Koné ready for Turin; Gasperini weighs up changes

Roma travel to Turin on Monday at 18:30 for the fourth Serie A match of the season aiming to secure a fourth consecutive league victory and maintain their position at the top of the table. The fixture will feature a compelling duel on the flanks between two rising stars of Italian football: Alessio Cacciamani of Torino and Emanuele Lulli of Roma, both born in 2007 and tipped as future resources for the Italian national team. Cacciamani was long pursued by Roma during the summer before joining Torino. He is a left-sided full-back capable of playing as either a traditional defender or an attacking winger, quick and technical, particularly effective when receiving the ball wide and taking on opponents. His game centres on accelerations, ball-carrying and attacking space, combining ball-playing quality with a willingness to join the attack. Though young, he already displays personality in one-on-one duels and a strong commitment to defensive work. In the first three league matches he has made 3 appearances, totalling 227 minutes and recording 1 assist. Lulli, a Roma academy graduate, has been a major surprise for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season. Gasperini handed him a starting role from the opening day against Fiorentina following a pre-season in which the young defender showed quality and character. Unlike Cacciamani, Lulli appears more structurally complete and balanced across both phases of play. He can operate as a right-sided defender but possesses the characteristics of a modern wing-back: good athleticism, defensive awareness, the ability to support attacking moves and notably solid quality in the final pass. He has started all three opening matches, accumulating 234 minutes, 4 key passes and 15 balls recovered, figures that underline his contribution in both build-up and defensive work. The flank contest promises to be particularly interesting: Cacciamani relies more on acceleration and one-on-one play, while Lulli can offer greater equilibrium and defensive reading. Both 2007-born players are already carrying significant responsibility at the highest level despite their youth, yet with distinctly different qualities.

Roma are preparing for their trip to Turin with manager Gian Piero Gasperini planning several changes to manage the squad across a long season. Leonardo Balerdi is set to start in place of Gianluca Mancini, who will rest. The Argentine defender has been a standout performer in Roma's recent matches and has impressed every time Gasperini has called upon him, including a moment that went viral after contact with Lukaku. In attack, Rodrigo Mora is in line to start ahead of Paulo Dybala, with Mora among the Golden Boy candidates and keen to prove himself. Niccolò Pisilli is positioned to replace Manu Koné in midfield, as the French midfielder continues to train separately and is heading towards missing the match. Gasperini is taking no risks with Koné's fitness. The strategy reflects Gasperini's intention to rotate his squad without compromising quality, with the season stretching ahead and every player needed. Mora, alongside Emanuele Lulli, is among those in contention for the Golden Boy award and will see the Turin fixture as an opportunity to demonstrate his value. Koné's absence is being managed carefully, with the manager preferring not to force the situation. Separately, Salah Eddine has found a new club. The Moroccan player will join Greek side Panathinaikos.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rotate his squad heavily ahead of matches against Torino and Inter, with Koné, Dybala, Malen and Mancini among those likely to be rested. Castro, Mora, Soulé, Pisilli and De Roon are expected to see more action as Roma look to preserve their key players and test the depth of the squad while addressing defensive issues that have emerged in recent fixtures. Salah-Eddine's departure to Panathinaikos is confirmed. The left-back moves on a loan deal with a right of redemption and underwent medical tests in Athens today to complete the transfer. Separately, defender Oosterwolde has reopened the possibility of joining Roma. An achilles tendon operation had scuppered a move earlier this summer, but Oosterwolde met with Roma officials in Istanbul and signalled his willingness to return. "I hope to come back to Roma in the coming months," he said. The club remains interested with D'Amico continuing to monitor developments. Gasperini values Oosterwolde's versatility, and his recovery from surgery will be key to determining whether Roma can revive the deal as early as January. Carina told Radio Radio: "I've read plenty of criticism of Roma. In 30 years doing this job I'd never known a situation where I couldn't speak to my colleague—there was an absurd broadcast an hour and a half before the match and 30 minutes after. Given where it was played, Roma put in a more than decent performance: they dominated the first half. From the stadium, I had the sense that Roma wouldn't lose it, and could even have won it." Pruzzo added: "I saw a good Roma. What I keep thinking is that I have many doubts about whether the squad is qualitatively as strong as people say: I don't have that perception. In the first half they played like last season, but in the second, when you need to change, there isn't the same level. I think Castro is Roma's best option off the bench. Then Molina comes on and does the same thing as Rensch, and Mora yesterday did nothing."

Roma travel to Turin on Monday to face Torino, with encouraging news from the medical department. Manu Koné, who left the Istanbul match with knee discomfort, did not require scans and will be managed day by day; his inclusion in the squad for Monday is very likely, though he is expected to start on the bench. With Torino followed by an Inter fixture just five days later, Gasperini is preparing to rotate more heavily across the squad. Wesley, not yet fully recovered from ankle problems, could give way to Rensch or Molina, who is seeking his first start. The defence faces changes too: Mancini is struggling for form and faces competition from Balerdi, who has impressed in recent outings, and Ghilardi. Up front, Santiago Castro is pushing for a starting role, but a rotation with Malen appears more likely at present. Cristante is the only guaranteed starter in midfield, with Pisilli or De Roon potential partners alongside him. There is also positive news on the horizon: Lorenzo Pellegrini could return to the squad list, giving the coach more tactical options.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is nearing his first-team return after 157 days out. The Roma midfielder has resumed full training with the squad following a lengthy recovery from a muscle injury and subsequent cleaning procedure on the scar tissue of his right thigh hamstring tendon. He is drawing close to his first squad selection of the season, with Gasperini now deciding when to formally bring him back into contention. The Corriere dello Sport suggests Pellegrini could be available as early as Monday's match against Torino, potentially earning his first minutes of the campaign. La Repubblica takes a more cautious view, targeting Roma–Inter on 19 September as the realistic return fixture. Gasperini pushed for Pellegrini's retention despite the injury, confident in his technical qualities and his standing within the dressing room. His reintegration will necessarily be gradual after such a long absence, but he will provide additional depth in a phase of the season when matches and squad rotation are set to increase. Much will depend on how Pellegrini responds in training over the coming days. His recovery unfolded without rushing the process over the summer break.

Bryan Cristante scored as Roma returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence, taking the captain's armband following Daniele De Rossi's last European goal in the competition. Cristante's strike marks a symbolic passing of the torch at the Giallorossi, with the midfielder now surpassing Lorenzo Pellegrini in the captaincy hierarchy. Roma's European comeback under Gian Piero Gasperini comes after a lengthy absence from the continent's elite competition. The victory underscores Gasperini's early impact on the squad as the club looks to establish itself as a fixture in the Champions League.

Roma are preparing for their trip to Turin with manager Gian Piero Gasperini planning several changes to manage the squad across a long season. Leonardo Balerdi is set to start in place of Gianluca Mancini, who will rest. The Argentine defender has been a standout performer in Roma's recent matches and has impressed every time Gasperini has called upon him, including a moment that went viral after contact with Lukaku. In attack, Rodrigo Mora is in line to start ahead of Paulo Dybala, with Mora among the Golden Boy candidates and keen to prove himself. Niccolò Pisilli is positioned to replace Manu Koné in midfield, as the French midfielder continues to train separately and is heading towards missing the match. Gasperini is taking no risks with Koné's fitness. The strategy reflects Gasperini's intention to rotate his squad without compromising quality, with the season stretching ahead and every player needed. Mora, alongside Emanuele Lulli, is among those in contention for the Golden Boy award and will see the Turin fixture as an opportunity to demonstrate his value. Koné's absence is being managed carefully, with the manager preferring not to force the situation. Separately, Salah Eddine has found a new club. The Moroccan player will join Greek side Panathinaikos.

Roma drew their first match of the season, a result that has handed fuel to the club's most vocal critics. A goal by Brown was enough to stir the naysayers from silence after Roma's bright start to the campaign. The criticism ranges widely: that Roma have faced no genuine test in the league; that Malen has misfired; that Mora is merely a former Porto substitute out of his depth; that Gasperini has grown quiet where he once railed against "Ricky"; that Mancini is finished; that Wesley's focus lies elsewhere; that Koné avoids celebrating goals with teammates for unexplained reasons; that Gasperini's substitutions were wrong; that when he withdrew Malen he brought on De Roon out of friendship rather than judgment, a claim absurd coming from those who called Castro an inexplicable signing in the first place; and that Rensch played only as a favour, a serious tactical error. The draw in Istanbul itself has become a flashpoint for those determined to cast shadows over both Roma and their manager. Critics claim it proves Roma have not faced quality opposition in domestic play. The broader narrative from the pessimists is one of decline and poor judgment—both in the squad assembled and in how it is being used. Yet the tone of the piece suggests the critics are opportunistic, seizing on a single result to resurrect doubts that the strong start had quieted. The article offers no quarter to this chorus of doom, treating their complaints with contempt as a predictable cycle: the naysayers announced player exits before 30 June; they questioned the signings of Castro and Balerdi; and now, having seen their early predictions of collapse proven wrong by the opening fixtures, they are back in full voice. The sense is one of inevitable, tiresome repetition—the "Brancaleone Army" undeterred and unrelenting in its determination to find failure.

Roma's opening week in the Champions League has delivered both significant encouragement and a small warning signal. The club's comeback victory against Atalanta—from 1–0 down to a 2–1 win in four minutes—and a draw away to Fenerbahce have created a picture of a squad with considerable depth and psychological resilience, but also a pattern worth monitoring in the matches ahead. Bryan Cristante emerged as the week's standout performer and the clearest evidence of Roma's evolution under Gasperini. Against Fenerbahce, Cristante scored the opening goal and touched the ball 112 times, completing 91 passes and playing 24 balls into the final third. His rise from useful squad member to gravitational centre of the team's balance, personality and order has become impossible to ignore. The bench itself proved the most interesting development of the week. When Gasperini made changes against Atalanta, the team did not lose force but gained it. Nahuel Molina increased the team's thrust down the flank, Santiago Castro signalled he is ready to make an impact, and Matías Soulé came off the bench to decide the match. Leonardo Balerdi also impressed, intent on climbing the manager's hierarchy. Roma's refusal to accept defeat completed the narrative: at 89 minutes against Atalanta, trailing 1–0, the side won 2–1 in the next four minutes through Mario Hermoso and Soulé. That capacity to keep playing and pushing until the final second is among the week's best signals. Two consecutive early-second-half goals, however, have begun to form a pattern. Ederson scored at 47 minutes in Roma's win over Atalanta; Brown equalised at 48 minutes in Fenerbahce's match against Roma. Gasperini himself acknowledged after Istanbul: "they are two clues." It does not necessarily signal a structural problem, but Roma has taken a few minutes too long to fully switch back on after the interval in both games. Donyell Malen's dip comes not from genuine crisis but from unrealistic expectations. He began the season in exaggerated form—multiple goals, a barrage of them, and the sense that every touch would create a chance. Two scoreless matches were enough to shift perception, though he supplied an assist for Cristante against Fenerbahce. At Istanbul he appeared less brilliant and dominant than in his opening displays. Gianluca Mancini and Wesley, meanwhile, remain undisputed pillars but have not yet shown their best form. Mancini has appeared less dominant and assured than his standard, while Wesley must rediscover the continuity, brilliance and ability to devastate the flank that had made him among Roma's most incisive players. No alarm: simply two important engines not yet running at full revs.

Roma are preparing for their trip to Turin with manager Gian Piero Gasperini planning several changes to manage the squad across a long season. Leonardo Balerdi is set to start in place of Gianluca Mancini, who will rest. The Argentine defender has been a standout performer in Roma's recent matches and has impressed every time Gasperini has called upon him, including a moment that went viral after contact with Lukaku. In attack, Rodrigo Mora is in line to start ahead of Paulo Dybala, with Mora among the Golden Boy candidates and keen to prove himself. Niccolò Pisilli is positioned to replace Manu Koné in midfield, as the French midfielder continues to train separately and is heading towards missing the match. Gasperini is taking no risks with Koné's fitness. The strategy reflects Gasperini's intention to rotate his squad without compromising quality, with the season stretching ahead and every player needed. Mora, alongside Emanuele Lulli, is among those in contention for the Golden Boy award and will see the Turin fixture as an opportunity to demonstrate his value. Koné's absence is being managed carefully, with the manager preferring not to force the situation. Separately, Salah Eddine has found a new club. The Moroccan player will join Greek side Panathinaikos.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rotate his squad heavily ahead of matches against Torino and Inter, with Koné, Dybala, Malen and Mancini among those likely to be rested. Castro, Mora, Soulé, Pisilli and De Roon are expected to see more action as Roma look to preserve their key players and test the depth of the squad while addressing defensive issues that have emerged in recent fixtures. Salah-Eddine's departure to Panathinaikos is confirmed. The left-back moves on a loan deal with a right of redemption and underwent medical tests in Athens today to complete the transfer. Separately, defender Oosterwolde has reopened the possibility of joining Roma. An achilles tendon operation had scuppered a move earlier this summer, but Oosterwolde met with Roma officials in Istanbul and signalled his willingness to return. "I hope to come back to Roma in the coming months," he said. The club remains interested with D'Amico continuing to monitor developments. Gasperini values Oosterwolde's versatility, and his recovery from surgery will be key to determining whether Roma can revive the deal as early as January. Carina told Radio Radio: "I've read plenty of criticism of Roma. In 30 years doing this job I'd never known a situation where I couldn't speak to my colleague—there was an absurd broadcast an hour and a half before the match and 30 minutes after. Given where it was played, Roma put in a more than decent performance: they dominated the first half. From the stadium, I had the sense that Roma wouldn't lose it, and could even have won it." Pruzzo added: "I saw a good Roma. What I keep thinking is that I have many doubts about whether the squad is qualitatively as strong as people say: I don't have that perception. In the first half they played like last season, but in the second, when you need to change, there isn't the same level. I think Castro is Roma's best option off the bench. Then Molina comes on and does the same thing as Rensch, and Mora yesterday did nothing."

Roma drew their first match of the season, a result that has handed fuel to the club's most vocal critics. A goal by Brown was enough to stir the naysayers from silence after Roma's bright start to the campaign. The criticism ranges widely: that Roma have faced no genuine test in the league; that Malen has misfired; that Mora is merely a former Porto substitute out of his depth; that Gasperini has grown quiet where he once railed against "Ricky"; that Mancini is finished; that Wesley's focus lies elsewhere; that Koné avoids celebrating goals with teammates for unexplained reasons; that Gasperini's substitutions were wrong; that when he withdrew Malen he brought on De Roon out of friendship rather than judgment, a claim absurd coming from those who called Castro an inexplicable signing in the first place; and that Rensch played only as a favour, a serious tactical error. The draw in Istanbul itself has become a flashpoint for those determined to cast shadows over both Roma and their manager. Critics claim it proves Roma have not faced quality opposition in domestic play. The broader narrative from the pessimists is one of decline and poor judgment—both in the squad assembled and in how it is being used. Yet the tone of the piece suggests the critics are opportunistic, seizing on a single result to resurrect doubts that the strong start had quieted. The article offers no quarter to this chorus of doom, treating their complaints with contempt as a predictable cycle: the naysayers announced player exits before 30 June; they questioned the signings of Castro and Balerdi; and now, having seen their early predictions of collapse proven wrong by the opening fixtures, they are back in full voice. The sense is one of inevitable, tiresome repetition—the "Brancaleone Army" undeterred and unrelenting in its determination to find failure.