Netherlands 2–2 Japan: Malen impresses, Van Dijk commanding, Kamada unlikely hero

Italy bounced back from their defeat to Belgium with a 4-1 away victory over Turkey in the Nations League on 28 September, claiming their opening three points of the competition. Bastoni, Frattesi and Kayode scored three goals in the opening thirty minutes before Yilmaz halved the deficit early in the second half. Pio Esposito restored Italy's three-goal lead to seal the win. Daniele Ghilardi spent all 90 minutes on the bench, while Gianluca Mancini was not included in the squad at all. France beat Belgium 1-0 on the same day with Oliver Olise scoring in the 88th minute. Manu Koné came off the bench in the closing moments as a replacement for Da Cunha in that fixture. Italy's next Nations League fixture is scheduled for Friday against France.

Italy defeated Turkey 4–1 in a Nations League fixture at Belediye Stadyumu in Bursa on 28 September 2026, with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode and Pio Esposito. The result came in the second matchday, with Italy seeking to recover after a home loss to Belgium. Kayode and Sebastiano Esposito made their debuts for the national team, while Ruggeri also earned a first cap. Roberto Mancini's side established control early: Bastoni opened the scoring from a corner in the ninth minute, Frattesi doubled the lead in the 22nd minute after Kayode's initial effort was parried, and Kayode himself added the third in the 27th. Turkey reduced the deficit through Yilmaz in the 47th minute before Pio Esposito headed in a fourth from Tonali's rebound in the 51st minute. From a Roma perspective, Gianluca Mancini was not included in the Italy squad, while Daniele Ghilardi was named on the bench. The match was significant for Italy's Nations League campaign, with a win essential to avoid relegation to League B. Turkey, managed by Vincenzo Montella, had lost their opening fixture to France. Italy's lineup featured Donnarumma in goal with Kayode at right-back, Scalvini and Bastoni as centre-backs, and Ruggeri at left-back. Frattesi, Tonali and Fagioli operated in midfield, with Raspadori, Pio Esposito and Sebastiano Esposito in attack. Italy's bench included Ghilardi, Calafiori, Di Lorenzo, Mandragora, Romano, Doumbia, Cambiaghi, Vergara, Kean and Scamacca.

Roma face back-to-back fixtures on their return from the international break that will reveal much about their credentials as a major club. The standout occasion is a Champions League home match against Real Madrid on 14 October — a reunion heavy with history. José Mourinho returns to the Olimpico, where he spent two and a half seasons and where Roma supporters are primed to salute him properly, though Gasperini's bench will hold no warm pleasantries. The fixture carries particular weight because Roma can approach it without fear: Real Madrid have struggled through the early campaign, including against Inter despite the Bernabéu result, and will arrive in Rome without key players including Konaté, Valverde, and possibly Mbappé, who is recovering from a tendon injury to his knee sustained with France. A dominant first-half display against Inter has delivered confidence and clarity to a squad that has identified gaps in their game — notably goals conceded early in the second half — but retains the hunger to return among Europe's elite. Gasperini has already shown in little more than a year that his football can carry a whole city, and Roma know these two matches will test their maturity against world-class opposition. The coach will not afford to slip. Gasperini's own words on Daniele De Rossi's arrival underscore the tension between different eras: "At Roma De Rossi put football first — before that people sought results through other things," he said, a pointed reference to Mourinho's tenure. Roma's ambition in the Champions League phase and their need to defend the first-half coherence they showed against Inter will define whether this squad belongs among the continent's best.

Roma's training camp at Trigoria resumes today following a rest period authorised by Gasperini. The squad will prepare for the Como fixture with most players available, though those on international duty will not yet return. Evan N'Dicka is the first to rejoin, with Sunday's return to Rome marking the start of a phased reintegration. Wesley, Bryan Cristante and Donyell Malen are improving and will resume group training in the coming days, clearing them for the 11 October away trip. A final decision on Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina's availability will be made today, following Argentina's fixtures.

Rodrigo Mora, signed in the summer for €25 million with a further €25 million option to remove Porto's 50 per cent sell-on clause, is ready to establish himself as a regular starter in Gian Piero Gasperini's system. The Portuguese playmaker's season has been mixed: two starts in the opening three matches yielded a goal at Lecce, but he has since spent three consecutive games on the bench against Fenerbahce, Torino and Inter. Gasperini rates him highly as an exceptional talent but demands consistency and immediate responses. Mora's technical quality is evident in the numbers. He leads Roma's squad with an 80 per cent dribbling success rate, ahead of Donyell Malen at 67 per cent. His attributes fit perfectly into the 3-4-1-2 system, which suits Roma's approach against the four-man defences that dominate Serie A. The next opponent, Como managed by Cesc Fàbregas, will be a direct test of that setup. The crowded schedule ahead amplifies Mora's opportunity: between October and November, Roma will play nine matches in twenty-eight days against Como, Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United. With minimal margin for error in the title race and European competition, the young forward's moment has arrived. Mora is currently with Portugal Under-21, from whom he will return to Trigoria on 7 October after playing against Gibraltar and the Czech Republic. His absence from international travel across continents gives Roma easier fitness management than Matías Soulé faces. Lorenzo Pellegrini's five-month layoff and uncertain readiness to start also increase the likelihood of Mora appearing from the first minute alongside Malen and Paulo Dybala.

Paulo Dybala has been a constant presence in Roma's opening matches of the 2026-27 season, playing in all six fixtures and largely in full, but is yet to find the net. His last goal came on 18 January when he formed a partnership with Donyell Malen at Torino. His drought at the Stadio Olimpico stretches even longer—his last home strike was on 23 October 2025, a penalty in the Europa League against Viktoria Plzen. In Serie A, Dybala has not scored since a 5-0 win over Parma nearly two years ago, when Claudio Ranieri was in charge. Despite the goal drought, Dybala has been central to Roma's attacking play. He has provided four assists in the opening matches and has formed what the analysis describes as one of Europe's top attacking partnerships with Malen. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has restored Dybala to the form of a genuine footballer after earlier struggles, and the focus now is restoring the Argentina international's confidence in front of goal. His creative output and overall influence have been significant enough to mark him as Roma's standout player, capable of shifting matches through his quality. Today, a decision was expected on whether Dybala and Nahuel Molina would travel for Argentina's final match with Messi, an invitation that reportedly met with resistance at Roma's Trigoria training ground from the outset.