Malen eyes Como rematch and pursuit of Dzeko's record

Miralem Pjanic has praised Roma's current form under Gasperini, saying the club's attacking play is so impressive that no rival will be able to stop them if they maintain their pace throughout the season. Speaking at the Trento Sport Festival hosted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pjanic reflected on the team's early-season performances: "When Roma play you sit on the sofa and it's a pleasure to watch them. They impress in a wonderful way in how they are on the pitch. From the first match I said that if they go at this rhythm for the whole season I don't think anyone will be able to put them in difficulty. I hope the scudetto returns and that Roma celebrate with these spectacular fans." The former Roma midfielder's comments reflect a broader consensus among observers and former players that Gasperini's squad are playing compelling football. Pjanic's endorsement highlights the optimism surrounding the club's title ambitions this season, with the giallorossi demonstrating both attacking flair and consistency in their early fixtures.

Donyell Malen will be fit and ready for Roma's fixture against Como in a week's time, having recovered from the knee issue that ruled him out of the Netherlands' international commitments. The Dutch forward is hunting a second consecutive goal after finding the net in his previous outing. Malen's only goalless performance since joining Roma came last season on 15 March, when he scored a penalty that Como overturned through Douvikas and Diego Carlos in a 2–1 defeat. That setback aside, his output has been extraordinary. Gasperini has been pushing him further, saying: "No one thought the numbers could be like this. I always tell him what he's done isn't enough—someone scored 36 in the past. But if he reaches 30, I'm happy." The coach's reference points are Gonzalo Higuaín and Ciro Immobile, who hold the Serie A seasonal goal record. Malen is outpacing both at a rate of 1.20 goals per match, having enjoyed a better campaign start than either. Reaching 30 goals would set an all-time Roma record in Serie A; the current benchmark belongs to Edin Dzeko, who scored 29 times in the 2016–17 season.

Marten De Roon is preparing for a starting role in the wake of Bryan Cristante's injury, which will keep the Italian midfielder sidelined for approximately three weeks. De Roon, 35, is competing with Niccolò Pisilli for the position; Pisilli has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with a strong start to the season. The Dutch midfielder and Pisilli possess different characteristics, with De Roon operating as the more conservative option in midfield. Gasperini has consistently backed De Roon since his arrival at Roma, and the midfielder now has the chance to demonstrate why he remains the coach's trusted figure in the middle of the park.

Gian Piero Gasperini is already planning Roma's January window despite the club sitting top of the table with a functioning attack led by Dybala and Malen. Between appearances at the Trento Festival and work at Trigoria, Roma are targeting reinforcements in the attacking department, focusing on players currently struggling for minutes at their clubs. A conversation between CEO Galantic and Gasperini at the festival underscores Roma's philosophy of planning winter moves in advance. Roma's priority remains a quality wide forward, with evaluation also ongoing into a more complete profile like Oosterwolde. Four players already tracked in the summer transfer window remain in the club's sights: Gittens, Leweling, Luiz Henrique and Endrick. The common thread linking them is a shortage of regular playing time. Gittens, a Gasperini favourite, has yet to debut in the Premier League. Leweling plays only sporadic minutes at Stuttgart and was excluded from the initial squad list under new national team coach Klopp. Luiz Henrique remains blocked in Russia by bureaucratic issues that have also cost him national team call-ups. Endrick's situation is the most delicate. Mourinho secured him at Real Madrid over the summer, but the Brazilian has virtually disappeared: just four minutes across La Liga and the Champions League combined. That picture of underuse could shift as soon as November, when UEFA will make decisions on the Settlement Agreement, opening new scenarios potentially favourable to Roma heading into the winter market.

Donyell Malen will be fit and ready for Roma's fixture against Como in a week's time, having recovered from the knee issue that ruled him out of the Netherlands' international commitments. The Dutch forward is hunting a second consecutive goal after finding the net in his previous outing. Malen's only goalless performance since joining Roma came last season on 15 March, when he scored a penalty that Como overturned through Douvikas and Diego Carlos in a 2–1 defeat. That setback aside, his output has been extraordinary. Gasperini has been pushing him further, saying: "No one thought the numbers could be like this. I always tell him what he's done isn't enough—someone scored 36 in the past. But if he reaches 30, I'm happy." The coach's reference points are Gonzalo Higuaín and Ciro Immobile, who hold the Serie A seasonal goal record. Malen is outpacing both at a rate of 1.20 goals per match, having enjoyed a better campaign start than either. Reaching 30 goals would set an all-time Roma record in Serie A; the current benchmark belongs to Edin Dzeko, who scored 29 times in the 2016–17 season.

Massimo Margiotta, Roma's new head of youth development, has outlined his vision for the academy, emphasising that talent must emerge across all roles, not just among players. His first major decision was to appoint Mattia Scala as Primavera coach, rewarding the former's thirteen seasons in Roma's youth structure. Margiotta told the club: "Mattia is someone we know well, with thirteen seasons in Roma's youth development, and has demonstrated quality, competence and capacity for growth. His appointment represents a broader principle: we want our youth sector to be a place where talent emerges in all roles, not just among footballers. Coaches and professionals must be able to grow through a meritocratic pathway, based on quality, passion, competence and a sense of belonging. The Primavera, which represents the highest level of our youth development, must also be the natural expression of this process." Meanwhile, Giuseppe Giannini, Roma's historic captain and club legend, granted an extensive interview to the Gazzetta dello Sport's SportWeek supplement. Asked what it means to be a Roma supporter and symbol of the club in a city like Rome, Giannini reflected: "It is difficult to explain in a few words. It becomes simple to understand when you see someone like me, who has been a point of reference for the fans, stopped in the street for a hug and a photo. Being a Roma supporter also means representing the Capital, and no one, even in the most remote place in the world, can say they don't know the Capital and, consequently, AS Roma." Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appeared at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, organised by the Gazzetta dello Sport, where he fielded questions about the previous season. On which player had surprised him most, Gasperini said: "Surprised, certainly the number of goals from Malen was something no one could have imagined. For the rest there were many very positive surprises." When asked which player he would have liked to manage but never had the opportunity, he replied with a laugh: "Messi?"

Lorenzo Pellegrini is primed to return to action for Roma after recovering from injury, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini set to lean on him heavily during a congested fixture schedule. Pellegrini was included in the squad list for matches against Torino and Inter but will make his competitive return against Como. His last appearance came on 10 April against Pisa, a gap of nearly six months before Roma's big match at the Sinigaglia on 11 October. The summer transfer window failed to bring in the wide player or attacking reinforcement Gasperini sought, forcing the coach to rely on existing resources to manage the workload ahead. The Roma squad is stretched in attack, with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé occupying the playmaker positions on the trequarti, bolstered only by the addition of Rodrigo Mora. Pellegrini will have opportunities because of this shortage, particularly across October and November when Roma face a relentless sequence of Serie A and Champions League fixtures. He has shed the captain's armband over the past year but remains a squad leader. With Stephan El Shaarawy's departure, he is certain to serve as vice-captain to Bryan Cristante. Last season, despite some difficulties, Pellegrini was Roma's second-highest scorer with seven goals across Serie A and the Europa League, surpassed only by Donyell Malen, who netted 15 goals and has proved increasingly consistent in front of goal.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini exploded with emotion when Matías Soulé scored, sprinting toward the Curva Sud in a moment that recalled José Mourinho's famous touchline celebration in September 2021, when Stephan El Shaarawy netted in the 91st minute against Sassuolo. The comparison was striking: both managers had been unable to contain their joy at critical moments, running to embrace the supporters. Yesterday's display suggested Gasperini is restoring the emotional intensity that Mourinho once brought to the Olimpico. The exuberance was infectious, yet it came to an abrupt halt. A staff member physically stopped Gasperini before he could reach the touchline—not to dampen the celebration, but to protect him from a second yellow card. The coach was already on a caution, and a further offense would have meant a ban for Roma's next fixture, a sensitive away trip to Turin. The intervention, though it cut short the moment, was tactically essential. Gasperini's desire to celebrate was unmistakable, but the immediate need to preserve his availability for the coming matches took precedence. The incident encapsulated what has shifted at Roma: the club has rediscovered emotion and connection with its supporters under Gasperini's leadership. The Curva Sud will wait for their manager's unreserved embrace—though likely not for much longer.

AS Roma faces UEFA review of its settlement agreement compliance after a summer transfer window costing approximately 125 million euros in purchases and 30 million in sales, with capital gains reaching only 25 million. The club will defend its position to UEFA at Nyon by highlighting a dramatic reduction in the wage bill—the primary evidence it claims of its sustainability strategy. Last season the payroll exceeded 133 million euros gross; it has now fallen to around 113 million, moving closer to the 100-million target. The wage cuts stem largely from player departures including Zaragoza, Çelik, Angeliño, Tsimikas, El Shaarawy and Dovbyk. The signing of Santiago Castro, a younger player with a lower salary spread across multiple years, exemplifies Roma's shift in strategy. Significant savings also came from the exits of El Aynaoui, Vaz, Ziółkowski and Kumbulla. Contract renewals for Dybala, Mancini, Cristante and Pellegrini followed the same model, reducing the fixed portion of salaries in favour of performance and appearance bonuses; these four extensions alone saved approximately 15 million euros. New arrivals Castro, Mora, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi and De Roon will cost around 25 million euros gross combined. Roma's overall wage reduction stands close to 45 million euros, reflecting the club's revised commercial approach as it attempts to satisfy UEFA's conditions set out in the 2022 settlement agreement.