Margiotta: Roma youth academy must develop talent across all roles, not just among players

Massimo Margiotta, appointed head of Roma's youth academy on 9 July 2026, has outlined his vision for the club's historically prominent youth development programme in his first months in the role. The 49-year-old, who previously worked in youth football at Vicenza and Verona, described taking charge as joining a top club with a youth structure that has always been a flagship operation. He credited his previous working relationship with Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico at Verona as instrumental in the move to the capital. Margiotta acknowledged the weight of inheriting the legacy of figures including Bruno Conti and Alberto De Rossi in youth development. "It's a big responsibility," he said. "Bruno will always be one of the most important figures in the history of this youth department — he did something revolutionary and unique. Beyond wishing him well, I've built a good relationship with him over sixteen years. And Mister De Rossi is a person of value whom I've come to know over time. Replacing two people of this stature is a big responsibility, but it motivates me to create something beautiful as was done in the past." Margiotta distinguished between youth academy leadership and first-team management: "The main difference lies in the relationship with time and results. In the first team, results must be immediate — you build your path through results. In youth football, the true winning path is measured over time. The boys have years to become great, and our job is to accompany them while respecting each phase of their growth: age, school, family, physical, mental and psychological development. Results matter, but must always fit into a broader project of training and growth. Essentially, you're raising children who aren't yours but whom you must bring into the world of adults." One of Margiotta's early decisions was appointing Mattia Scala as Primavera coach, citing his thirteen seasons in Roma's youth structure and demonstrated quality. "His choice also represents a broader principle," Margiotta explained. "We want our youth academy to be a place where talent emerges in all roles, not just among players. Coaches and professionals must be able to grow through a meritocratic path, founded on quality, passion, competence and a sense of belonging." Margiotta described his proximity to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a continuous learning opportunity. "It means having an enormous opportunity for growth every day. Gasperini built an important part of his development in youth football, and I believe that makes it even more valuable to observe his work up close. Seeing him train, understanding how he reads players, what he demands, how he develops talent and how he guides young players towards senior football represents a continuous lesson for me." Margiotta's playing career, which ended after a spell at Barletta, preceded his entry into youth development following a call from Paolo Cristallini at Vicenza, where he spent five years as youth academy head before joining Verona in 2017 under Maurizio Setti. He expressed pride in Roma's regional talent pipeline. "In our territory there are a series of realities that operate significantly and are known across Italy. Though I worked in the North for many years, I've established and cultivated various relationships with Roman clubs, seeking to bring players through. I know well the value of these amateur teams and how important they are to our work."

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, hosted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, reflecting on his time at Roma. In an exchange on the club's social media channels, he was asked about defining moments from the previous season and fielded questions on several topics. When asked which match had moved him most since taking charge, Gasperini said: "I would say the last league match against Verona, because there was the feeling of having reached an important milestone and with great satisfaction from the supporters." On the season's most difficult encounter, Gasperini pointed to Roma's trip to Milan to face Inter last season as the period when the club's form dipped most severely. "However, the last match we played was on another level entirely," he added. The coach was also quizzed on which player had surprised him most. He highlighted Donyell Malen's goal tally as unexpected: "The number of goals from Malen was something no one could have imagined. For the rest, they have all been very positive surprises." When asked which player he had always wanted to manage but never had the chance to, Gasperini responded with humour to a question about Lionel Messi, laughing at the suggestion. The remarks came amid reports that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina had declined to travel to Messi's farewell international event.

Massimo Margiotta, Roma's new youth academy director, has offered an early assessment of his role, which began this season. In an interview with the club's official channels, Margiotta outlined his vision for the academy: "We want our youth sector to be a place where talent emerges in every role, not just among players. Coaches and professionals must be able to grow through a meritocratic pathway, founded on quality, passion, competence and a sense of belonging." Margiotta also highlighted the influence of head coach Gasperini on the club's development structure. He said: "Working with Gasperini means having an enormous opportunity to grow every day. Watching him train, understanding how he reads players, what he demands, how he develops talent and how he guides young players towards elite football represents continuous learning for me."