Padovan backs Roma for title challenge; Marcacci identifies midfield gap

Sebino Nela, the legendary Roma defender and 1982–83 Scudetto winner, has assessed Gian Piero Gasperini's squad ahead of the transfer deadline, which falls in less than two weeks. Nela believes Roma has improved but still requires reinforcements in two areas: a wide midfielder and a winger striker. "The Roma has still need of a wide midfielder and of a winger striker," Nela told Il Tempo. "The season is long, there are three competitions and it is important to have a deep squad. In the football of five substitutions, having a bench of level can make the difference." On the summer arrivals, Nela praised Castro and Molina but urged patience with Koulierakis, who is adapting to Italian football. He remains cautious about Rodrigo Mora as an attacking option, questioning whether his profile matches what the team needs despite Gasperini's backing. However, Nela acknowledged that if Mora flourishes under the coach's guidance, "a day, maybe, he will become a new Dybala, especially if he follows the coach's indications." He suggested a strong one-on-one player capable of scoring goals would complete an attack already bolstered by Soulé, Dybala, Mora, and Pellegrini.

Sebino Nela, who played for Roma between 1981 and 1992, has given his assessment of the club's prospects ahead of the new Serie A season. Speaking to Il Tempo, the former defender backed Roma to secure another Champions League place and expressed hope that the Scudetto could arrive in the season leading to the club's centenary. "Bisogna dare continuità conquistando un'altra partecipazione in Champions League. Scudetto? Spero di festeggiarlo quanto prima e sarebbe meraviglioso se accadesse nella stagione che porta al centenario," he said. Nela believes Roma still need reinforcements before the window closes. He identified an attacking winger and a wide midfielder as priorities, arguing that squad depth is essential across a long season with three competitions and five substitutes in use. On the existing squad, he praised Castro and Molina as "acquisti" (signings) and said Koulierakis requires time to adapt to Italian football. He suggested Rodrigo Mora could develop into a world-class talent under Gasperini but lacks the one-on-one ability and goal threat that would complete the attack aux côté Soulé, Dybala and Pellegrini. Nela flagged Koné and El Aynaoui as players with significant room for improvement based on their World Cup performances. Ahead of the opening fixture against Fiorentina, he suggested that while Paratici's summer recruitment has been substantial, Roma's individual quality could prove decisive in the season opener.

Roma have assembled a rare setup in modern football by pairing two elite number 10s in Paulo Dybala and 19-year-old Rodrigo Mora, creating an atmosphere of creative abundance at Trigoria. The club has restored the tradition of playmakers in the mould of Giuseppe Giannini and Francesco Totti. Mora, a Portuguese talent, has been welcomed warmly by the squad and views Dybala as his boyhood idol, while both players share an understanding of their complementary roles on the pitch. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to employ the pair as a tandem of technical excellence and movement, echoing the partnership Papu Gomez and Ilicic formed during his time at Atalanta. Mora's low centre of gravity gives him rapid acceleration over short distances and makes him difficult to contain in tight spaces—qualities he demonstrated at Porto, where he can shift play quickly and alter the tempo of an attack in an instant. The co-existence of two world-class number 10s operating within the 16-metre box represents a strategic luxury for Gasperini as Roma seek to blend technical mastery with attacking dynamism this season.