Mancini makes Derby history with two-headed goals

Mario Hermoso left the field early in the second half during Roma's 3–0 friendly defeat to Brighton on 8 August after a collision caused sharp pain in his left ankle, but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini withdrew him purely as a precaution rather than due to any inability to continue play. The Spanish defender is expected to be fit and available for Roma's next test against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August. Roma's heavy loss to Brighton came without the additional concern of a serious injury to their defence. Gasperini's decision to substitute Hermoso reflected a cautious approach to the player's status ahead of the Dortmund fixture, which will serve as further preparation before the competitive season begins.

Roma lost 3–0 to Brighton in a friendly at the Falmer Stadium but came away reassured over Mario Hermoso's fitness after the Spanish defender suffered an ankle problem early in the second half. Following a collision with a Brighton player, Hermoso remained on the ground in pain with a left ankle issue. Gasperini opted to substitute him as a precautionary measure, and Hermoso walked off the pitch unaided before taking a seat on the bench to watch the remainder of the match. According to reports, Hermoso's condition does not give cause for serious concern. The withdrawal was purely protective rather than a response to a significant injury, allowing the Roma coaching staff to err on the side of caution with a key defensive player. Gasperini is expected to have Hermoso available for Roma's next friendly fixture, a match against Borussia Dortmund.

Roma's English pre-season tour ended in concern after a 3–0 defeat at Brighton laid bare significant defensive lapses and attacking impotence. The performance revealed delays both in physical conditioning and the absorption of tactical patterns, leaving Roma having conceded 11 goals across their last four friendly outings. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed open frustration on the touchline, demanding greater midfield screening and emphasising the urgent need to activate the team's intensity. The match highlighted glaring defensive oversights and minimal cutting edge up front. Devyne Rensch came under constant pressure on the counter-attack from Yankuba Minteh, while Mario Hermoso had an off day in marking Georginio Rutter. Donyell Malen showed signs of being short of match fitness. The attacking partnership of Santiago Castro and Paulo Dybala made little impression on goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With two weeks remaining before Roma's competitive league debut, Gasperini will have crucial time to accelerate both recruitment and work at Trigoria to correct these problems.

Roma suffered a second defeat in three pre-season outings, losing 3–0 to Brighton in what Gasperini described as a concerning display two weeks before the season begins. Wesley emerged as the standout performer, while Neil El Aynaoui stepped back from his midweek form, and the defence was repeatedly breached. Gianluca Mancini (5) lost his man on Brighton's third goal and appeared less commanding than usual, while Mario Hermoso (5) was partly culpable for the opening goal and departed with a foot problem. Evan N'Dicka (5.5) offered insufficient security at the back, and Devyne Rensch (4.5) endured a forgettable afternoon at right-back following several indecisions; Koulierakis (6) and Daniele Ghilardi (6) came on at half-time and improved the display, though the match was already decided. Wesley (6) impressed with his physicality and athleticism, particularly a close effort at the 28-minute mark, while Paulo Dybala (5.5) created Roma's most dangerous opportunity despite a subdued showing. Neil El Aynaoui (4.5) was erratic in midfield, losing the ball in an exchange with Rensch that led to Brighton's second goal. Bryan Cristante (5.5), the captain, struggled to control the midfield as his experience might demand. Matías Soulé (5.5) lacked incisiveness despite constant movement. Donyell Malen (5) remained short of match fitness and rarely troubled the goalkeeper. Gasperini rated the performance 5, noting that Roma has conceded eleven goals across the last 360 minutes of pre-season play. Though he acknowledged no points are at stake in August, he expressed disappointment for the 750 Roma supporters in attendance. The transfer market remains underdeveloped, he added, but the squad must perform better ahead of competitive fixtures.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma concluded their British pre-season schedule with a 3-0 defeat at Brighton's American Express Stadium. Goals from Rutter in the 29th minute and a brace from Ayari in the 40th and 49th minutes sealed the result. Roma trailed at half-time after Rutter and Ayari's strikes, and Ayari's second goal early in the second half effectively decided the contest. The defeat followed Roma's earlier loss to Cardiff and victory over Newport County in the warm-up campaign. Head coach Gasperini fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Dybala and Soulé deployed behind striker Malen. The lineup included Svilar in goal, a back three of Mancini, N'Dicka, and Hermoso, with Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs, El Aynaoui and Cristante in midfield. In a tactical experiment late in the match, Gasperini replaced Dybala with Castro in the 66th minute, allowing the Argentine and Dutch winger Malen to share almost twenty minutes together, though they created little of note. Roma made multiple substitutions throughout the fixture, with changes across defence, midfield, and attack at intervals. Brighton fielded a 4-3-3, with manager Hurzeler making significant alterations at the hour mark, bringing on Osman, Kostoulas, and Yohanna. The match was refereed by Bobby Madley.

Roma continue their pre-season preparation in England on Saturday 8 August, facing Brighton at the American Express Stadium with kickoff at 16:00. Head coach Gasperini will be without Molina, who will join the squad directly at Trigoria, though Malen is available. Pisilli and Bah remain sidelined through injury. The friendly forms part of Roma's summer training schedule following their time in Wales. Gasperini has confirmed his squad composition for the match, with the unavailability of two key players due to injury requiring tactical adjustments. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, accessible via the app or official website through smartphone, PC, or tablet.

Roma face Brighton on Saturday 8 August at 16:00 at the Amex Stadium in their sixth pre-season friendly. The match will be the third and final test of Roma's summer tour. Following victories over Primavera and Trastevere, a draw with Cannes, a defeat to Cardiff City, and a win against Newport County on Tuesday, Gian Piero Gasperini's side continue their build-up to the 2026–27 season. Roma will be without two players for the fixture. Niccolò Pisilli is sidelined by injury and expected to return the following week, while Bah faces a longer absence due to a cruciate ligament rupture. Brighton, managed by Hürzeler, will provide the final acid test before Roma's competitive campaign begins. Brighton vs Roma will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN with a 16:00 kickoff on Saturday 8 August. Viewers can access the stream via the DAZN app on smart TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, or TIM VISION Box. Live coverage and social media updates will also be available on Forzaroma.info, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma completed their final day of training in Wales on 6 August with a double session at Hensol, the first at 10.30 and the second at 16.00. Donyell Malen returned to group training after working separately the previous day, while Niccolò Pisilli remained unavailable and will rejoin the squad the following week. The club flies to London on 7 August before heading to Brighton for the final stage of their pre-season tour in the United Kingdom. Roma will face Brighton in a friendly on 8 August at 15.00 (16.00 Italian time), a rematch of their 2024 Europa League encounter. The squad will return to Rome immediately after the match. Two further pre-season fixtures follow: a test against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, and their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August.

Roma's English pre-season tour ended in concern after a 3–0 defeat at Brighton laid bare significant defensive lapses and attacking impotence. The performance revealed delays both in physical conditioning and the absorption of tactical patterns, leaving Roma having conceded 11 goals across their last four friendly outings. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed open frustration on the touchline, demanding greater midfield screening and emphasising the urgent need to activate the team's intensity. The match highlighted glaring defensive oversights and minimal cutting edge up front. Devyne Rensch came under constant pressure on the counter-attack from Yankuba Minteh, while Mario Hermoso had an off day in marking Georginio Rutter. Donyell Malen showed signs of being short of match fitness. The attacking partnership of Santiago Castro and Paulo Dybala made little impression on goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With two weeks remaining before Roma's competitive league debut, Gasperini will have crucial time to accelerate both recruitment and work at Trigoria to correct these problems.

Roma are in the decisive phase of their summer transfer window hunt for a left-winger to strengthen their attack. With Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract renewal formalized and Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé securing the right flank, sporting director Tony D'Amico is looking to provide head coach Gian Piero Gasperini a player capable of delivering goals and depth. Gasperini's brief is clear: a young but already sufficiently prominent profile to match the club's ambitions. Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais is the primary target, valued at approximately 40 million euros. The Belgian winger's pursuit faces significant obstacles, chiefly competition from RB Leipzig—fresh from selling Diomande to Real Madrid—who shares the same agency (Roc Nation) with Fofana. Roma are therefore exploring alternatives of high calibre. Jamie Gittens, available after Chelsea's acquisition of him a year ago from Borussia Dortmund for 60 million, features prominently among them. The club is also quietly exploring the possibility of a loan move for Endrick from Real Madrid.

Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged Roma's transfer shortfall after a poor showing in a friendly against Brighton, conceding that the club lacks adequate depth. The head coach said: "If we do the count, numerically there is still a need for something, but you know how it is. D'Amico is negotiating very young and very important players. That is the indication." Gasperini stressed that squad decisions rest with the club's chief executive, saying: "We have a chief executive, you will have to ask him these questions and he will say what Roma can and cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities the ball passes to him." Gasperini cited returnees from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen—as still recovering their sharpness. He praised Paulo Dybala's fitness and noted that recent arrivals from the start of preseason had performed well. The manager confirmed that an injured player "will be out for at least a month," with discussion to resume from September onward. Gasperini also highlighted recent squad changes: "We replaced Çelik with Molina, whom we will see on Tuesday. We replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I believe will give us great satisfaction. And then Koulierakis arrived, who seems interesting to complete the defence."