Hermoso exits as precaution in Brighton loss; no injury concern

Roma's match against Inter on Saturday revealed a fundamental shift in how top coaches approach modern football. Gian Piero Gasperini made five substitutions in the fixture, a decision that exemplifies the sport's rapid tactical evolution. He replaced all three of his starting central defenders, a midfielder and an outside player, while keeping his attack unchanged throughout the ninety minutes. From the opposing dugout, Cristian Chivu made similarly bold choices, withdrawing a centre-back, a midfielder and a full-back before introducing his attacking changes only at the ninety-first minute. The match demonstrated how thoroughly the old certainties of football have eroded. For decades, an unwritten rule held that central defenders should never leave the pitch except through injury or at full-time. Chivu broke another long-standing taboo by making two substitutions immediately before a Roma corner kick and a set-piece—a move previously considered reckless. Both managers' decisions underscore how the sport now operates at such intensity that the five-substitution rule, introduced along with five-second throw-in limits and the ability to roll the ball out from the goalkeeper inside the penalty area, has become essential to surviving and controlling a match. Gasperini's own evolution on this matter is particularly telling. In previous comments on new regulations, the Grigliasco-born coach expressed reservations: "I don't like the five solutions, but I use them all. Teams don't drop off anymore; with all these changes nowadays it looks like basketball. Matches were prettier before, but these are the rules and I use all the slots." Today, he has abandoned those doubts entirely, converting the five-substitution rule into one of his primary weapons for reading and transforming matches in real time. The tactical performance against Inter confirms how thoroughly he has moved past those old reservations.

Leonardo Balerdi has become an indispensable leader of Roma's defence, translating a temperament forged in adversity into commanding performances at the highest level. Against Inter, he delivered a masterclass in defending, dominating his duel with Thuram through the match before asking to be substituted due to cramps. His performance—6 recoveries, 4 duels won out of 5, and 2 contrasts won out of 3—underscored just how vital he has become to Roma's ability to maintain a high defensive line. Barerdi's journey to this point has been marked by transformation. As a boy at Boca, his first coach nicknamed him "Rummenigge" for his physicality and blonde hair; teammates called him "Balazo" for his explosive temperament. He initially wanted to become a midfielder, inspired by Boca greats like Gago, Riquelme and Palermo, but his fierce character pushed him towards the centre of defence. At Marseille, however, that same intensity created friction. Manager De Zerbi publicly rebuked him after a defeat to Auxerre, saying—as reported by Équipe—"You have humiliated us and you have humiliated the club. You don't have the balls. And you, Leo, have less balls than all of them." At Roma, everything changed. Balerdi has blossomed into a complete defender: elegant, quick, dominant in the air and skilled in playing vertically. The sharpness of his defending against Inter—a spectacular battle of bodies with Thuram across the match—confirmed how much he has matured. When he departed the pitch, Roma's defensive shape immediately dropped deeper, a telling sign of his indispensability to the team's structure.

Leonardo Balerdi has made a powerful impression at Roma in recent appearances, drawing comparisons to figures from his past and present. His first coach at Villa Mercedes, Luis Lucero, once told Balerdi's father: "Your boy is going to be a Rummenigge." The 27-year-old defender shares some surface similarities with the Bayern Munich legend—blonde hair, height, technical ability and a good shot—but his career has taken a different path. After an early spell at Borussia Dortmund, Balerdi eventually settled into defence, though he initially resisted the position. "I didn't want to play in defence, I wanted to be a midfielder," he has said. Now, supporters and media are drawing fresh parallels between Balerdi and Walter Samuel, the former Argentine defender and vice-coach under Scaloni. Both products of Boca Juniors' school, Balerdi has quickly endeared himself to Roma's fanbase through a combination of aggression and composure. His defensive recovery work, distribution, physical presence in challenges and aerial ability have made an immediate impact. A recovery on Simeone in Turin sparked particular debate among local radio audiences. Against Inter, Balerdi delivered a commanding display: six defensive recoveries, four duels won out of five contested and two challenges won out of three. His influence was so significant that Roma deepened their defensive shape when Balerdi, suffering from cramps, requested substitution late in the match.

Roma's squad has increased in value by approximately €150 million over the past year, driven by Gian Piero Gasperini's management since his appointment. The club has returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence, and the upturn extends beyond the pitch into the club's finances. Gasperini, who built a successful nine-year project at Atalanta, is repeating that model at Roma, with improvements visible across every department of the squad. Mile Svilar arrived on a free transfer and remains unchanged in value as an integral goalkeeper, while Evan N'Dicka, also a free signing, is now valued at €35 million. Mario Hermoso has been transformed from a surplus player into a defensive cornerstone worth €15 million. Gianluca Mancini's value has climbed to €25 million, and Leonardo Balerdi, a recent arrival, has already proven his calibre and reclaimed his place in Argentina's squad. Wesley, signed last summer for €25 million, has attracted a €40 million offer from Chelsea that Roma rejected. Young prospect Emanuele Lulli exemplifies the club's emerging talents whose economic value is rising. Niccolò Pisilli, a Roma academy product who rejected potential summer moves, now commands €30 million. Manu Koné, the headline signing of the summer window, remained at the capital despite interest and is valued at €60 million according to Transfermarkt. Donyell Malen's worth has jumped from the €25 million Roma spent in January plus €2 million in loan fees to a current valuation of €50 million. With numerous young players in the squad—including Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora, Daniele Ghilardi, and Matías Soulé—these valuations are expected to grow further if on-field performance remains strong.

Gian Piero Gasperini is refusing to ease off during the international break, instead using the coming weeks to prepare Roma for a late-autumn peak when his teams have historically shown their strongest form. While Inter gave their squad six days of complete rest, Gasperini has maintained high-intensity training at Trigoria, though the programme is inevitably shaped by the departure of twelve international players. The squad remaining in Rome includes Mile Svilar, Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante, Devyne Rensch, Nahuel Molina and Marten de Roon, alongside players requiring specific work—notably Wesley, who must build his athletic base, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is returning from a lengthy absence and has already begun an intensive programme to rejoin regular rotation. Gasperini is also considering organizing a friendly match that could involve some youth-team players. Gasperini's approach reflects a precise logic. His teams have consistently shown their best athletic performance between late autumn and early winter, when the benefits of summer preparation become fully absorbed. His most famous precedent came in his first Atalanta season, when six consecutive league wins in November 2016 transformed a team with survival as its target into a Europa League contender. Similar runs followed in 2021 and 2024. Roma have already started well despite not yet operating at full capacity—some new players are still integrating, others building fitness, and Pellegrini has barely begun his season. The stretch ahead will demand depth: the combination of league and Champions League fixtures will produce a sequence of closely spaced matches making it impossible to rely on the same eleven throughout. For this reason Gasperini does not want a pause. He wants a launchpad. The logic is that Roma have already built their league position during the summer; now the coach wants to prepare their bodies for autumn. If the pattern his squads have followed repeats itself, the strongest part of the season may still be to come.

Paulo Dybala has emerged as a rejuvenated force for Roma this season, but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is demanding greater intensity in the final third. The Argentine forward has appeared in all six league and Champions League matches so far, accumulating 497 minutes across both competitions—third among Roma's outfield players behind Bryan Cristante (514 minutes) and Mario Hermoso (509 minutes)—yet remains goalless in his last 13 matches. Gasperini is pushing Dybala for more direct contributions, calling for increased sprints, dribbling and shots on goal as Roma prepare for the resumption of their campaign. Dybala arrives refreshed after a meticulously planned summer of physical conditioning work and targeted preparation during the current international break, his excellent fitness level unlocking a new dimension to his play. The 32-year-old has backed himself with a radical contract restructuring, accepting a 72 per cent salary reduction in exchange for a performance-based renewal built almost entirely around bonus payments. Under the new terms, Dybala earns an additional €100,000 for each match he starts with a minimum 45 minutes on the pitch, up to a maximum of 20 appearances—worth €2 million extra on top of his €2.2 million fixed salary. If he comes off the bench and plays at least 20 minutes, he receives €75,000 per appearance. From the 21st match with at least 45 minutes played, the bonus increases to €150,000 per game. The structure rewards consistency and performance, with more minutes and goals or assists driving higher earnings as Dybala aims to recapture his best form.