Malen strikes again as Roma dream of Champions League comeback

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's final international match, a decision made jointly by AS Roma and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Both players had been invited to the event honouring Messi and wanted to attend given its symbolic importance, but the scale of the journey — over 20,000 kilometres combined, many hours of flying, and the double time zone to recover from just before the league resumes — made it impractical. The cautious approach prevails. Gasperini will have both players available for training at Trigoria during the international break, reinforcing the squad for the stretch ahead. The timing is critical: Roma's next fixture is a trip to Como, which the club views as a pivotal match to build on a strong start to the season. According to Angelo Mangiante's report on Manà Manà Sport, the decision closed a debate that had dominated discussion in recent days. Dybala and Molina wanted to be present but ultimately the logistics and recovery period made their absence the prudent choice, one endorsed by both Roma management and Gasperini.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will remain at Roma's Trigoria training ground instead of travelling to Buenos Aires for Lionel Messi's farewell match, the club has decided. Neither player was called up by Argentina manager Scaloni for the fixture. The decision has been agreed by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Roma's board, with the pair set to train alongside their teammates ahead of a Serie A match against Como scheduled five days after the international fixture resumes. The trip would have taken the two Argentine players away during a critical period of the season, with a big match against Como looming. By keeping them at their base in Rome, Gasperini and Roma have prioritised domestic competition preparation over the symbolic occasion of Messi's final appearance.

Roma have absorbed Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical principles so thoroughly that 15 months into his tenure they now execute his core defensive doctrines almost automatically. The club's numbers across the opening five Serie A matches bear that out: they lead the division in interceptions with 71 and rank second in tackles won with 65, behind only Lecce. Gasperini's system treats defence and attack as inseparable. The goal is not merely to prevent opponents from reaching goal, but to regain possession as quickly as possible—ideally in advanced areas when the opposing team is still disorganized and vulnerable. Every ball recovered can immediately spark a fresh attacking move. Roma now read passing lanes in advance and press the opposition's build-up play. Mario Hermoso leads the squad with 16 interceptions, but the collective statistic points to a shared tactical discipline. The volume of tackles won reflects the same principle. The system demands aggressive individual defending, tight marking and willingness to engage in constant duels. Defenders, midfielders and wing-backs are asked to push forward, compress space between lines and suffocate opposition play before it can develop. This approach requires intense physical effort alongside synchronization and reading of the game—which explains why Gasperini has frequently changed his back four during matches to keep defenders fresh. Gasperini himself acknowledged after the recent draw with Inter that improvements remain, but the trajectory is correct and the underlying principle now operates almost on instinct.

Kevin Strootman has expressed strong confidence in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma side, highlighting the impact of fellow Dutchman Donyell Malen and midfield reinforcement Marten De Roon. Strootman singled out Malen's quality and adaptation at the club. "I know him well and he is a very strong forward," Strootman said. "He has great quality and spectacular speed. I think Roma is the right team for him—he feels important and is showing it." On De Roon's arrival to strengthen Gasperini's midfield, Strootman stressed his experience and familiarity with Italian football and the coach's methods. "He is someone who always gives his all for the team and can help younger players," Strootman explained, underlining De Roon's presence in the dressing room. Asked about Roma's Scudetto ambitions, Strootman remained cautious: "Maybe… let's see where Roma will be in March."

Kevin Strootman, the former Roma midfielder, has praised the club's strong opening to the season under Gian Piero Gasperini and highlighted the growing presence of Dutch players in the squad. Speaking to Il Tempo, Strootman expressed confidence in the direction of the team and offered particular insight into Donyell Malen's early impact. "Gasperini is working very well," Strootman said. "Roma has had a decidedly important start to the season and I hope it can continue like this. They have played some great matches, playing rather well. What is important now is to continue down this road." On Malen's performances, Strootman believes the winger has found the right environment. "Roma is the right team for him," he stated. "He has had great quality and spectacular speed. He feels important and is demonstrating it. I am not totally surprised by his performances, even if probably an impact like this nobody expected. I wish him to continue like this." Malen has impressed after struggling for consistent starts in Germany and England, but at Roma has benefited from Gasperini's confidence. Strootman also spoke about Marten de Roon's arrival, describing him as a player of great experience who knows both Italian football and Gasperini's methods intimately. "Marten is a real dressing-room man, someone who always gives everything for the team and can help younger players too," Strootman explained. "He doesn't need to feel more important than others or be in the spotlight. Everything he does in training and in matches, he does for the group. This is very important for a team that wants to fight for the top places." Strootman also recalled giving Leonardo Balerdi a Roma shirt as a gift, saying he had "completely forgotten" about it until Balerdi mentioned it on Instagram. He praised the defender's early performances. On Roma's title prospects, Strootman was cautious: "Maybe… let's see where Roma will be in March."

Kevin Strootman has praised Roma's strong start to the season under Gian Piero Gasperini, highlighting the impact of fellow Dutch players Donyell Malen and Marten De Roon. Speaking to Il Tempo, the former Roma midfielder said of Gasperini's work: "Gasperini is working very well. Roma has had a decidedly important start to the season and I hope it can continue like this. The team has played great matches, playing quite well. The important thing now is to continue down this road." On Malen's performances, Strootman said: "I haven't played much together with him, but I've known him for a long time and he is a very strong forward. He did well both in Germany and in England, even though he wasn't always a starter. At Roma, however, he found a lot of confidence, especially thanks to the coach, and he is doing very well. The difference is also noticeable in the national team. He has great quality and spectacular speed. I think Roma is the right team for him; he feels important and is proving it. I'm not totally surprised by his performances, although probably nobody expected such an impact. I hope he continues like this." Strootman described De Roon as "a player of great experience. He knows the Italian league very well and, above all, he knows Gasperini's game. Marten is really a dressing-room man; he's someone who always gives his all for the team and can help younger players too. He doesn't need to feel more important than others or be in the spotlight. Everything he does in training and in matches, he does for the group. This is a very important aspect for a team that wants to fight for the top places." Strootman also recalled giving Leonardo Balerdi a Roma shirt during his Marseille days, saying: "When I read this on Instagram, I thought 'really?'… it's been a while, I'd completely forgotten about it. Leonardo is a really good lad, he has started his Roma adventure in the best way and I hope he can continue like this." On Roma's title prospects, Strootman said: "Maybe… let's see where Roma will be in March. In the meantime, I'll keep playing with my daughters, then we can chat again."

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's final international match, despite receiving invitations to attend. The Roma club and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini have jointly decided against the intercontinental trip that would have seen the pair reach Buenos Aires on 6 October. The decision allows Gasperini to maintain the full availability of both players throughout the international break and into the resumption of the league campaign.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's final international match, a decision made jointly by AS Roma and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Both players had been invited to the event honouring Messi and wanted to attend given its symbolic importance, but the scale of the journey — over 20,000 kilometres combined, many hours of flying, and the double time zone to recover from just before the league resumes — made it impractical. The cautious approach prevails. Gasperini will have both players available for training at Trigoria during the international break, reinforcing the squad for the stretch ahead. The timing is critical: Roma's next fixture is a trip to Como, which the club views as a pivotal match to build on a strong start to the season. According to Angelo Mangiante's report on Manà Manà Sport, the decision closed a debate that had dominated discussion in recent days. Dybala and Molina wanted to be present but ultimately the logistics and recovery period made their absence the prudent choice, one endorsed by both Roma management and Gasperini.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will remain at Roma's Trigoria training ground instead of travelling to Buenos Aires for Lionel Messi's farewell match, the club has decided. Neither player was called up by Argentina manager Scaloni for the fixture. The decision has been agreed by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Roma's board, with the pair set to train alongside their teammates ahead of a Serie A match against Como scheduled five days after the international fixture resumes. The trip would have taken the two Argentine players away during a critical period of the season, with a big match against Como looming. By keeping them at their base in Rome, Gasperini and Roma have prioritised domestic competition preparation over the symbolic occasion of Messi's final appearance.