Pisilli on the captain's armband and Roma's growth in the Champions League

Daniele Ghilardi spoke to reporters after Roma's 3-0 win...

Mario Hermoso spoke to reporters after Roma beat Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico in their third League Phase match of the Champions League, delighted with the team's performance and the depth of the squad. The Spaniard highlighted the importance of keeping a clean sheet, a result Roma badly needed after their defeat to Real Madrid. Roma have now won two matches in a row with six goals scored and none conceded. Hermoso noted that his side's defence has been the least breached of the top five European leagues, a fact he said matters to the whole team, not only the defenders. He stressed that Roma are a tough side who want to play fast and do things the way the coach wants, adding that the team has plenty of talent in attack and the defenders must get them the ball to score. Asked about the heavy rotation in the match, Hermoso said: "We have a strong team and a complete squad, with quality players in every department. We have to work, and we all do it every day to be at our best. This says a lot about us and about the work the coach is doing, and the sporting director too. It's nice to see Roma like this."

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised his side after a 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava, saying the performance produced important answers from players who came into the team through rotation. Gasperini said the result allowed the squad to move forward with confidence and widen the pool of players who can become regular starters. The Roma boss acknowledged that the calendar is demanding and that everyone must meet the standard the club demands. He said his main concern is that the team keeps risking the loss of a player each time they play, adding that Roma are thin in certain areas. He described this as the only danger of these matches, which he otherwise called an incredible test that gives the club more information and room to grow, adding that the Champions League is extraordinary for this reason. Asked whether the team had underestimated the opponents, Gasperini said it was important to play a serious match from the start, both for the three points and because there are no easy teams in the Champions League. He said the side had been good in how they approached the game. "Now we are perhaps playing too much, but with this type of match you find rhythm and a better condition," he said. "As long as the players are well, it is right to let them play." He added: "We are rotating many players and this allows us to have good freshness and not to have too many excuses of fatigue."

Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi said his Champions League debut was a huge emotional moment and that the squad also wants to win against Napoli. Ghilardi said: "Tanta emozione per l'esordio in Champions. Vogliamo vincere anche col Napoli", which translates as: "A lot of emotion for the Champions League debut. We want to win against Napoli too." The comments follow Roma's 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava, which the Italian coverage rated in player ratings that picked out Ghilardi and Hermoso, with Malen also singled out. Roma's Champions League campaign has begun with that result, and the club now turns its attention to Napoli. Elsewhere in the club's news, Gian Piero Gasperini said of team selection: "Chi gioca deve essere all'altezza della Roma. Spero di riavere presto Dybala, davanti siamo pochi", meaning those who play must be up to the standard of Roma, and he hopes to have Dybala back soon as the attack is thin. Lorenzo Pellegrini has a muscle injury, and Gasperini said: "Nulla di grave, ma rischia di stare out 20 giorni", meaning it is nothing serious but he could be out for 20 days. Niccolò Pisilli said wearing the Roma captain's armband is an honour and that he has grown a lot under Gasperini.

Roma secured their first win of the Champions League league phase, beating Slovan Bratislava 4-0 with a dominant display under Gian Piero Gasperini. The result follows a draw with Fenerbahce and a late defeat to Real Madrid. Hermoso opened the scoring with a header, and Molina doubled the lead just before half-time. After the break, Pisilli added a goal and Malen converted a penalty to seal the win. Roma never looked at risk of conceding in the match. Ghilardi also scored late on, but the goal was disallowed for offside. The victory lifts Gasperini's side to 4 points in the league phase standings. Roma's next big match is against Napoli at the weekend. Molina's goal was his first in a Roma shirt. Wesley was described as unplayable in the player ratings, which award Hermoso a 7, Molina a 6.5 and Wesley a 7.5.

Roma recorded their first four-goal haul of the Champions League season, routing Slovan Bratislava, who never got into the game. Hermoso opened the scoring, before Molina, Pisilli and Malen, from the penalty spot, completed the rout. The player ratings praised the whole side for being in good form and entering the match with the right mindset. The defence was the standout area. Ghilardi started strongly and got forward often, leaving the Gollini's penalty area regularly, and he won a fortunate deflection to set up Hermoso. Ghilardi also had a goal disallowed for an active offside by Castro, which the ratings described as a pity given how well he had played. Balerdi was rated calm, elegant and attentive, covering large areas of the pitch. Hermoso, rated 7.5, was described as the most accurate passer in the first half with a 90% pass accuracy, and he went on to score the opener with a header from a free kick. Wesley was rated 7, with the ratings saying he left a trail of scorched grass down his flank and that Slovan players barely saw him. Pellegrini was rated 6.5 but had to ask to be substituted, and the ratings expressed hope the problem was nothing serious. Mora, rated 6, struck the advertising boards near the net and was unlucky when his effort was ruled out for offside, while the ratings noted he had been running hard from both flanks. Gollini, rated 6, had little to do beyond a couple of catches. The ratings for Gasperini's side included several verdicts on the individual performances. Pisilli, who scored wearing the captain's armband, said: "Un sogno" ("A dream"). Molina, rated 6.5, pounced on a poor rebound from Takac to make it 2-0 and was applauded for sprinting to win a late corner. Malen, rated 7.5, was involved in the build-up to Molina's goal and Pisilli's, and finished the rout from the spot. Soulé, who came on for Pellegrini in the 51st minute, was rated 6.5 for an immediate steal in the box that set up Malen. Castro, who replaced Malen in the 58th minute, was rated 6. Gasperini was quoted in the ratings on Mora, saying he "deve strutturarsi" ("needs to find his structure"). The ratings noted Gasperini had a short squad again and rotated it, asking his players to focus on every detail, and that the side needed to score as many goals as possible, which he addressed with his usual rotations. Koulierakis replaced Hermoso in the 77th minute, and Mancini came on for De Roon at the same time.