Pjanic backs Roma to win the scudetto as Gasperini's side impresses

Marco Materazzi, the former Inter player and 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, has publicly backed Gianluca Mancini as the best defender in Serie A. Speaking at the Trento Festival to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Materazzi demonstrated his affection for the Roma defender, whom he has long been an idol to — Mancini wears the number 23 both for Roma and for Italy in tribute. Mancini is no stranger to Materazzi's admiration. When asked to rank Serie A's top defenders, Materazzi named Mancini ahead of Bisseck, Rrahmani, Akanji, Chalobah, Pavlovic, Balerdi, Ramón, Solet, Gila, Hermoso and Alaba. For Balerdi he noted: "You know he's a fan of mine and I'm his idol, so Mancini." On Gila he said: "I can't vote for a Milanista." When it came to Inter players, however, Materazzi's heart took over. Asked to choose between Mancini and John Stones, he replied: "Stones, he's Inter." The English defender prevailed over Scalvini and Bremer, but ultimately finished behind Alessandro Bastoni in Materazzi's final ranking.

Radio pundit Piero Torri has voiced concern that Bryan Cristante's injury could be more serious than initially thought, and has outlined how he would approach Roma's upcoming fixtures if the midfielder is unavailable. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà Sport Roma (90.9), Torri said: "I'm afraid Cristante's injury may not be a short one. If he's not fit, I wouldn't risk trying to get him back for Real Madrid. I would play de Roon at Como and Pisilli against Real Madrid." Torri also reflected on head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's handling of Paulo Dybala's minutes, saying the manager's approach has shifted his perspective. "What Gasperini said about Dybala struck me—it erased my previous beliefs about his playing time and management. And so far he's been proved right," Torri noted. He suggested Roma should begin discussions about Gasperini's contract intentions, given that the coach's deal will expire at the end of the season. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino (104.5), praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's importance to the team: "Svilar is a world-class goalkeeper for Roma, I have no doubt about it. If there's a normal goalkeeper, it's easy to lose 3–1. But with him it's different."

Giuseppe Giannini, Roma legend and former captain, gave an extended interview to Gazzetta dello Sport's SportWeek supplement in which he assessed the club's greatest number 10s and discussed what it means to represent the Giallorossi. Giannini placed Francesco Totti at the summit by numbers, followed by Agostino Di Bartolomei and De Sisti, before ranking himself fourth based on his Romanità and Paulo Dybala fifth—"even though he wears 21 on his back", Giannini said. On Dybala specifically, Giannini praised the Argentine forward's ability to escape tight situations with the ball at his feet. "The fact that he plays with great simplicity. He always manages to get out of every game situation, even the most complicated one. Even when surrounded by two or three opponents he is capable of handling it somehow and coming out of it with the ball. He is a player who has fantasy, flashes of genius. And you can see that when he plays, he enjoys himself. When a champion manages to play while enjoying himself, he also pulls the fans along, who identify with him," Giannini said. "I would steal his left foot, but I would give him my right one." Giannini recounted his early relationship with Totti, whom he housed during a team trip when no single room was available. "It was my father who brought Totti from Lodigiani to Roma, so I had no problem letting him sleep with me. I didn't make my role as captain weigh on him, but he watched me without speaking. He was shy. We played cards and went to sleep. He told me later that night he didn't close an eye, but I couldn't swear to it because I slept peacefully," Giannini explained. He also named Mario Kempes, the Argentine forward, as his childhood idol, drawn to his technical strength and long hair, which Giannini imitated. After Kempes, Di Bartolomei became his model. Giannini identified 20 March 1994 at Foggia as the moment he was most proud to wear Giallorosso colours. Roma trailed to Zeman's Foggia but Giannini scored the leveller to make it 1–1, a result that sparked four consecutive victories and brought the club close to UEFA Cup qualification. The most emotionally difficult moment in his captaincy came when, following the death of president Dino Viola, Giannini was tasked with placing a bouquet of flowers on the president's chair at the Olimpico before the first home match without him.