How Gasperini transformed Koné's weakness into a weapon: the story of the Inter brace

Leonardo Balerdi was dominant for 80 minutes of Roma's Champions League clash at Manchester United before a single error at Old Trafford turned the match. The Argentine defender, chosen by Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of Ndicka in central defence after winning that selection battle, was in monumental form and would have been a strong contender for player of the match had the game ended 15 minutes earlier, at the 80th minute, before the referee Gil Manzano blew his final whistle. Until the 83rd minute he had produced impeccable reading of the game, hard tackling and a clean, impressive touch on the ball. Then came a lapse in technique and concentration that handed Cunha the ball for United's 2-2 equaliser, paving the way for the home side to go ahead, as they surged on the back of their enthusiasm against a Roma side that looked tired and deflated. The mistake weighs heavily on the final result. It also revived memories of Balerdi's time at Marseille, where he was often criticised for exactly these costly lapses, born of overconfidence or a momentary drop in concentration. This time, the error proved decisive. The article argues it would be unfair to erase what Balerdi did over 80 minutes. He arrives on the back of excellent performances and has a strong understanding with Gasperini's way of playing. SofaScore statistics underline his display: 12 defensive contributions, 3 tackles, 2 of them won, 5 recoveries and 5 interceptions, 4 clearances, 50% of ground duels won and 60% of aerial duels won. His passing accuracy was 94% in his own half and 75% in the opposition half. Gasperini values his garra, his fierce aggression in duels and a leadership personality that never backs down. The lesson from Old Trafford, the article concludes, is that the quality of a great defender is there, but making the next step requires eliminating the blackouts that risk spoiling an excellent performance.

Former referee Gianpaolo Calvarese has defended the decision to award Manchester United a penalty in their match against Roma at Old Trafford, which Gil Manzano gave at the 58th minute and which allowed United to cut the deficit. Writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Calvarese said: "Il rigore concesso per il contatto tra Mancini e Cunha, a mio giudizio, è leggero: Mancini cerca di evitare l'avversario." Translated: "The penalty awarded for the contact between Mancini and Cunha, in my opinion, is slight: Mancini is trying to avoid the opponent." The contact between Mancini and Cunha, if there was any, was described as very light. The spot-kick sequence then began with a save by Vásquez from Bruno Fernandes, followed by a retake after Cristante entered the box early. The result was a 1-2 scoreline, which revitalised United's players and fans and opened the way to their comeback. Calvarese said the focus should be on what came after the save. He said: "Vásquez para il tiro di Bruno Fernandes rispettando la posizione richiesta al portiere, con un piede sulla linea. Cristante, invece, al momento della battuta ha già un piede sulla linea dell'area. E soprattutto è lui che, dopo la parata, gioca il pallone e lo allontana." Translated: "Vásquez saves Bruno Fernandes's shot while respecting the position required of the goalkeeper, with one foot on the line. Cristante, however, already had a foot on the edge of the area when the kick was taken. And above all it is he who, after the save, plays the ball and clears it away." He added that the VAR protocol applied: "L'ingresso anticipato (encroachment) può essere oggetto di intervento, perché Cristante partecipa direttamente all'azione sulla respinta. Il Var lo segnala e il rigore viene ripetuto, senza bisogno che l'arbitro vada al monitor (overrule). La decisione, dunque, è corretta, in punta di regolamento." Translated: "Early entry (encroachment) can be subject to intervention, because Cristante takes a direct part in the action on the rebound. The VAR flags it and the penalty is retaken, without the referee needing to go to the monitor (overrule). The decision, therefore, is correct, strictly according to the rules." Calvarese then questioned whether the outcome was fair. He said: "È giusto che una parata regolare venga cancellata in una situazione del genere?" Translated: "Is it right that a regular save is cancelled in a situation like this?" He argued that both players had complied with the rules, since each kept one foot on the goal line at the moment of the kick, and that Cristante's impact on the rebound had no bearing on the duel between shooter and goalkeeper. He said: "Cristante ha certamente avuto un impatto sulla ribattuta - addirittura arriva per primo sul pallone e lo gioca -, ma quel piede sulla linea non ha inciso sul confronto tra tiratore e portiere." Translated: "Cristante certainly had an impact on the rebound, in fact he gets to the ball first and plays it, but that foot on the line did not affect the duel between shooter and goalkeeper." He backed a proposal from Pierluigi Collina for a "one shot" penalty: "Se il tiro entra, è gol. Se il portiere para, oppure il pallone colpisce un palo, o la traversa, e torna in campo, l'azione finisce e si riparte con un calcio di rinvio." Translated: "If the shot goes in, it is a goal. If the goalkeeper saves, or the ball hits a post or the crossbar and comes back into play, the action ends and play restarts with a goal kick."

Matías Soulé was Roma's standout figure in a first half at Old Trafford that ended well for the Giallorossi, before a collective drop-off after the restart. The Argentine wearing number 18 scored the opening goal with a well-timed run onto a pass from Mora, and his shot won a handball from Heaven, leading to the penalty converted by Malen. He needed just 17 minutes to dominate the match. The display confirmed his importance to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The article notes that Soulé was among the players linked by radiomercato with a possible exit just a few months ago, after a second half of last season affected and slowed by a troublesome groin problem (pubalgia). He has since regained his continuity. Soulé, the former Juventus and Frosinone player, is at his best when he starts wide on the right and cuts inside. In the first half he also tried a Del Piero-style effort with his left foot, curling a shot towards the far post that narrowly missed the crossbar and sent the Roma fans in the Old Trafford stands into a murmur. After the interval, with Manchester United pushing forward and Roma pinned back, Soulé tried to win the ball and run at the defence alone. His efforts were admirable but fruitless, as the team was too deep and tired to support him, leaving him isolated. Gasperini had praised him after the 3-3 draw at Napoli, ahead of the Roma-Cagliari match. He said: "The performance the other evening was extraordinary, but he has always played at a high level in the previous games too. He can play not only on the right but also on the left and as a full-back. The other evening he also played as a trequartista, found the goal and did important things. He is gaining maturity, confidence and security in his game. He loses many fewer balls than in the past, but there are still aspects where he can improve. We are convinced he has further room to grow and, above all, he is a young man who works very well every day to improve himself." The article concludes that the English night left a bitter taste because of how the match ended, but Soulé's performance shows that Roma have found a player they can rely on.

Former referee Gianpaolo Calvarese has defended the decision to award Manchester United a penalty in their match against Roma at Old Trafford, which Gil Manzano gave at the 58th minute and which allowed United to cut the deficit. Writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Calvarese said: "Il rigore concesso per il contatto tra Mancini e Cunha, a mio giudizio, è leggero: Mancini cerca di evitare l'avversario." Translated: "The penalty awarded for the contact between Mancini and Cunha, in my opinion, is slight: Mancini is trying to avoid the opponent." The contact between Mancini and Cunha, if there was any, was described as very light. The spot-kick sequence then began with a save by Vásquez from Bruno Fernandes, followed by a retake after Cristante entered the box early. The result was a 1-2 scoreline, which revitalised United's players and fans and opened the way to their comeback. Calvarese said the focus should be on what came after the save. He said: "Vásquez para il tiro di Bruno Fernandes rispettando la posizione richiesta al portiere, con un piede sulla linea. Cristante, invece, al momento della battuta ha già un piede sulla linea dell'area. E soprattutto è lui che, dopo la parata, gioca il pallone e lo allontana." Translated: "Vásquez saves Bruno Fernandes's shot while respecting the position required of the goalkeeper, with one foot on the line. Cristante, however, already had a foot on the edge of the area when the kick was taken. And above all it is he who, after the save, plays the ball and clears it away." He added that the VAR protocol applied: "L'ingresso anticipato (encroachment) può essere oggetto di intervento, perché Cristante partecipa direttamente all'azione sulla respinta. Il Var lo segnala e il rigore viene ripetuto, senza bisogno che l'arbitro vada al monitor (overrule). La decisione, dunque, è corretta, in punta di regolamento." Translated: "Early entry (encroachment) can be subject to intervention, because Cristante takes a direct part in the action on the rebound. The VAR flags it and the penalty is retaken, without the referee needing to go to the monitor (overrule). The decision, therefore, is correct, strictly according to the rules." Calvarese then questioned whether the outcome was fair. He said: "È giusto che una parata regolare venga cancellata in una situazione del genere?" Translated: "Is it right that a regular save is cancelled in a situation like this?" He argued that both players had complied with the rules, since each kept one foot on the goal line at the moment of the kick, and that Cristante's impact on the rebound had no bearing on the duel between shooter and goalkeeper. He said: "Cristante ha certamente avuto un impatto sulla ribattuta - addirittura arriva per primo sul pallone e lo gioca -, ma quel piede sulla linea non ha inciso sul confronto tra tiratore e portiere." Translated: "Cristante certainly had an impact on the rebound, in fact he gets to the ball first and plays it, but that foot on the line did not affect the duel between shooter and goalkeeper." He backed a proposal from Pierluigi Collina for a "one shot" penalty: "Se il tiro entra, è gol. Se il portiere para, oppure il pallone colpisce un palo, o la traversa, e torna in campo, l'azione finisce e si riparte con un calcio di rinvio." Translated: "If the shot goes in, it is a goal. If the goalkeeper saves, or the ball hits a post or the crossbar and comes back into play, the action ends and play restarts with a goal kick."

Roma led Manchester United 2-0 at half-time in the Champions League but lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, with Soulé scoring a fine goal and Malen converting a penalty before the break. The defeat, the article argues, exposes a recurring flaw under Gian Piero Gasperini: Roma repeatedly lose control of matches after the interval. In the second half they had no shots, no big chances, no corners and just 49% possession. Manchester United, coached by Carrick, rallied to win 3-2, with Bruno Fernandes converting a penalty at the second attempt. The result is more than a setback in the Champions League race; it is another example of a pattern Roma have shown all season, in Europe and in Serie A alike. The problem is not a one-off. In 6 of Roma's 14 matches so far this season, they have conceded in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Of their 17 goals conceded this season, 6 have come between the 46th minute and the hour mark. Examples cited include Ederson in Roma-Atalanta (47'), Brown for Fenerbahce (48'), Lautaro in the big match against Inter (46'), McTominay against Napoli (50') and Zaniolo on Saturday against Udinese (48'). Roma have also been pegged back from leads against Inter, Real Madrid and now Manchester United, and in smaller fixtures against Cagliari and Udinese in recent weeks, letting opponents back into games has become a worrying habit. Cristante addressed the issue after the final whistle: "We have to understand where we are going wrong, because it is becoming too frequent." Gasperini said: "This defeat teaches us more than the one against Real." The article notes that the coach knows lessons must quickly turn into immediate solutions. Several causes are identified: fatigue, the demands of closely spaced fixtures, a short bench, lapses in concentration and a lack of players suited to managing a result. The psychological element is seen as central. When Roma lose control of a match, they struggle to break the momentum with tactical fouls, aggression or the cutting edge needed in Europe. Gasperini had made similar points after the Old Trafford defeat. The article also identifies a squad imbalance. Gasperini has a clear identity built on one-on-one duels and full-pitch pressing, which quickly won over the Roman support. However, when fatigue sets in and the tempo drops because Roma no longer control the game, the team needs alternatives and vertical breaks that the current squad, by its characteristics, does not offer. The result is two different Romas, one in the first half and another after the interval. In the short term, the article concludes, Roma must learn never to switch off.

Roma led Manchester United at Old Trafford for 45 minutes and played outstandingly, but lost 3-2 after a controversial penalty and a late collapse. The article argues Roma were strong in the first half despite heavy absences, including a third-choice goalkeeper in goal and a squad less deep than United's. Roma scored two goals in that opening period and came close to a third. Gasperini's side then gradually lost the ability to play out from their own half once United raised their pressing, continuing with solutions that had worked in the first half. The article says Roma needed to change approach, accept some long balls, break the rhythm and accept that defending a lead does not mean abandoning their identity. Some reserves, the article states, have not yet shown the same reliability as the starters. It describes this as not a condemnation but an observation that becomes evident when a Champions League match suddenly changes intensity. Gasperini has built a competitive side, but not yet a squad able to maintain the same level through all of its substitutions. The article, however, says this cannot excuse what happened at the 55th minute. It describes the penalty Gil Manzano awarded for contact between Mancini and Cunha as a decision that leaves observers frankly astonished: a very light touch, an attacker who seems to lose his balance alone, and a referee pointing to the spot with a certainty inversely proportional to the foul. According to a rigorous technical assessment, the article says, the penalty should never have existed. On the retake, Cristante entered the area early and intervened on the rebound from Vasquez's save, which made the rule applicable. The article calls this the paradox: VAR intervened over a marginal infringement but did not correct the original decision. After Bruno Fernandes missed and Vasquez saved, the retake led to the goal that changed the match's momentum, and United regained enthusiasm as Old Trafford came alive. The article calls the handling of that episode scandalous, while stressing that this is not a search for an alibi. Gasperini referred to the usual "rigorini" (small penalties) but did not turn the post-match into a trial of the referee. The article suggests this restraint could be read in light of Roma's delicate relationship with UEFA, given the settlement agreement and the economic monitoring to which the club is subject, though it calls this an interpretation rather than a certainty. Such a low institutional profile would be understandable, the article says, but not necessarily agreeable. Roma need no theatrics, yet should not accept every decision passively; defending their case through the appropriate channels should be a normal form of protection. The article concludes that work must now focus on Trigoria and on what the pitch revealed: physical decline, the alternatives on the bench, the inability to manage certain moments, and the two goals conceded late that turned a prestigious win at a historically cursed ground into a painful defeat. Roma must learn not to be pegged back, it says, but must not get used to being refereed this way. These are two distinct problems, and both deserve an answer.