Pisilli on Champions League dreams and settling into Roma

Roma midfielder Muhammed Bah has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after being forced from the field on a stretcher in the 29th minute against Cardiff City. The club will proceed with surgery in the coming days, with recovery estimated at approximately nine months. The injury represents a significant blow to Roma's midfield depth as the 2026–27 season approaches. Bah will undergo the surgical procedure under the care of Dr Ahlbäumer, with the lengthy rehabilitation timeline ruling him out for the majority of the coming campaign.

Devyne Rensch has praised head coach Gasperini in an exclusive interview from Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales, highlighting the coach's impact on both his development as a player and his mindset. Rensch said: "Yes, certainly he is a coach who brings a lot of energy, mentality, a lot of tactical work for everyone and also for me. He is a coach who is helping me become a better footballer but also a better person. He motivates you, he always pushes you to exceed your limits and as a consequence to beat your opponent. It is clear that he is a very demanding coach, who makes you work hard, but he is very good both on and off the pitch in caring for all aspects of the player and the person." Rensch also addressed the prospect of Dutch midfielder Givairo Read joining Roma. He has not yet met Read in person but has watched him play, and expressed enthusiasm about a potential arrival. "No, I have only seen him play. He would be the third Dutch footballer in the squad besides me and Malen, so it would be nice if his arrival materialised and we could also help him integrate and settle in as best and as quickly as possible," Rensch said. When asked about his own recent contribution, including a goal against Parma during Roma's Champions League campaign, Rensch reflected on the importance of looking ahead: "It was very nice to score such an important goal for the team. But in the end this is the past, now we must move forward and focus on what is in front of us, because now we must work even more and even harder to be competitive in the league, Coppa Italia and Champions League. We must look ahead."

Roma's transfer focus has shifted to signing an offensive left-winger, a position head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has prioritised for the past year. With targets Greenwood and Summerville no longer viable, Roma's primary attention in recent weeks has centred on Antonio Nusa of Leipzig. However, the path to securing Nusa remains difficult, and Roma have alternative options including Malick Fofana of Lyon. The Belgian left-winger, born in 2005, has now attracted interest from Atalanta as well in recent days. According to transfer experts Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto, Atalanta intend to provide their manager Sarri with a winger suited to his style of play. Yeremay of Deportivo is also under consideration by the Bergamo club. Gasperini has consistently requested the club fill this gap in the squad, and the summer transfer window has become increasingly active in pursuit of a solution. The competition from Atalanta for Fofana illustrates the demand for quality left-sided talent in the current market, with multiple clubs targeting similar profiles to strengthen their attacking options.

Roma face Newport County on Tuesday, 4 August at 20:00 (UK time) at Rodney Parade in Newport, Wales in their fifth pre-season friendly. The match will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN. Gian Piero Gasperini's squad come into the fixture following victories over Roma Primavera and Trastevere, a draw with Cannes, and a defeat to Cardiff City on Saturday. Roma will be without Wesley, who sustained an ankle sprain and did not train today, Niccolò Pisilli (expected to return next week), and Bah (cruciate ligament injury). The debut of new arrival Koulierakis is anticipated. This will be Roma's second test in Wales under Gasperini. To watch the match, viewers will need a DAZN subscription and can stream via the DAZN app on smart TV, gaming consoles (Xbox or PlayStation), Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, or TIM VISION Box. Live coverage and updates will also be available via Forzaroma.info and Roma's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma's pre-season retreat in Cardiff continued on 3 August with a double training session scheduled by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini at 10:30 and 15:00. Wesley, Bah and Pisilli were absent from field work due to injury. Pisilli requires a further magnetic resonance scan to determine the precise recovery timeline from a soleus injury to his left leg. The Giallorossi are maintaining their preparation schedule in Wales ahead of the 2026–27 season, balancing athletic conditioning with friendly matches. Gasperini has overseen the customary dual sessions typical of pre-season camps. The absence of three squad members reflects the ongoing management of injuries sustained during the off-season period. Pisilli's scan will establish clearer indicators for his return to full availability. The club continues to document the Welsh leg of its summer retreat day by day.

Roma trained twice in Cardiff on 3 August under Gasperini's direction following a friendly defeat to the hosts two days earlier. A morning session took place at 10:30 local time, with a second training session scheduled for 16:00. Wesley was absent from the morning workout after suffering a right ankle sprain in Saturday's friendly and is expected to miss the second session as well. Pisilli, included in the pre-season camp but not yet recovered, remains sidelined. The midfielder is undergoing treatment and improving, but must undergo another MRI scan before a return to partial group training later in the week can be confirmed. Bah was also awaiting results from an MRI on his right knee following a severe sprain sustained against Cardiff on Saturday, with results expected in the afternoon. Roma's schedule continued with lunch at 13:45 Italian time, followed by the second training session at 16:00. The squad will face Newport County in a second friendly on 4 August at 20:00 Italian time.