Pisilli breaks Roma's distance record with 12.53 km against Torino on his 22nd birthday

Roma's attacking threat from full-back positions has transformed under Gian Piero Gasperini this season, with the discoveries of Emanuele Lulli and the arrival of Nahuel Molina — described as a clear upgrade on Zeki Çelik — providing multiple offensive weapons beyond Wesley alone. Last season the giallorossi often struggled on the wings, but now rank among Serie A's most dangerous teams in wide areas. Lulli has created 4 chances, Molina 7 and Wesley 13 from their full-back positions, totalling 24 opportunities for Gasperini's side. This figure is surpassed in Italy only by Inter, whose wing-backs Dimarco and Diouf have combined for 26.

Alessandro Romano has emerged as a surprise of the season's start, drawing comparisons to players such as Matic and Strootman, and threatens to become another in a line of regretted departures alongside Calafiori and Frattesi. Roma sold him to Cagliari this summer for a combined fee of approximately €6.5 million in fixed and bonus payments. The sale generated crucial financial flexibility for the club, allowing Roma to avoid selling a key player before 30 June and freeing up resources after earlier departures of Saud, Baldanzi and Sangaré. Romano is now demonstrating the quality that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had already identified during the previous season. His market value has tripled to around €15 million and is expected to rise further. Critically, Roma hold no buy-back clause; Cagliari would need to be relegated to Serie B to trigger a repurchase obligation, but the Sardinian club's strong start to the campaign has already eased those concerns. The midfielder has also caught the attention of national team officials—Roberto Mancini called him into the Italy squad. Romano made his Italy debut as a starter on Friday against Belgium, playing at the Stadio Olimpico itself—a twist of fate for the player Roma parted with.

Donyell Malen has been named among six candidates for the EA Sports FC Player of the Month award covering the opening five matchdays of the 2026-27 Serie A season. The nominees are Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Giorgi Kvernadze (Frosinone), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Malen (Roma), Lautaro Martínez (Inter), and Adrien Rabiot (Milan). Voting is now open to supporters. The selection was made using advanced analytics from Kama Sport, powered by Hawk-Eye tracking data covering matchdays 1 to 5 of Serie A Enilive 2026-27. The methodology evaluates not only statistics and technical events but also positional data, assessing off-the-ball movement, decision-making, and each player's contribution to their team's technical and physical efficiency. This data-driven approach aims to provide an objective and qualitative assessment of performance across the opening month of the season. Fans can vote on the official Serie A website in the dedicated EA Sports FC Player of the Month section.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on three key issues facing Roma as the season progresses: the speculation around midfielder Kvernadze, the development of Rodrigo Mora, and the decision to sell Niccolo Romano to Cagliari. Alessio Nardo criticised the timing of any potential move for Kvernadze. "If you were smart, you would have gone to get him in July or mid-August," Nardo said. "Now he's had an extraordinary start to the season, and after three weeks Frosinone will make you pay triple. Now it's foolish to go and get Kvernadze." Piero Torri added context: Frosinone are likely to demand €20–25 million for the player, but the price could rise further if Roma move slowly. Torri also flagged that Roma's position in the league table in December, and UEFA's verdict on the club's situation by mid-November, will determine whether the ownership feels obliged to invest in January. On Mora, Daniele Lo Monaco offered a technical assessment tempered by concerns about readiness. "From a technical standpoint I think Rodrigo Mora is superior to Matías Soulé," Lo Monaco said. "For me, Mora has only Dybala above him, because he does extraordinary things that others can only imagine. But from a physical point of view you have some doubts, because when he goes into a challenge, opponents push him around. And every so often during the match he loses focus, and with Gasperini you cannot afford that. Today he is not quite ready to play with Gasperini, but he will become ready soon, especially if he does not have the pressure on him of having to prove he is worth €50 million, because otherwise it becomes a problem." Fabio Petruzzi framed the Romano sale as a difficult but necessary choice. "Romano is a good player, I do not say otherwise, but I would be cautious," Petruzzi said. "He would not have played at Roma. Roma had to make a choice: either Pisilli or Romano." Stefano Carina highlighted the oddity of Romano's sale: the initial asking price was €9 million, but the player departed for €5 million. "If you were asking nine million then perhaps this lad is worth something," Carina noted. "Cagliari saw further ahead, and now it seems like a big regret."

Radio commentators in Rome have offered contrasting assessments of Rodrigo Mora's early impact at the club, with debate centring on his game-time and development compared to fellow midfielder Matías Soulé. Chiara Ciotti argued on Radio Romanista that Soulé is preferred because he has established an understanding with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, and that sharing space with Mora complicates the dynamic. Stefano Impallomeni called for patience with the Portuguese player, saying: "Mora has important qualities, but you have to be patient. I hope he can show us what he can do. I was very intrigued by him, especially with his tight play. He still needs to build himself up and consolidate himself. Away from goal I'm not sure if he can become like Papu Gómez." Davide Fidanza suggested Mora requires further development and positioning closer to goal. He drew a parallel with Niccolò Pisilli, whose growth over three years has been substantial, and noted a physical difference in that trajectory. Fidanza added: "Mora lives on instinct, he has important plays, but sporadic ones. Soulé is tactically more complete—he may make fewer technical touches but he communicates more fluidly with his teammates and is much more decisive during the match."

Marten De Roon has played 361 matches under Gian Piero Gasperini — more than any other player in the world — and the midfielder's integration at Roma will be defined not by tactical learning but by physical fitness. De Roon arrived at Trigoria without having played minutes in the early part of the season under his previous manager, prompting Gasperini to use him cautiously. The international break, however, offers a chance to rebuild his athletic condition to match the high-intensity football Gasperini demands, with his role in the squad rotation set to increase substantially from October onward. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the plan is to alternate De Roon primarily with Bryan Cristante, forming a midfield pairing with either Manu Koné or Niccolò Pisilli. Rather than a rigid hierarchy, Gasperini will deploy flexible combinations that allow tactical adjustment and energy management without sacrificing balance. At 35, De Roon represents an investment in the present, not the future — unlike younger squad members such as Mora, Castro, or Koulierakis. He brings experience, reading of the game, personality, and an almost automatic understanding of what Gasperini demands on the pitch. For a coach seeking to "play in twenty" — using a deep squad across many matches — having such a player provides a shortcut. De Roon does not need to learn the system; he simply needs to regain his legs to execute it. He has already built a strong relationship with his Dutch compatriot Donyell Malen, and his prior knowledge of Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante has made his entry into the dressing room feel natural. By observation, he appears to have been at Roma far longer than a few weeks. The fixture list after the break is designed to accelerate his integration. Between Serie A and Champions League, Roma face a congested schedule that will make it impossible to demand everything constantly from Cristante, Koné, and other midfielders. In Europe, De Roon's extensive international experience under Gasperini — understanding rhythm, moment management, and composure in high-stakes matches — will prove invaluable. From October onward, he could finally become the certainty Roma needs.

Gasperini has cancelled Roma's scheduled training session on 25 September, granting the squad four days of rest and resuming work on Tuesday 29 September around midday. The head coach had kept players at Trigoria under a demanding schedule in recent days but opted to give them a break ahead of the international break. When training resumes on the 29th, Gasperini will still be without Malen, Cristante and Wesley as they continue their recovery, with international players expected back later. The next fixture, Roma's match against Como, does not take place until 11 October, allowing time for the squad to reintegrate.

Marten de Roon has arrived at Roma as Gasperini's trusted tactical lieutenant, and the international break is proving a crucial period for the midfielder to regain full match fitness. The Dutch midfielder joined on the final day of the transfer window after nine seasons at Atalanta, where he became Gasperini's go-to figure on the pitch. De Roon came to the capital with little playing time under his belt from his previous spell at Atalanta, and Gasperini has managed his minutes carefully in the opening weeks of the season to allow him to build back to peak condition. The technical staff regard him as a player of absolute quality—Gasperini described him as far from a "worn-out shoe"—and de Roon will alternate with Bryan Cristante in midfield as Roma face seven matches in eighteen days during October. De Roon has quickly made an impression since arriving at Trigoria, becoming a point of reference for the club's younger players thanks to his understanding of dressing-room dynamics. His game is built on relentless running, winning duels, launching counterattacks and making effective late runs into the penalty box. He averages 11 kilometres covered per match, providing a substantial contribution of experience that guarantees stability and tactical continuity to the team from the resumption of the league campaign onwards. The midfielder's playing style and accumulated know-how represent added value of the highest order for Gasperini's project.

Marten De Roon has played 361 matches under Gian Piero Gasperini — more than any other player in the world — and the midfielder's integration at Roma will be defined not by tactical learning but by physical fitness. De Roon arrived at Trigoria without having played minutes in the early part of the season under his previous manager, prompting Gasperini to use him cautiously. The international break, however, offers a chance to rebuild his athletic condition to match the high-intensity football Gasperini demands, with his role in the squad rotation set to increase substantially from October onward. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the plan is to alternate De Roon primarily with Bryan Cristante, forming a midfield pairing with either Manu Koné or Niccolò Pisilli. Rather than a rigid hierarchy, Gasperini will deploy flexible combinations that allow tactical adjustment and energy management without sacrificing balance. At 35, De Roon represents an investment in the present, not the future — unlike younger squad members such as Mora, Castro, or Koulierakis. He brings experience, reading of the game, personality, and an almost automatic understanding of what Gasperini demands on the pitch. For a coach seeking to "play in twenty" — using a deep squad across many matches — having such a player provides a shortcut. De Roon does not need to learn the system; he simply needs to regain his legs to execute it. He has already built a strong relationship with his Dutch compatriot Donyell Malen, and his prior knowledge of Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante has made his entry into the dressing room feel natural. By observation, he appears to have been at Roma far longer than a few weeks. The fixture list after the break is designed to accelerate his integration. Between Serie A and Champions League, Roma face a congested schedule that will make it impossible to demand everything constantly from Cristante, Koné, and other midfielders. In Europe, De Roon's extensive international experience under Gasperini — understanding rhythm, moment management, and composure in high-stakes matches — will prove invaluable. From October onward, he could finally become the certainty Roma needs.