Italiano backs Castro to succeed at Roma after Bologna spell

Marten de Roon faced a hostile reception from Atalanta's ultras during yesterday's match against Cagliari, who displayed a banner criticizing his move to Roma in the final days of the transfer window. The ultras were unhappy with both his departure and his celebration at the end of Saturday's match at the Olimpico. Gasperini moved to defend his midfielder, saying: "De Roon was for many years a player who brought honour to Atalanta and the city of Bergamo. He did something extraordinary, and now it's a privilege to have him here. As soon as he finds his best condition he will be an important player. Leaving Atalanta was not his choice, he did not fit into their plans. What was he supposed to become? An old shoe locked away in a cupboard?" De Roon remains one of Gasperini's trusted lieutenants at Roma. He will miss tomorrow's match against Torino while continuing to build fitness, but Gasperini expects him to become a key midfielder once his condition improves.

Marten de Roon's departure from Atalanta to Roma continues to provoke anger among sections of the Bergamo support. The Dutch midfielder, who returned to Gian Piero Gasperini's squad in the summer transfer window after eleven seasons in nerazzurro, has been targeted again by Atalanta supporters with a banner displayed before the Atalanta–Cagliari match. The message read: "You chose to pass into our history but not to belong to it… farewell captain." The words reflect deep dissatisfaction among the fanbase over De Roon's decision to leave Bergamo for Roma, having spent eleven seasons there and serving as both captain and a symbol of the club's most important recent cycle. This is not the first display of discontent directed at the midfielder. A previous banner appeared weeks earlier during an Atalanta match against Bologna, stating: "Thank you for these 11 years, it would have been nice to say goodbye in nerazzurro." The banners underscore how De Roon's choice to depart Bergamo has left a wound among the Atalanta faithful, despite his long and decorated service to the club.

Alessandro Romano has been sold to Cagliari for €5 million plus bonuses potentially rising to €6.5 million, but the move has reignited debate about Roma's pattern of disposing of young talent at underdeveloped stages. Signed from Winterthur in 2022 for approximately €70,000, Romano had been viewed at Trigoria as a prospect with significant potential and was developed into a Serie A-standard midfielder within a few years. From a financial standpoint, the transaction is defensible: the enormous profit relative to the initial outlay is straightforward. The deeper question, however, is whether Roma will later regret the sale. The club is not alone in facing pressure to generate revenue from youth players—academies exist partly to produce economic value, and no organization can retain all its talents indefinitely while waiting to identify which ones will flourish. Roma's position has been complicated by UEFA settlement agreement obligations in recent years, making the academy a significant revenue source; since 2022, youth departures have generated tens of millions. Yet a pattern has emerged. Davide Frattesi developed into an internationally competitive midfielder away from Rome; Riccardo Calafiori represents probably Roma's greatest regret. Romano's career trajectory will determine whether Roma sold him at the right moment or too early. The concern is not that he is currently ready to displace Manu Koné or Bryan Cristante, but that a talent still developing is precisely the type a club should attempt to maintain some form of control over when possible. The issue becomes more acute when considering Emanuele Lulli, who came close to joining Avellino during the summer in a deal that could have included a loan with an option to buy. The principle remains constant: when market conditions force a club to seek resources, young players become one of the easiest paths. Romano was sold in a summer when Roma needed to generate plusvalenzas and protect players deemed central to the first team. Romano will reveal through his career whether Roma timed the sale correctly or sold too soon. The lesson from Frattesi and Calafiori should be clear: while some young talent will inevitably escape, when Trigoria develops a player with something extra, maintaining some link to his future may ultimately be worth far more than immediate profit.

Roma travel to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Monday 14 September at 18:30 for a Serie A fourth-round clash against Torino, managed by Ignazio Abate. The fixture comes four days after Roma's 1–1 draw against Fenerbahçe in the Champions League group phase. Roma arrive with three consecutive league wins—against Fiorentina, Lecce and Atalanta—while Torino claimed their first points of the campaign last time out with a 2–1 victory at Fiorentina, having previously lost to Milan and Sassuolo. Gasperini's squad have recovered key personnel for the trip. Manu Koné, Emanuele Lulli and Lorenzo Pellegrini are all available after injury concerns, with Koné having been assessed and cleared following a knee problem sustained in Istanbul. Koné's involvement from the start remains under review, with Niccolò Pisilli ready to partner Bryan Cristante in midfield if the manager opts to manage the load. Nahuel Molina is in contention for his first league start at right-back, while Wesley should continue on the left flank. In defence, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso appear set to flank Svilar, though Leonardo Balerdi is pushing Gianluca Mancini. Gasperini has ruled out resting Paulo Dybala on principle, stating the forward plays if he is fit; Donyell Malen is favoured over Santiago Castro up front, with Rodrigo Mora in line to return to the starting eleven. Torino face severe attacking difficulties. Kyogo Furuhashi Adams is effectively unavailable with an adductor injury and unlikely to return before the international break, while Giovanni Simeone's back problem leaves him doubtful for selection until the morning of the match. Manager Abate has indicated the possibility of fielding no conventional centre-forward, with Duvan Zapata, Kulenovic or an advanced Vlasic among the options. Coco's return to the back three alongside Comuzzo and Cömert provides relief in defence. The midfield is expected to mirror the setup used against Fiorentina: Gineitis, Fitz-Jim and Mandragora centrally with Vlasic positioned higher. Fortini, Cacciamani and Belghali are competing for the two wing slots. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN across all platforms. Bookmakers rate Roma as clear favourites. Torino's victory stands at 5.80–6.00, a draw between 3.90 and 4.05, and a Roma win between 1.55 and 1.60. The uncertainty around Torino's attack has made both Goal and No Goal odds roughly level. The exact-score market identifies a 0–1 Roma win as the most likely outcome at 7.00–7.60 odds. Referee Fabio Maresca will oversee the fixture, with Gianluca Aureliano in the VAR booth.

Roma return to Serie A action tomorrow at 18:30 away to Torino, seeking to build on their opening Champions League draw. The Giallorossi drew 1–1 at Fenerbahce on their European debut and now face Ignazio Abate's Torino, who recently won a comeback victory over Fiorentina. A win at the Olimpico Grande Torino would leave Roma on maximum points after four matches, with a match against Inter scheduled five days later. Gian Piero Gasperini will address the press at 13:30 on Tuesday from Trigoria. Gasperini confirmed that Lorenzo Pellegrini is fit and available for selection. The squad list also includes Manu Koné, who completed a fitness test during the day, Wesley following a knee knock, and Emanuele Lulli after a bout of fever. In his pre-match conference, Gasperini spoke warmly of recent performances, particularly Donyell Malen's impact since arriving. On Rodrigo Mora's integration into the attack, Gasperini said: "I see what you all see—he is a talented, young player, and that is not considered. He must improve physically and tactically. What he has shown is a young player of talent and level. There is not a younger player who can be more of a protagonist at this moment." When asked whether defensive hierarchy could shift, Gasperini pushed back strongly: "Please stop with this hierarchy talk, it is not right towards these players. It makes no sense for them, it has no effect for the squad. Everyone is giving an important contribution. Balerdi did remarkable things at Marseille, we have to play a lot. A team in the Champions League does not work with hierarchies, but there are many starters who play without promoting one and rejecting another, otherwise it becomes something controversial." The full squad for Torino includes defenders Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli and Daniele Ghilardi; midfielders Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Marten de Roon, Manu Koné, Niccolò Pisilli and Rodrigo Mora; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's away match against Torino, with two significant updates: Lorenzo Pellegrini returns for the first call of the season, and Manu Koné is available after recovering from a knee problem sustained against Fenerbahce. Pellegrini's inclusion marks his first involvement in the 2026-27 campaign. Koné had been sidelined by the injury but is now fit to feature. The squad encompasses the full depth of Gasperini's defence, midfield and attack options for the fixture. Gasperini's full squad list reads as follows: Goalkeepers: Svilar, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Koné, Pisilli, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé, Dybala.