Pisilli on wearing the captain's armband and Roma's mood before facing Napoli

Napoli took the lead against Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in their Serie A 2026-27 matchday 8 fixture, with Frank Anguissa scoring in the 28th minute. The goal ended Roma's run of away-day shutouts, as the Giallorossi had kept a clean sheet in all three of their previous away league games this season. The strike came from a free kick taken by Politano in the 28th minute, which Anguissa converted. Roma had gone into the match with a record of not conceding on the road, and that run came to an end at Napoli's ground. Roma have now conceded their first goal in an away match this campaign, having kept the door shut in their first three trips of the 2026-27 Serie A season.

Roma's Primavera side came from two goals down to salvage at least a point against Genoa at the Tre Fontane, a result coach Scala said should give the young squad confidence. Scala, head coach of the Roma Primavera side, wanted to highlight the group's spirit, choosing to focus on the positives after a very intense match. The match was one of two faces, with Roma once again falling behind before showing the ability to turn the game around. Scala gave his assessment to the club's official channels. He said: "We started well and could have gone ahead in the first few minutes on two occasions. Then came an ingenuity from a set piece, not only in the action that led to their goal, where we were too passive, but also in the request for a medical check, which was not necessary. The team certainly has in its DNA the ability to come back into games and never give up. But we must not need to go behind before we bring the right competitive fire that allows us to recover. We also need to get back to taking the lead and managing the result." Asked how the team can grow in this area, Scala said: "We have to keep working on the mental side and have a little patience. Today we were facing a side with five 2007-born players and one 2006, while we had many 2009s whom we are gradually bringing in, and the lack of a certain experience at these levels is paid for. It is part of our journey, we have said it from day one, and we take what comes." Roma had a large number of absentees, with injured, called-up and suspended players. Asked whether next week will allow better preparation, Scala said: "The prospect is of a better week to work, and that is positive. There are never any excuses of any kind. The absences put us in a position to give other young players a chance and showcase them, so they are an opportunity. Some of those who had played little at the start, in my opinion, did very well today, such as Ballarin or Giammattei, who came on and changed the match for us. The squad is long, we wear an important shirt, and we must prove in every match that we are stronger than the opponent." On the mood in the dressing room, Scala said: "The atmosphere at half-time was boiling, because I made myself heard, and quite a lot. I think the boys have understood that they must give more, because we have a great responsibility. They are certainly disappointed, not so much by how the first half went, but at finding themselves behind and not taking home the three points we probably deserved." Scala also acknowledged the team's attacking output: "We are collecting little compared with what we produce. It happens often. Today we hit a crossbar and a post, and their goalkeeper made a couple of important saves. We are building a lot, and this happens because in the few days we can work together we get to pass on certain concepts that are starting to show. However, we must avoid always going behind and then being forced to come back into matches."

Former striker Andrea Carnevale, who played for both Roma and Napoli, expects Roma to win at the Maradona when they face Napoli, coached by Max Allegri, at 18:00 in a big match that could carry weight in the race for the top. Carnevale told Gazzetta dello Sport: "La vincerà la Roma, ha qualcosa in più" ("Roma will win it, they have something extra"). Roma go into the fixture as favourites in his view, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side looking to take three points and send a message to the league. Carnevale also looked back at Roma's Champions League clash with Real Madrid, which Roma lost after leading 3-1. He said: "La scorsa settimana ho seguito la sfida dal divano, che partitone. E che grande delusione negli ultimi minuti... È stata spettacolare, peccato averla persa dopo essere stati avanti 3-1: probabilmente neanche i giocatori stessi se lo aspettavano. Però la Champions League è questa cosa qui. E la Roma ne farà tesoro" ("Last week I watched the match from the sofa, what a game. And what a disappointment in the final minutes... It was spectacular, a shame to lose it after being 3-1 up: probably not even the players expected it. But this is the Champions League. And Roma will learn from it"). Carnevale sees Roma among the main rivals to Inter and said: "Darà fastidio a tutti" ("They will be a nuisance for everyone"). Carnevale reserved particular praise for Gasperini, saying: "Attualmente è il miglior allenatore in circolazione. Mi piace tantissimo. È preparato, moderno, ha coraggio, mette in campo una squadra che ti viene sempre ad aggredire alto, fa giocare tanto i difensori. Propone un calcio armonico e bello da vedere" ("He is currently the best coach around. I like him a lot. He is prepared, modern, has courage, puts out a team that always comes to attack you high up the pitch, and plays his defenders a lot. He proposes harmonious and beautiful football to watch").

Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli has said his side are fired up ahead of the trip to Napoli, a Serie A matchday eight fixture. Asked how Roma are approaching the game, Pisilli said: "We have played well in the last few matches, we arrive full of energy for this game. We know it is important, and we have the desire to do well." The clash with Napoli comes after a run of good results for Roma, and Pisilli's comments point to a squad determined to build on recent form in a difficult away fixture. Pisilli was also asked about his past as captain. He said: "It was an honour to wear the armband, but I am focused on the match." On whether he watches the club's Bordocam channel straight after games, he replied: "Often, not straight away, but I watch almost all of them."

Roma head to Napoli with their unbeaten Serie A run intact and aim to keep it going today. Gian Piero Gasperini has settled on his line-up for the clash with Antonio Allegri's side, who need a response after a heavy defeat at Venezia. Roma's starting XI is Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, de Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Soulé, Malen. Cristante plays further forward, alongside Soulé behind Malen. Napoli line up Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Badiashile, Marín, Olivera; Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Lang, in a 4-3-3. Roma's bench includes Vasquez, De Marzi, Lulli, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Di Nunzio, Mora, Castro and Camara. Napoli's bench features Meret, Contini, Beukema, Gilmour, Giovane, Lobotka, Lucca, Marianucci, Rrahmani, Spinazzola and Vergara.

Gasperini's Roma face Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli in Serie A's eighth round this afternoon at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Kickoff is at 18:00, with the turnstiles open from 15:30. Roma travel without Svilar, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini. Gasperini does have Cristante available again, and Malen is back in the starting frame after serving a one-match suspension. Cristante is the favourite to start in a more advanced role ahead of Mora. Napoli are expected to rely on Højlund, supported by Politano and Lang. In Roma's expected line-up, Lulli is favoured over Molina on the right flank. Cristante is set to play further forward, with Soulé and Malen completing the attack. The choice over Cristante's role is the main open question before the team sheets are released. Napoli (4-3-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Badiashile, Rafa Marin, Olivera; Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Politano, Højlund, Lang. Substitutes: Meret, Contini, Beukema, Marianucci, Rrahmani, Spinazzola, Gilmour, Lobotka, Vergara, Giovane, Lucca. Coach: Massimiliano Allegri. Roma (3-4-1-2): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Soulé, Malen. Substitutes: Vasquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Di Nunzio, Mora, Castro, Camara. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini. The referee is Colombo of Como, with assistants Bindoni and Rossi M. Fourth official: Sacchi J.L. VAR: Aureliano. Assistant VAR: Meraviglia.