Pisilli Wins Serie A Rising Star Award for May

Roma are closing in on Torino's young full-back Cacciamani with negotiations between the two clubs now closer on valuation. The parties are separated by approximately two million euros, a gap described as bridgeable, and Roma's next decisive push could seal the deal. Cacciamani, who has significant growth potential, would serve as an alternative to Wesley on the left flank and represents the kind of young, important player the club is targeting, according to coach Gian Piero Gasperini. As of 9 August, Roma's transfer window remains further behind Gasperini's preferred timeline, though activity is substantial across multiple fronts. The primary focus remains securing a right-footed attacking midfielder to deploy on the left; Nusa remains the preferred option, but negotiations with Leipzig have stalled around the €45–50 million budget threshold, with the German club unmoved on its asking price. Roma are also exploring alternatives including 21-year-old Malick Fofana at Lyon, who is still recovering from ankle surgery and a subsequent surgical intervention. On outgoings, Jan Ziółkowski has received an offer from Saudi Arabia that is currently under evaluation by the club. The Polish defender could join Matías Soulé and Manu Koné as potential departures if the right terms materialise. Elsewhere, Roma continue pursuing a right winger with Endrick's name still in the mix; the club is exploring a loan structure for the Brazilian talent born in 2006 to bolster that position.

Roma's pre-season tour of Britain concluded with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium, marking the final fixture of an intensive preparation cycle that took Gian Piero Gasperini's squad through Cardiff, Newport, and England. The loss came after encouraging signs against Newport but exposed defensive frailties and a need for sharper athletic conditioning as the squad builds towards the 2026–27 campaign. The intensity of Brighton's play and elevated tempo highlighted areas where Roma's match fitness still requires development, a natural consequence of the heavy workload sustained during the early weeks of the British training block. The squad flew back to Italy immediately after the final whistle and returned to Rome yesterday evening. To allow recovery from the accumulated fatigue and to process the tactical lessons from the Amex, Gasperini granted the group two full days of rest. Training resumes on Tuesday afternoon at Trigoria. The next major test arrives on Ferragosto (15 August) in a high-profile friendly against Borussia Dortmund, a fixture intended as a final dress rehearsal before the opening competitive matches of the new season.

Roma have not given up on signing Endrick. The Brazilian has been on the club's radar for some time, and director Ghigiarelli met with the player's agents today. According to Sportitalia, Ghigiarelli is waiting for Real Madrid to communicate whether Endrick will remain in their squad or be sent out on loan, as happened last season. Real Madrid, unlike their situation with Mastantuono, have yet to make their position clear to the player. Roma are prepared to move quickly if the Spanish club decide to sell. The Giallorossi have joined the queue of interested parties, which also includes Fenerbahçe and several Premier League clubs. Should Real Madrid make Endrick available, Roma believe they have a genuine chance of bringing the former Palmeiras forward to the capital. The outlook on Endrick's future is expected to become clearer early next week.

Roma continue their pre-season preparation in England on Saturday 8 August, facing Brighton at the American Express Stadium with kickoff at 16:00. Head coach Gasperini will be without Molina, who will join the squad directly at Trigoria, though Malen is available. Pisilli and Bah remain sidelined through injury. The friendly forms part of Roma's summer training schedule following their time in Wales. Gasperini has confirmed his squad composition for the match, with the unavailability of two key players due to injury requiring tactical adjustments. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, accessible via the app or official website through smartphone, PC, or tablet.

Roma face Brighton on Saturday 8 August at 16:00 at the Amex Stadium in their sixth pre-season friendly. The match will be the third and final test of Roma's summer tour. Following victories over Primavera and Trastevere, a draw with Cannes, a defeat to Cardiff City, and a win against Newport County on Tuesday, Gian Piero Gasperini's side continue their build-up to the 2026–27 season. Roma will be without two players for the fixture. Niccolò Pisilli is sidelined by injury and expected to return the following week, while Bah faces a longer absence due to a cruciate ligament rupture. Brighton, managed by Hürzeler, will provide the final acid test before Roma's competitive campaign begins. Brighton vs Roma will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN with a 16:00 kickoff on Saturday 8 August. Viewers can access the stream via the DAZN app on smart TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, or TIM VISION Box. Live coverage and social media updates will also be available on Forzaroma.info, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma completed their final day of training in Wales on 6 August with a double session at Hensol, the first at 10.30 and the second at 16.00. Donyell Malen returned to group training after working separately the previous day, while Niccolò Pisilli remained unavailable and will rejoin the squad the following week. The club flies to London on 7 August before heading to Brighton for the final stage of their pre-season tour in the United Kingdom. Roma will face Brighton in a friendly on 8 August at 15.00 (16.00 Italian time), a rematch of their 2024 Europa League encounter. The squad will return to Rome immediately after the match. Two further pre-season fixtures follow: a test against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, and their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on 24 August.

Roma suffered a second defeat in three pre-season outings, losing 3–0 to Brighton in what Gasperini described as a concerning display two weeks before the season begins. Wesley emerged as the standout performer, while Neil El Aynaoui stepped back from his midweek form, and the defence was repeatedly breached. Gianluca Mancini (5) lost his man on Brighton's third goal and appeared less commanding than usual, while Mario Hermoso (5) was partly culpable for the opening goal and departed with a foot problem. Evan N'Dicka (5.5) offered insufficient security at the back, and Devyne Rensch (4.5) endured a forgettable afternoon at right-back following several indecisions; Koulierakis (6) and Daniele Ghilardi (6) came on at half-time and improved the display, though the match was already decided. Wesley (6) impressed with his physicality and athleticism, particularly a close effort at the 28-minute mark, while Paulo Dybala (5.5) created Roma's most dangerous opportunity despite a subdued showing. Neil El Aynaoui (4.5) was erratic in midfield, losing the ball in an exchange with Rensch that led to Brighton's second goal. Bryan Cristante (5.5), the captain, struggled to control the midfield as his experience might demand. Matías Soulé (5.5) lacked incisiveness despite constant movement. Donyell Malen (5) remained short of match fitness and rarely troubled the goalkeeper. Gasperini rated the performance 5, noting that Roma has conceded eleven goals across the last 360 minutes of pre-season play. Though he acknowledged no points are at stake in August, he expressed disappointment for the 750 Roma supporters in attendance. The transfer market remains underdeveloped, he added, but the squad must perform better ahead of competitive fixtures.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma concluded their British pre-season schedule with a 3-0 defeat at Brighton's American Express Stadium. Goals from Rutter in the 29th minute and a brace from Ayari in the 40th and 49th minutes sealed the result. Roma trailed at half-time after Rutter and Ayari's strikes, and Ayari's second goal early in the second half effectively decided the contest. The defeat followed Roma's earlier loss to Cardiff and victory over Newport County in the warm-up campaign. Head coach Gasperini fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Dybala and Soulé deployed behind striker Malen. The lineup included Svilar in goal, a back three of Mancini, N'Dicka, and Hermoso, with Rensch and Wesley as wing-backs, El Aynaoui and Cristante in midfield. In a tactical experiment late in the match, Gasperini replaced Dybala with Castro in the 66th minute, allowing the Argentine and Dutch winger Malen to share almost twenty minutes together, though they created little of note. Roma made multiple substitutions throughout the fixture, with changes across defence, midfield, and attack at intervals. Brighton fielded a 4-3-3, with manager Hurzeler making significant alterations at the hour mark, bringing on Osman, Kostoulas, and Yohanna. The match was refereed by Bobby Madley.