchester United with a convincing 3-0 win over Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, thanks to goals from Mario Hermoso and Mora and an own goal by Walukiewicz. The result gave Gasperini's side their third consecutive league win and lifted them to 27 points, temporarily moving them into second place in Serie A, one point behind Lazio. Gasperini had to contend with several absences, but Manu Koné returned to the starting lineup. Vasquez kept his place in goal, while the back three was made up of Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Mancini was ruled out with a muscle injury. Koné partnered Cristante in midfield, with Wesley and Molina patrolling the flanks. Up front, Gasperini retained the front three used at Old Trafford, with Mora and Soulé behind Malen. Sassuolo started brightly and created the first chance after two minutes, when Matic's left-footed effort was deflected by Vasquez for a corner. Roma responded through Koné, whose shot was saved by Muric. In the 11th minute Balerdi came close with a header. Soulé's short corner found Mora, whose cross on the second post was met by Balerdi, who beat Muric with a tricky effort, only for Caleta-Car to clear on the line. Mora then fired a right-foot effort that was deflected just over the bar. The match was untidy and broken up by the constant whistle of referee Di Bello, which prevented either side from finding rhythm. Roma eventually broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Hermoso started the move, exchanged passes with Malen and, arriving in the heart of the area, unleashed a perfect left-footed strike that flew under the bar. Less than three minutes later, Malen cut inside and drove a right-footed shot that was deflected by Walukiewicz into his own net, doubling the lead in the 30th minute. Roma controlled the game from there and came close to a third at the 35-minute mark, when Muric had to produce a strong save to push away a close-range effort from Balerdi. Idzes then fired a right-footed shot against the post for Sassuolo, the last spark of a first half that ended with Roma 2-0 up after one minute of added time. The second half saw Mora add the third goal in the 57th minute, completing a comfortable victory. Roma's win moved them into second place, one point behind Lazio, with the result sealing three important points. Roma return to action in the coming days.

Evan N'Dicka says Roma are determined to close out this run of fixtures well, with three points the aim against Sassuolo in Serie A matchday 11. The defender described the game as important for the club as it looks to end a demanding spell of matches. Asked about the reasons behind the dip in form, including the defeat in Manchester, N'Dicka said the upcoming game is open and difficult, but that Roma are there to take the three points. He acknowledged that the side has been through a period of many matches in quick succession. When asked which aspect needs improving, N'Dicka said: "It can happen when you reach a point where you have many matches, you cannot control everything." His comments were made ahead of Roma against Sassuolo, a Serie A fixture on 7 November 2026.