Pisilli bounces back from summer setback with strong start; Gasperini could deploy him against Inter

Radio Roma commentators are backing Roma to upset Inter in their upcoming league fixture, with analyst Mario Mattioli declaring Roma in the better psychological state to spring a surprise. Mattioli said: "Never like this time can Roma pull off a trick on Inter: in my view at this moment I see them superior to the Nerazzurri in character and psychological predisposition, I see them very consistent. Inter has more ups and downs: they concede two goals but then overturn it. Never like this time can Roma win it. But if the match doesn't open up in regular time, I don't rule out that in the end it could finish in a draw." Roma have not beaten Inter since November 2018, but commentators believe the pressure-based system Gasperini has installed offers a route to victory. David Rossi highlighted that "Roma has understood what the manager wants, they all go in the same direction, there's no one who breaks ranks. Inter is a team that suffers under pressure… when pressed well, man-to-man, it can run into difficulty." Fabio Petruzzi praised the conviction shown against Turin, noting Roma "doesn't fear playing high, plays with the defence on the midfield line, doesn't fear conceding goals. It's a calculated risk. The mentality of going onto any pitch and not fearing one-v-one football across the entire field is the most beautiful thing." Nando Orsi cautioned that the fixture will be revealing, saying: "This match can give different judgements compared to what we've seen so far because neither of the two has faced important teams until now." Francesca Ferrazza anticipated tactical rotation, predicting: "Gasperini doesn't put out the usual formation, in my view on Saturday with a more advanced midfielder in Cristante or Pisilli, and putting Dybala and Malen up front." The defence remains a live selection question. Alessio Nardo noted that the Mancini–Balerdi–Hermoso trio is "perhaps one of the fiercest trios and most temperamental," while Lorenzo Pes assessed the Balerdi versus Ndícka choice as "50–50," noting Ndícka's familiarity with the defensive unit may give him the edge. Roberto Pruzzo, a Roma legend, expressed concern about Inter's strength in depth, observing they have two squads and reacted powerfully after conceding two goals in recent form.

Gianluca Mancini pulled over on his way out of Trigoria on 15 September to take a selfie with a group of young supporters who flagged him down in the middle of the road. The Roma defender obliged the excited children, who embraced each other afterwards in a moment of joy captured on video and shared by the Instagram account Calciatori per Sbaglio. The interaction came after training as Roma prepared for Saturday's big match against Inter. Mancini has become a fixture in the capital and is one of the players through whom Roma's fanbase most closely identifies, valued for his commitment and passion for the shirt. The gesture exemplifies the connection between the defender and the club's supporters.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has named three AS Roma players in his latest national squad selection. Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro have been called up, though notable absences include Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina, who will remain at Trigoria. The squad announcement came via the Argentina Football Association's official social media channels. Dybala and Molina's omission marks a surprise, as both are among Roma's more established international players. Both will stay at the club during the international break while their teammates fulfil their national team duties.

Radio Roma commentators are backing Roma to upset Inter in their upcoming league fixture, with analyst Mario Mattioli declaring Roma in the better psychological state to spring a surprise. Mattioli said: "Never like this time can Roma pull off a trick on Inter: in my view at this moment I see them superior to the Nerazzurri in character and psychological predisposition, I see them very consistent. Inter has more ups and downs: they concede two goals but then overturn it. Never like this time can Roma win it. But if the match doesn't open up in regular time, I don't rule out that in the end it could finish in a draw." Roma have not beaten Inter since November 2018, but commentators believe the pressure-based system Gasperini has installed offers a route to victory. David Rossi highlighted that "Roma has understood what the manager wants, they all go in the same direction, there's no one who breaks ranks. Inter is a team that suffers under pressure… when pressed well, man-to-man, it can run into difficulty." Fabio Petruzzi praised the conviction shown against Turin, noting Roma "doesn't fear playing high, plays with the defence on the midfield line, doesn't fear conceding goals. It's a calculated risk. The mentality of going onto any pitch and not fearing one-v-one football across the entire field is the most beautiful thing." Nando Orsi cautioned that the fixture will be revealing, saying: "This match can give different judgements compared to what we've seen so far because neither of the two has faced important teams until now." Francesca Ferrazza anticipated tactical rotation, predicting: "Gasperini doesn't put out the usual formation, in my view on Saturday with a more advanced midfielder in Cristante or Pisilli, and putting Dybala and Malen up front." The defence remains a live selection question. Alessio Nardo noted that the Mancini–Balerdi–Hermoso trio is "perhaps one of the fiercest trios and most temperamental," while Lorenzo Pes assessed the Balerdi versus Ndícka choice as "50–50," noting Ndícka's familiarity with the defensive unit may give him the edge. Roberto Pruzzo, a Roma legend, expressed concern about Inter's strength in depth, observing they have two squads and reacted powerfully after conceding two goals in recent form.

Marten De Roon's arrival at Roma in the final days of the summer transfer window had raised eyebrows among supporters, not least because of the departure of Neil El Aynaoui. The 35-year-old Dutch midfielder faced scepticism over his age and a history of social media provocations directed at Roma following clashes between his former club Atalanta and the Giallorossi. But in his early appearances, De Roon has already justified Gian Piero Gasperini's decision to reunite with him. Gasperini has deployed De Roon more frequently than any other player across his managerial career—361 appearances, compared to Toloi's 289—demonstrating the depth of their working relationship. De Roon left Atalanta after falling out of favour under Sarri, and Gasperini brought him to Roma on what amounted to a free transfer within 48 hours. His arrival initially unsettled Roma's fanbase due to past social media friction, but De Roon apologised immediately and made himself available. Though his competitive minutes remain limited—35 across Serie A and Champions League—his early impact has been positive, with Gasperini appearing to orchestrate play from the dugout with precision. De Roon brings valuable experience to a squad that is shorter than last season but higher in quality. After Paulo Dybala, he holds the second-most Champions League appearances in the group with 44, offering younger players like Niccolò Pisilli the chance to develop under an established presence. His integration has helped stabilise a Roma side operating with Gasperini's direct tactical methods.

Marten De Roon has arrived at Roma to rejoin Gian Piero Gasperini, the coach who has deployed him more frequently than any other manager in his career. The 35-year-old midfielder left Atalanta after Sarri and D'Amico determined he no longer fit their plans, and Roma secured him on what was reportedly a nominal fee within 48 hours. His exit from Bergamo prompted Atalanta ultras to unveil a pointed banner: "You chose to pass through our history but not to belong to it. Goodbye little flag." Gasperini responded swiftly: "Should he have become an old shoe gathering dust in a cupboard? He didn't leave of his own accord." De Roon's arrival initially unsettled Roma's fanbase, given tensions dating back to social media provocations in previous years. He apologised immediately and made himself available. Though his minutes remain limited—35 across Serie A and the Champions League—his impact has been positive. De Roon understands Gasperini's system instinctively; the coach appears to operate him with remote-control precision from the bench. The squad is smaller than last season but superior in quality, and his presence is a luxury. He has brought experience to the group: after Paulo Dybala, he ranks second for Champions League appearances with 44, and younger players such as Niccolò Pisilli can develop optimally alongside him.

Radio Roma commentators are backing Roma to upset Inter in their upcoming league fixture, with analyst Mario Mattioli declaring Roma in the better psychological state to spring a surprise. Mattioli said: "Never like this time can Roma pull off a trick on Inter: in my view at this moment I see them superior to the Nerazzurri in character and psychological predisposition, I see them very consistent. Inter has more ups and downs: they concede two goals but then overturn it. Never like this time can Roma win it. But if the match doesn't open up in regular time, I don't rule out that in the end it could finish in a draw." Roma have not beaten Inter since November 2018, but commentators believe the pressure-based system Gasperini has installed offers a route to victory. David Rossi highlighted that "Roma has understood what the manager wants, they all go in the same direction, there's no one who breaks ranks. Inter is a team that suffers under pressure… when pressed well, man-to-man, it can run into difficulty." Fabio Petruzzi praised the conviction shown against Turin, noting Roma "doesn't fear playing high, plays with the defence on the midfield line, doesn't fear conceding goals. It's a calculated risk. The mentality of going onto any pitch and not fearing one-v-one football across the entire field is the most beautiful thing." Nando Orsi cautioned that the fixture will be revealing, saying: "This match can give different judgements compared to what we've seen so far because neither of the two has faced important teams until now." Francesca Ferrazza anticipated tactical rotation, predicting: "Gasperini doesn't put out the usual formation, in my view on Saturday with a more advanced midfielder in Cristante or Pisilli, and putting Dybala and Malen up front." The defence remains a live selection question. Alessio Nardo noted that the Mancini–Balerdi–Hermoso trio is "perhaps one of the fiercest trios and most temperamental," while Lorenzo Pes assessed the Balerdi versus Ndícka choice as "50–50," noting Ndícka's familiarity with the defensive unit may give him the edge. Roberto Pruzzo, a Roma legend, expressed concern about Inter's strength in depth, observing they have two squads and reacted powerfully after conceding two goals in recent form.

Roma's evolution under coach Gian Piero Gasperini has taken shape across two decisive fixtures—the Champions League debut against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday and a four-day-later trip to Turin against Torino—that showcase the impact of the summer transfer market overhaul steered by new sporting director D'Amico. In the first match, Roma's return to Europe's elite competition after a seven-year absence saw Gasperini field performers who had earned third place in Serie A. Against Torino, however, two summer signings started, with three more introduced during play as Roma secured a fourth consecutive league win. Despite missing three key players—Evan N'Dicka, Wesley, and Manu Koné—Roma maintained tactical identity and attacking threat at Turin, underlining how the summer reinforcements have strengthened the squad's reliability compared to the previous season. The shift in personnel tells the story plainly. A year ago, Gasperini would have replaced N'Dicka and Wesley with Kostas Tsimikas and Jan Ziółkowski; neither remains at Trigoria. Manu Koné's role would have gone to Neil El Aynaoui, who has been moved on after one season, as have Tsimikas and Ziółkowski. In their place came Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina, both Argentine internationals—Balerdi absent from last year's World Cup only through injury, Molina a Qatar winner alongside Paulo Dybala and recently a World Cup runner-up. Niccolò Pisilli, grown into his role at the start of 2026 and a national team player, has inherited Koné's midfield spot. Gasperini paired Balerdi immediately with Marten de Roon, who arrived from Bergamo in the final moments of the window and played more than half the second half against Torino. Lorenzo Pellegrini, called up after five months out, extended Gasperini's roster of captains—the coach has made clear he possesses multiple leaders beyond Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini. Gasperini operates what he calls the "law of sixteen," seeking to deploy the same core of players in every match to guarantee brilliance, intensity and competitive edge. He refuses publicly to divide his squad into starters and substitutes; there is no difference between a player who begins and one who enters in progress. New sporting director D'Amico's tenure has produced a squad numerically smaller than its predecessor, as D'Amico himself acknowledged, yet Gasperini presented it at full strength in Turin. The article notes that one or two adjustments in January may be needed to perfect the squad further.

Roma produced a commanding tactical display to defeat Torino, with Leonardo Balerdi marshalling the defence throughout a performance that saw Gasperini's side control proceedings from the opening exchanges. Four changes from Roma's midweek Champions League fixture—Balerdi, Pisilli, Lulli and Molina—maintained the team's standard, with Pisilli closing out the match in a critical moment despite one of his less polished displays, while Lulli and Molina remained creative and showed clear room for improvement. The victory came as Roma prepare for their next major test against the Serie A champions in the coming days. Roma's suffocating press set the tone immediately. Gasperini's team opened with an aggressive 3-4-2-1 that targeted Torino's attempts at possession-based build-up, with Cristante pressing Mandragora, Pisilli tracking Fitz-Jim, and the three centre-backs—Balerdi on Simeone, Mancini on Vlašić, and Hermoso dealing with Gineitis—marking tightly in advanced positions. The giallorossi dominated territory and possession early, disrupting Torino's passing rhythm through relentless pressure and recovering the ball high upfield for dangerous breaks. Although Roma failed to convert their early superiority into goals, a key moment came at the thirty-minute mark when Soulé and Dybala swapped positions; the fluency of Roma's football through the middle improved when these adjustments allowed Dybala to move closer to support Malen. The breakthrough arrived late in the first half when Mancini's recovery from Torino's loose build-up released Dybala, whose through-ball found Malen. The Dutch forward's lethal instinct from a low position gave Roma the lead. Torino emerged from half-time with tactical adjustments—Abate raised Mandragora and Vlašić wider alongside Simeone, introduced the excellent Bragança to midfield control in place of Gineitis, and switched Cacciamani for Belghali—but around the hour mark, Bragança began threading meaningful patterns that loosened Roma's pressing intensity. Gasperini countered by withdrawing Soulé and Malen for Mora and Castro, shifting Roma to a 5-3-2 shape with Koné and De Roon replacing Cristante and Dybala in a conservative but decisive adjustment. Torino's momentum faded as Balerdi, alongside De Roon—who dominated through recoveries, interceptions, dangerous passing line disruptions, and decisive individual pressure—ensured Roma's back line remained unbreakable. The match closed with Mancini orchestrating the final attacking phase, his calmness in possession setting up Pisilli's finishing touch. Gasperini later described the imminent big fixture against the defending champions as merely "an opportunity to measure ourselves," words the coach framed as releasing unnecessary tension and a reminder that a match played at the end of September cannot carry ultimate significance.

Marten De Roon's arrival at Roma in the final days of the summer transfer window had raised eyebrows among supporters, not least because of the departure of Neil El Aynaoui. The 35-year-old Dutch midfielder faced scepticism over his age and a history of social media provocations directed at Roma following clashes between his former club Atalanta and the Giallorossi. But in his early appearances, De Roon has already justified Gian Piero Gasperini's decision to reunite with him. Gasperini has deployed De Roon more frequently than any other player across his managerial career—361 appearances, compared to Toloi's 289—demonstrating the depth of their working relationship. De Roon left Atalanta after falling out of favour under Sarri, and Gasperini brought him to Roma on what amounted to a free transfer within 48 hours. His arrival initially unsettled Roma's fanbase due to past social media friction, but De Roon apologised immediately and made himself available. Though his competitive minutes remain limited—35 across Serie A and Champions League—his early impact has been positive, with Gasperini appearing to orchestrate play from the dugout with precision. De Roon brings valuable experience to a squad that is shorter than last season but higher in quality. After Paulo Dybala, he holds the second-most Champions League appearances in the group with 44, offering younger players like Niccolò Pisilli the chance to develop under an established presence. His integration has helped stabilise a Roma side operating with Gasperini's direct tactical methods.

Marten De Roon has arrived at Roma to rejoin Gian Piero Gasperini, the coach who has deployed him more frequently than any other manager in his career. The 35-year-old midfielder left Atalanta after Sarri and D'Amico determined he no longer fit their plans, and Roma secured him on what was reportedly a nominal fee within 48 hours. His exit from Bergamo prompted Atalanta ultras to unveil a pointed banner: "You chose to pass through our history but not to belong to it. Goodbye little flag." Gasperini responded swiftly: "Should he have become an old shoe gathering dust in a cupboard? He didn't leave of his own accord." De Roon's arrival initially unsettled Roma's fanbase, given tensions dating back to social media provocations in previous years. He apologised immediately and made himself available. Though his minutes remain limited—35 across Serie A and the Champions League—his impact has been positive. De Roon understands Gasperini's system instinctively; the coach appears to operate him with remote-control precision from the bench. The squad is smaller than last season but superior in quality, and his presence is a luxury. He has brought experience to the group: after Paulo Dybala, he ranks second for Champions League appearances with 44, and younger players such as Niccolò Pisilli can develop optimally alongside him.

Marten de Roon has already justified head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's faith in him since arriving at Roma, delivering an assured display in just 35 combined minutes across Serie A and the Champions League. Entering the second half against Torino at the 64-minute mark, the 35-year-old Dutch midfielder immediately imposed order and reading of the game on a side that needed precisely that stability. In his 25-minute spell, he completed four interceptions, won two of three duels, and achieved a 100% success rate in his dribbling attempts—figures that illustrated his value despite the limited time on the pitch. Gasperini made clear his conviction in de Roon shortly before, defending him against criticism from Atalanta's ultra supporters, who had unfurled a banner during his departure after eleven seasons at Bergamo. The manager responded bluntly: "Doveva fare la scarpa vecchia in uno sgabuzzino? Non è andato via per sua volontà. Sono molto contento che sia qua, è una fortuna e darà un contributo importantissimo" (Should he have become an old shoe in a cupboard? He did not leave of his own choice. I am very happy he is here; it is a stroke of luck and he will make an extremely important contribution). De Roon is the player Gasperini has deployed most in his career across all clubs, amassing 361 appearances—well clear of Toloi, who stands at 289. Roma secured him for a minimal outlay, spending up to €600,000 including all bonus payments. De Roon is being eased into action as he builds his match fitness after an unusual summer; he did not feature in Atalanta's opening two league matches before his move. Last season with the Bergamaschi, he ranked fourth in Serie A for balls won (93), fifth for recoveries (47), and third for tackles (79)—metrics that underscore why Gasperini continues to regard him as a vital resource. Beyond his defensive and technical contributions, de Roon showed leadership off the ball during the Turin fixture, assisting Pisilli when the young midfielder was struggling with cramps after Roma's second goal—a small, nearly invisible gesture that reflected his experience and awareness of team needs. Gasperini is introducing de Roon gradually, waiting for his conditioning to reach the level required to sustain a full 90 minutes at the pace his system demands. Roma have a forthcoming break after facing Inter that may allow de Roon further time to recover ground, though it remains too early to predict him as a regular starter from the beginning.