Molina and De Roon make competitive debuts in Lecce clash

Roma defeated Lecce 4-0 in Serie A's second matchday, extending their perfect start to the season with a dominant display. Donyell Malen scored twice in the opening 23 minutes, capitalising on defensive lapses from the hosts to put the contest beyond doubt early on. Matías Soulé added a third before half-time, while Rodrigo Mora completed the rout in the second half with his first Serie A goal. The victory follows Roma's 4-0 win over Fiorentina in their opening fixture. Gasperini's side now sit level on points with Inter, Juventus, Milan and Lazio at the top of the table with perfect records, but lead the standings on goal difference with 8 goals scored and none conceded. Malen has now signed five goals across the opening two league matches. The midfielder's contribution has been central to Roma's attacking prowess in these opening fixtures, with the attacking unit functioning at a high level across both matches.

Eusebio Di Francesco, Lecce's manager, acknowledged his side's poor performance in their 2–0 defeat to Roma at the Via del Mare in the second round of Serie A on 31 August. Donyell Malen opened the scoring, and Lecce offered little resistance. Di Francesco said: "We didn't even get into the match, we fell short in every aspect, especially mentality. Today we gave the impression of an empty squad with no desire to react. I take responsibility for this poor first half. Beyond the choices I made, it's the players who need to show the ability to win duels and suffer. I didn't see the aggression of a team fighting for survival. We conceded too much — Roma could have done even more damage in the first half. The squad wasn't mentally in the match." Roma's attacking prowess exposed Lecce's defensive frailty throughout. Di Francesco had prepared his team in a 5–3–2 formation from the start of the week to arrive faster on Roma's attacking midfielders, but the system backfired. He explained: "We stayed too deep with a line of five. We should have pressed harder on Dybala and Soulé. This game plan didn't work, but the responsibility is the manager's. I didn't want to give them space, but the idea didn't bear fruit." The Lecce boss added: "Consider the quality of the opponent, but I didn't expect this performance. We could have gone down to Roma, but we were passive. I work intensely on this. Defensively, they attacked spaces we knew about well, but we always arrived late. This lack of unity bothered me."

Rodrigo Mora scored his first Roma goal in the second half of the 2–1 victory at Lecce on matchday two, and spoke to journalists after the final whistle about the significance of the moment and his early impression of the club. "I want to continue like this. Starting this way was my dream. I'm very happy," Mora said of his debut strike. He expressed particular emotion at sharing the pitch with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. "It's a dream for me to play with Dybala—I followed him since I was a child. I tried to give him an assist. For me it's marvellous to play with a champion like him and Malen." Mora credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with engineering his arrival: "For me the manager was decisive. He wanted a player with my characteristics. I want to continue with him." The midfielder acknowledged the physical demands of Gasperini's methods. "At first the training sessions were very hard, it cost me a bit to adapt, but the results are already showing," he said, adding that Gasperini frequently corrects his decision-making on the ball: "He corrects me often when I receive the ball—to open up, to take on the opponent, to play face-on, vertically." Mora is still in the process of settling into Rome. "I've had little time so far to visit such a special city. I had special treatment from the Porto fans and I'm getting the same from Roma fans," he said. He expressed hope of meeting Francesco Totti soon: "I haven't yet had the chance to get to know the city—I'm still finishing my move. I hope to meet Totti soon. He was an idol for an entire generation."

Roma swept aside Lecce 4–0 at the Stadio Via del Mare to record a second successive four-goal victory with no goals conceded. Donyell Malen scored twice in quick succession to break the deadlock, with Matías Soulé adding a third before Rodrigo Mora sealed the win. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini rotated his squad extensively, while the heat at the coastal venue posed no obstacle to Roma's rhythm and precision. The victory extends Roma's flawless start to the season and sends strong signals of intent in Serie A and Europe. Gasperini oversaw a composed, clinical performance from a team operating with high intensity despite the temperature. Daniele Ghilardi stepped in at short notice after Evan N'Dicka's late absence, while Marten de Roon made his Roma debut when introduced late in the match. The manager made several changes as the game progressed, including bringing on Niccolò Pisilli and Nahuel Molina to manage playing time and maintain sharpness across the squad. Malen's display earned an 8.5 rating in the Italian match ratings, with analysts noting his clinical finishing and all-round threat. He scored his opening goal within five minutes and added a fifth after carrying forward his momentum from Roma's previous fixture. Soulé's performance drew praise for his work rate, though the rating noted he could sharpen his finishing inside the box—he scored nonetheless. Dybala took on a creative role rather than dominating the attack, chipping in with defensive cover when needed and generating chances for teammates. Mile Svilar made a decisive save on his rare involvement in the first half, denying Lecce any consolation. Gasperini deployed a measured approach during cooling breaks to keep concentration levels high, managing a rotation policy that allowed most of the squad meaningful action while maintaining Roma's dominance across the 90 minutes.

Rodrigo Mora marked his first goal for Roma with the fourth strike in the club's victory over Lecce. The Portuguese midfielder, born in 2007, finished from close range after Gianluca Mancini collected a cross from Nahuel Molina and laid the ball off, with Mora beating goalkeeper Falcone at the near post. The goal underscores his importance in Gian Piero Gasperini's rotation system and confirms the talent of the young Portuguese player. Roma's dominant performance built on their earlier form: they had scored four goals against Fiorentina at the Olimpico.

Roma's fourth goal in their second league match of the season came under VAR review after Lecce players appealed for handball against Molina, but the incident was ruled regular. The match officials were: Chiffi (referee), Di Paolo (VAR), Paganessi (assistant VAR), with Imperiale and Cecconi as line assistants and Di Bello as fourth official. Roma had taken the lead early when Dybala struck from a fortunate rebound after being in a regular position when the ball came to him. The second goal arrived after 23 minutes when Wesley provided a cross for Malen, who was in a regular position and beat Falcone. Malen received a yellow card in the eighth minute for handball.

Atalanta supporters paid tribute to Marten De Roon during their match against Bologna at the Gewiss Stadium, displaying a banner reading 'Even if it hurts this much… thank you Marten' as the Dutch midfielder completed his transfer to Roma. The message, signed with affection by the Bergamo fans, captured the bittersweet mood of the Atalanta faithful—sadness at losing a key figure in their midfield but profound gratitude for his years of service, battles on the pitch, and leadership both on and off the field. De Roon, who had long been a cornerstone of Atalanta's midfield, has now begun a new chapter in his career at the Giallorossi. He will reunite with Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma's head coach, at Trigoria. Despite the painful separation for the Bergamo club, mutual respect and esteem between De Roon and Atalanta's supporters remained intact, as evidenced by the heartfelt message that appeared in the stadium. The display reflected the genuine emotional bond between the player and the club's fanbase, demonstrating how football transfers, while sometimes bringing unwanted surprises, can also reveal moments of sincere emotional attachment between players and supporters.

Gian Piero Gasperini expressed satisfaction with Roma's start to the season after a 4–0 victory over Lecce, telling Sky Sport that the squad has been substantially strengthened and now possesses the depth to maintain performance even when key players are unavailable. "The squad's condition is spectacular," Gasperini said. "It was evident we had top-level players. It was important to put players of equal strength alongside them. This is an extraordinary group in terms of values, who give everything and are attached to Roma. The team plays with passion, a fundamental aspect." Gasperini highlighted the continuity Roma achieved from last season's third-place finish in Serie A, which gave the group confidence and familiarity. "Compared to last year we have greater understanding," he explained. "We played a season together and did so in a crescendo, in confidence in finding the way to score. These are advantages for the second year. We are stronger and more solid mentally. We approach every match. This is a group of very healthy lads, with values." He emphasised that the recent departures and injuries have not dented the team's ambition: when Evan N'Dicka became unavailable during the warm-up before the Lecce match, the squad did not drop its level. On individual performances, Gasperini drew a comparison between Donyell Malen and Gonzalo Higuaín. "It can stand. Perhaps Malen has less stature. But for control, acceleration, and shooting, it's a comparison that fits," he said. He also praised Paulo Dybala's continuity and Matías Soulé's display, noting that Rodrigo Mora had scored his first goal for the club. Gasperini confirmed that Marten de Roon has arrived to bolster the midfield, and that Santiago Castro and Rodrigo provide attacking solutions. He expressed hope that Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch would soon be available to add further options. The manager reflected on his previous experience of leading strong forwards, including Milito at Genoa: "Malen has the ability to control, shoot and accelerate over a few metres that burns you. We made a fine gamble and I'd say it's working well." When asked about the transfer market closing on 1 September, Gasperini said: "I don't know anything, I haven't spoken to D'Amico, I need to call him." On the title race, he tempered expectations: "Inter have a straight stretch of advantage, then there are squads equipping themselves notably, even more than us in some respects, including Como, no longer to be considered a surprise, and then the usual big teams. We must look at our own road and path."

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to the press before and after Roma's match against Lecce on the second matchday of Serie A on 31 August, reflecting on the team's start to the season and the transfer window's final hours. Gasperini defended Roma's established players, saying: "I don't know who thought otherwise, but for me it was clear we had quality players. Perhaps to raise the level all we needed was to put someone equally strong alongside them. This is an extraordinary group in moral terms and values too; they always show their faces even when things go less well and are attached to Roma, they play with passion." He noted that the side had recovered players who competed at the World Cup, including Koné and Malen, and that new arrivals were strengthening the squad. He added: "We're waiting for the market to finally close tomorrow, I can't take it anymore, so we'll talk only about football." On Malen's quality, Gasperini drew a comparison: "Malen has less height, but in terms of control-to-shot speed and accelerations over a few metres, it's a comparison I agree with," referencing Gonzalo Higuaín. He explained Roma's strong start by pointing to early preparation and the team's condition: "This year we started very early and with a group that is now in great condition." He emphasised the depth of his squad, saying: "If we're worth 100, we'll be able to do 100, not 99." On midfield reinforcement, he noted: "De Roon buttresses us a lot; forward, Rodrigo has arrived—great quality—and we're counting on Castro." When asked if Koné might depart, Gasperini was emphatic: "Absolutely not. This is a media thing. Nobody has ever spoken to me about it. We've never received official offers." Gasperini stated that mentally Roma's strength stemmed from experience gained over the previous season. The market was set to close on 1 September, and Roma remained uncertain on final squad movements in the remaining hours.

Roma demolished Lecce 4–0 at the Stadio Via del Mare in the second round of Serie A fixtures, recording a second consecutive four-goal victory after their thrashing of Fiorentina. Donyell Malen scored twice in the opening minutes to settle the match, then contributed across defence and attack throughout. Rodrigo Mora, introduced in the second half, marked his Roma debut with a goal and created a masterclass in technique that left the opposition helpless. Gianluca Mancini commanded the centre-back position with a towering defensive and attacking display, setting up Mora's goal with a crucial assist. Daniele Ghilardi, forced into action when Evan N'Dicka suffered an injury during warm-up, delivered a convincing performance at the back. Manu Koné dominated the midfield, contesting and winning every contested ball in the centre of the park, while Bryan Cristante offered essential support and recovery. Wesley provided the assist for Malen's second goal from right-back, though the quality of his delivery was inconsistent. Paulo Dybala understood the match was already decided and managed his involvement accordingly, reaching a high level throughout but ceding the spotlight to teammates; he spurned a simple goalscoring chance after receiving a fine assist from Mora. Matías Soulé netted a goal but could have finished with greater accuracy. Gian Piero Gasperini's side produced football resembling Atalanta's celebrated vintage, entirely dominating their opponent and dismantling them through a relentless goalscoring barrage. Gasperini received an 8 rating for a tactical performance that suggests the 2026–27 season holds genuine promise.

Roma swept to a dominant 4-0 victory at Lecce, with Donyell Malen delivering a man-of-the-match display that included two goals and creative play throughout. The forward struck in the third minute to open the scoring, then added a second shortly after, and continued to drive Roma's attack with assists and tireless running. Paulo Dybala orchestrated play between the lines and set up further goals, though he squandered a clear chance in the second half. Gianluca Mancini, shifted to centre at the last moment, dominated his direct opponent and provided an assist for Rodrigo Mora's contribution to the scoreline. Gasperini's side displayed complete control from the outset. Bryan Cristante commanded the midfield with the authority of a captain, exploiting Lecce's turnover attempts and combining physical presence with tactical awareness. The coach made no changes to his selection despite Chelsea's reported interest in Manu Koné, whose performance drew praise for his positioning and defensive work in hot conditions. Emanuele Lulli continued his run of mature displays at the back, while Wesley combined creative work with Matías Soulé on the left and contributed to the sweeping attacking move that produced Roma's second goal. Daniele Ghilardi came into the side and brought personality to his performance, inserting himself into the left flank between Lulli and Dybala and adding an offensive dimension without conceding space behind. The rout illustrated Roma's fitness advantage and tactical superiority. Hermoso brought physical authority and experience to break up Lecce's attacking moves, finishing in growing form and making a crucial line clearance. Koné appeared suddenly behind Lecce's attacking midfielders and moved the ball effectively in dangerous areas. Dybala received standing ovations from the Via del Mare crowd, his half-yard of space consistently yielding chances for teammates, though the sole criticism came from his wasted opportunity in the second half. Malen's performance overshadowed any individual concern—he recovered the ball relentlessly, ran the channels without rest, and went close to adding two more goals. Rodrigo Mora's entry brought absolute positivity to the midfield, offering a sharp contrast to Niccolò Pisilli's substitute appearance, which lacked its usual spark.

Roma's fourth goal in their second league match of the season came under VAR review after Lecce players appealed for handball against Molina, but the incident was ruled regular. The match officials were: Chiffi (referee), Di Paolo (VAR), Paganessi (assistant VAR), with Imperiale and Cecconi as line assistants and Di Bello as fourth official. Roma had taken the lead early when Dybala struck from a fortunate rebound after being in a regular position when the ball came to him. The second goal arrived after 23 minutes when Wesley provided a cross for Malen, who was in a regular position and beat Falcone. Malen received a yellow card in the eighth minute for handball.