Ndícka and Wesley fit for Inter clash; Gasperini has full squad available

Roma's transfer strategy this summer has drawn criticism from sections of the media, particularly the departures and arrivals in defence. Jan Ziółkowski, signed in August 2025 at a low fee following scout Massara's assessment of his potential in Poland, has left to gain playing time elsewhere after Gasperini identified other priorities. Alongside Konstantinos Koulierakis, Leonardo Balerdi arrived late in the window—the former Marseille captain—prompting complaints from observers who questioned why Ziółkowski was sold if money was then spent on a replacement. The logic behind Roma's approach is becoming clearer in the opening weeks of the season. Ziółkowski may return one day ready to compete for a starting place, or he may represent a useful profit for the club's finances. For now, Balerdi is what Roma need. What rankles some commentators is that those now celebrating Balerdi's arrival were among those who dismissed his signing initially, often appearing unfamiliar with his name. Before Turin-Roma, some called for Balerdi to replace Gianluca Mancini, whom they had written off as finished after errors against Atalanta and Fenerbahçe. Mancini, however, produced a monumental display at Turin, exposing the opportunism of those quick to turn on him. The article criticizes media outlets for excitement in watching Roma stumble rather than genuine engagement with the club's direction.

Niccolò Pisilli has scored twice in 126 minutes of Serie A action, demonstrating a ruthless finishing touch despite not always getting into shooting positions. The young midfielder's conversion rate is striking: while he doesn't generate a high volume of attempts, he is consistently effective when the chance arrives. Pisilli could feature again against Inter, possibly even if Manu Koné recovers from injury. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering deploying him alongside Paulo Dybala behind Donyell Malen to reinforce Roma's midfield compactness from the start. The decision will be made on Saturday morning.

Roma have strengthened their squad depth considerably this summer, moving beyond a reliance on a fixed starting eleven. Leonardo Balerdi has replaced Jan Ziółkowski as a key defender, Nahuel Molina has taken over from Zeki Çelik, and Marten de Roon has arrived to displace concerns about midfield depth. The arrivals of Emanuele Lulli and Konstantinos Koulierakis add further options across the back line. Gasperini, who last season was forced to deploy makeshift solutions—using Baldanzi as a centre-forward and reluctantly fielding Kostas Tsimikas and Zaragoza—now has genuine alternatives. In the match against Torino, Roma demonstrated they possess not eleven starters but at least sixteen capable players. Balerdi showed himself to be a commanding defender and leader in brief outings against Atalanta and Fenerbahce, confirming his qualities across all dimensions of play. De Roon's entrance in yesterday's fixture at Torino displayed the right attitude and the unconditional backing of Gasperini, who brought him to the club; his experience and assurance offset any reservations some may hold. Molina's addition means Roma can rotate their full-back options without sacrifice. Marten Lulli's emergence has made the remaining transfer market gap feel less troubling. Santiago Castro has yet to score but showed his capabilities against Atalanta and a goal will come; Gasperini is pleased with his on-field conduct. The club still awaits a final piece—possibly Rodrigo Mora—but the summer business by director D'Amico and Gasperini has been purposeful, securing functional players with the correct character rather than marquee names.

Roma extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in Serie A with a commanding 2–0 away victory at Torino, goals from Donyell Malen and Niccolò Pisilli securing the club's fourth consecutive win at the start of the 2026–27 season. The nine-game streak combines four wins from this campaign's opening phase with the final stretch of last season—a run Roma have not achieved since 2014–15. The result keeps Roma level on points with Inter, who visit the Olimpico on Saturday for a fixture scheduled before the international break. Despite managing an injury emergency and enforced rotation following Champions League action, manager Gian Piero Gasperini's side played with notable control and personality. Leonardo Balerdi made his first Serie A start in place of an injured Evan N'Dicka, while Nahuel Molina also started. Malen opened the scoring in the 40th minute, latching onto a loose ball after Gianluca Mancini's high press and a Paulo Dybala assist, for his sixth league goal of the campaign. In the second half, Roma managed the game with maturity, their defence marshalled by a commanding Balerdi performance, while Mile Svilar made a decisive save on Simeone. Gasperini introduced Marten de Roon, Manu Koné, Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora from the bench, injecting fresh energy and tactical clarity. Pisilli sealed the win in injury time with a right-footed finish, converting after Mancini's generous play with a loose ball, in a display that reinforced Roma's current form ahead of Saturday's meeting with the defending champions.

Roma extended their perfect start to the season with a commanding 2–0 victory at Turin, maintaining their position at the top of Serie A with four wins in four matches and twelve points. Donyell Malen opened the scoring in the first half after a mistake by Perri allowed Gianluca Mancini to set up Paulo Dybala, who crossed for the Dutch forward to finish from close range — his sixth goal in four games. Torino pressed after the interval, with Simone forcing an excellent save from Mile Svilar, but Roma controlled the match throughout. Mario Hermoso produced an outstanding defensive performance, highlighted by an impressive recovery against Bragança that drew applause from the crowd. Gian Piero Gasperini introduced fresh legs in the form of Marten de Roon and Manu Koné to shield the midfield, while managing energy after Roma's Champions League fixture. Niccolò Pisilli sealed the result late on with a precise diagonal finish. The victory completed a demanding three-match cycle for Roma while rotating intelligently, resting Malen, Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante in the closing stages despite absences of Koné, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley earlier in the contest. Gasperini had earlier stated: "There is only one Roma", a sentiment the Turin win reinforced. The squad's rhythm, tactical clarity and mentality reflect those of a big team, with Gasperini preaching patience and taking matters one step at a time while managing the demands of European football. The atmosphere has built with growing enthusiasm among supporters, though the manager remains focused on steady progress rather than grand proclamations. Roma now face their next significant examination: Inter visit the Olimpico on Saturday for what the source describes as the perfect test of the club's title ambitions this season.

Roma moved top of Serie A after a 2–0 away victory at Turin on 14 September, collecting 12 points from four matches to start the 2026–27 season. Gasperini's squad played without Koné, N'Dicka and Wesley (the Frenchman N'Dicka appearing in the second half), and the head coach rotated his outfield players during the match, giving Malen, Dybala and Cristante periods of rest. Castro and Mora replaced Malen and Soulé after 15 minutes, before De Roon and Koné came on for Dybala and Cristante. Gasperini had insisted ahead of the match that "there is only one Roma", and the scoreline vindicated that approach. Though satisfied with the result, the coach remains cautious: the season is long and the Champions League will extract a toll on physical and mental energy. The squad occasionally lacked the decisiveness needed at this level, as Stefano Carina noted in Il Messaggero, despite having the quality to control play. Molina twice went close to doubling the lead before the second goal arrived—a diagonal finish from Pisilli in injury time, set up by Mancini—but Leonardo Balerdi proved the standout performer, producing a crucial last-ditch recovery on Bragança that drew comparisons to a famous defensive intervention from earlier in Roma's history. Fans celebrated with chants from the 1980s sung to the tune of "Glory Glory Alleluia" as the final whistle went.

Roma extended their perfect start to the season with a commanding 2–0 victory at Turin, maintaining their position at the top of Serie A with four wins in four matches and twelve points. Donyell Malen opened the scoring in the first half after a mistake by Perri allowed Gianluca Mancini to set up Paulo Dybala, who crossed for the Dutch forward to finish from close range — his sixth goal in four games. Torino pressed after the interval, with Simone forcing an excellent save from Mile Svilar, but Roma controlled the match throughout. Mario Hermoso produced an outstanding defensive performance, highlighted by an impressive recovery against Bragança that drew applause from the crowd. Gian Piero Gasperini introduced fresh legs in the form of Marten de Roon and Manu Koné to shield the midfield, while managing energy after Roma's Champions League fixture. Niccolò Pisilli sealed the result late on with a precise diagonal finish. The victory completed a demanding three-match cycle for Roma while rotating intelligently, resting Malen, Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante in the closing stages despite absences of Koné, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley earlier in the contest. Gasperini had earlier stated: "There is only one Roma", a sentiment the Turin win reinforced. The squad's rhythm, tactical clarity and mentality reflect those of a big team, with Gasperini preaching patience and taking matters one step at a time while managing the demands of European football. The atmosphere has built with growing enthusiasm among supporters, though the manager remains focused on steady progress rather than grand proclamations. Roma now face their next significant examination: Inter visit the Olimpico on Saturday for what the source describes as the perfect test of the club's title ambitions this season.

Roma moved top of Serie A after a 2–0 away victory at Turin on 14 September, collecting 12 points from four matches to start the 2026–27 season. Gasperini's squad played without Koné, N'Dicka and Wesley (the Frenchman N'Dicka appearing in the second half), and the head coach rotated his outfield players during the match, giving Malen, Dybala and Cristante periods of rest. Castro and Mora replaced Malen and Soulé after 15 minutes, before De Roon and Koné came on for Dybala and Cristante. Gasperini had insisted ahead of the match that "there is only one Roma", and the scoreline vindicated that approach. Though satisfied with the result, the coach remains cautious: the season is long and the Champions League will extract a toll on physical and mental energy. The squad occasionally lacked the decisiveness needed at this level, as Stefano Carina noted in Il Messaggero, despite having the quality to control play. Molina twice went close to doubling the lead before the second goal arrived—a diagonal finish from Pisilli in injury time, set up by Mancini—but Leonardo Balerdi proved the standout performer, producing a crucial last-ditch recovery on Bragança that drew comparisons to a famous defensive intervention from earlier in Roma's history. Fans celebrated with chants from the 1980s sung to the tune of "Glory Glory Alleluia" as the final whistle went.

Roma extended their winning run to four consecutive victories with a 2–0 defeat of Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, maintaining their position alongside Inter at the top of Serie A. The significance lay not merely in the result but in the manner of the performance. Donyell Malen struck late in the first half before Niccolò Pisilli added a second in stoppage time, but the team's control of the match—sustained possession, tactical pressure, and evident technical and physical superiority—revealed a side learning to win without requiring a flawless display. Gasperini's squad demonstrated the maturity to wait, accelerate when required, defend effectively, and rotate personnel while preserving its identity. Torino exposed the depth now available to Roma. Evan N'Dicka was absent through influenza, Wesley unavailable, and Manu Koné initially benched following recent knee problems—three players typically central to the squad's foundation. Yet Roma did not appear diminished. Leonardo Balerdi's replacement performance was the evening's most telling statement: he played with striking personality, aggressive in the tackle, commanding in the air, quick covering open space, and constantly engaged. He is no mere backup. Marten de Roon entered in the second half and immediately fitted Gasperini's system with experience, reading and order. Emanuele Lulli again confirmed his capacity to operate at this level, while Nahuel Molina, deployed on the left flank in Wesley's place, contributed without disrupting the team's balance. This marks the real growth: in previous years Roma required its established starters to maintain standards; now the squad contains alternatives who enter, perform, keep the team in the match, and function as genuine options rather than stopgaps. The champions remain central to Roma's ambition. Paulo Dybala continues to transform ordinary matches through individual quality—a pass, a gesture, an instinct—while Malen supplies what the club lacked for too long: a striker who reads space and converts the team's work into goals. Inter remain the stronger force overall, with greater quality in depth and the natural frontrunners in the Scudetto race. Yet Roma has earned the right to approach a direct confrontation without inferiority complex or damage-limitation mentality. On Saturday at the Olimpico, Inter will visit when both sides sit at full points, offering a magnificent test to measure Gasperini's squad's genuine ambitions. September is too early to declare verdicts, but the fixture will reveal how closely Roma can approach the tournament's reference point. Torino confirmed Roma's solidity, health, hunger and conviction in its methods. Success no longer depends solely on eleven names on the starting sheet; the club finds answers from those starting further back. Four consecutive wins do not award trophies or automatically transform a squad into a title candidate, but they permit looking higher. This Roma, today, has the right to try.

Roma's transfer strategy this summer has drawn criticism from sections of the media, particularly the departures and arrivals in defence. Jan Ziółkowski, signed in August 2025 at a low fee following scout Massara's assessment of his potential in Poland, has left to gain playing time elsewhere after Gasperini identified other priorities. Alongside Konstantinos Koulierakis, Leonardo Balerdi arrived late in the window—the former Marseille captain—prompting complaints from observers who questioned why Ziółkowski was sold if money was then spent on a replacement. The logic behind Roma's approach is becoming clearer in the opening weeks of the season. Ziółkowski may return one day ready to compete for a starting place, or he may represent a useful profit for the club's finances. For now, Balerdi is what Roma need. What rankles some commentators is that those now celebrating Balerdi's arrival were among those who dismissed his signing initially, often appearing unfamiliar with his name. Before Turin-Roma, some called for Balerdi to replace Gianluca Mancini, whom they had written off as finished after errors against Atalanta and Fenerbahçe. Mancini, however, produced a monumental display at Turin, exposing the opportunism of those quick to turn on him. The article criticizes media outlets for excitement in watching Roma stumble rather than genuine engagement with the club's direction.

Rome's radio stations offered their verdict on Roma's latest performance, with broadcasters drawing parallels between the club and Serie A's title contenders. Roberto Pruzzo on Radio Radio noted Roma's quality in the opening half hour, praising Donyell Malen as decisive and dangerous, and Paulo Dybala for demonstrating good fitness. Sandro Sabatini also called it a strong display, highlighting Roma's attacking control when ahead and singling out Leonardo Balerdi as an unexpected standout, though he pointed to Inter's defensive vulnerabilities as a contrast. Lorenzo Pes on Teleradiostereo made the boldest assessment, saying Roma have emerged as a genuine title contender alongside Inter and Como. He underlined Roma's recent defensive record—just one goal conceded in four matches—and identified centre-backs Hermoso and Mancini as a significant asset. Pes also praised Balerdi's composure and speed, and expressed surprise at Marten de Roon's quick adaptation, suggesting the midfielder's presence could complicate Gasperini's team selection in the defensive line. Pes stated: "The Roma team has become a certainty, together with Como and Inter." He noted that Inter's next opponent will be Roma after the international break, followed by Como. Pes also observed that Roma's setup differs markedly from the fixture between the clubs last season, marking a shift in how the team approaches its challenges.

Donyell Malen and Niccolò Pisilli scored as Roma won at Torino to extend their perfect start to the season to four consecutive Serie A victories. Malen's goal opened the scoring — his sixth of the campaign — before Pisilli added a second in injury time to secure the points. The display showed the defensive leadership of Leonardo Balerdi and the tactical impact of Gasperini's substitutions, with Nahuel Molina's performance on the wing and Marten de Roon's immediate influence after coming on praised for order and authority. Pisilli, deployed in the starting midfield alongside Bryan Cristante, was the standout performer. The academy product answered summer transfer speculation that had linked him with a possible exit by delivering a complete display built on work rate, game management and consistency. Gasperini demands exactly this standard and Pisilli continued to deliver it without prompting. Roma maintained their compact shape throughout at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, demonstrating the mature, solid and ambitious structure that has underpinned their four consecutive league wins and unbeaten record this season.