Pruzzo warns Roma lack defensive solidity ahead of crucial matches

Abel Balbo, the club's former striker, has backed Roma to challenge Inter for the Serie A title, praising Gian Piero Gasperini's squad as capable of competing for the championship. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Balbo said: "It's a beautiful Roma to watch, entertaining and getting results. It's a pleasure to go to the stadium to see them and I think they will have an extraordinary season." Though he acknowledged Inter's broader depth, Balbo identified Roma as their principal antagonist: "Inter is still superior because they have a more complete squad, but Roma is the only one that can compete for the title." Balbo urged the club and fanbase to embrace ambition rather than hide from it. "The season is long, there are the cup competitions and Inter can also make mistakes. The important thing is to take advantage of them at the right moment. Why not believe in it? Not always the strongest win. You also need a bit of luck," he explained. Roma's title ambitions rest significantly on Donyell Malen's goalscoring, which Balbo praised for its simplicity and effectiveness. Balbo highlighted Malen's ability to score in varied ways—including a strike against Torino—and his capacity to function as an atypical striker who roams beyond the penalty area to support Gasperini's system. "He's a simple and effective player, and the most difficult thing in football is to play with simplicity. He does it better than anyone. He's fast, he knows how to move, he attacks space and sees the goal with ease. He's very strong," Balbo said. The Argentine stressed Malen's willingness to help the team under pressure and his instinct for finding the net in any situation—qualities Balbo believes can sustain Roma's bid to narrow the gap to Inter and establish themselves as genuine title contenders.

Radio pundit Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport has raised questions about whether midfielder Kvernadze would be the right fit for Roma in January, questioning whether Gasperini wants a ready-made player or would accept a gamble on potential. Torri said: "I don't know if Kvernadze is the right player for January. You have to understand if Gasperini wants a ready player, or if he'll settle for the gamble too. The player seems interesting, seems like a Gasperini type…but is he ready?" He estimates Frosinone would demand €20–25 million, and believes Roma could negotiate a better price if they move quickly. The comments reflect broader questions about Roma's midfield recruitment strategy and the role of Gasperini's playing style in shaping targets. Torri stressed the importance of external factors beyond the market: "You'll also have to see what UEFA tells Roma in mid-November, and what position Roma will be in come December." These references point to Roma's ongoing UEFA compliance situation and their league standing, both of which could influence winter spending capacity and priority. The discussion formed part of a wider radio roundtable on Roman football. Other contributors included Angelo Mangiante of Radio Manà Manà, who addressed Francesco Totti's position with the club, and Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo, who discussed Roma's youth development and midfield depth.

Rome's radio stations have weighed in on three key issues facing Roma as the season progresses: the speculation around midfielder Kvernadze, the development of Rodrigo Mora, and the decision to sell Niccolo Romano to Cagliari. Alessio Nardo criticised the timing of any potential move for Kvernadze. "If you were smart, you would have gone to get him in July or mid-August," Nardo said. "Now he's had an extraordinary start to the season, and after three weeks Frosinone will make you pay triple. Now it's foolish to go and get Kvernadze." Piero Torri added context: Frosinone are likely to demand €20–25 million for the player, but the price could rise further if Roma move slowly. Torri also flagged that Roma's position in the league table in December, and UEFA's verdict on the club's situation by mid-November, will determine whether the ownership feels obliged to invest in January. On Mora, Daniele Lo Monaco offered a technical assessment tempered by concerns about readiness. "From a technical standpoint I think Rodrigo Mora is superior to Matías Soulé," Lo Monaco said. "For me, Mora has only Dybala above him, because he does extraordinary things that others can only imagine. But from a physical point of view you have some doubts, because when he goes into a challenge, opponents push him around. And every so often during the match he loses focus, and with Gasperini you cannot afford that. Today he is not quite ready to play with Gasperini, but he will become ready soon, especially if he does not have the pressure on him of having to prove he is worth €50 million, because otherwise it becomes a problem." Fabio Petruzzi framed the Romano sale as a difficult but necessary choice. "Romano is a good player, I do not say otherwise, but I would be cautious," Petruzzi said. "He would not have played at Roma. Roma had to make a choice: either Pisilli or Romano." Stefano Carina highlighted the oddity of Romano's sale: the initial asking price was €9 million, but the player departed for €5 million. "If you were asking nine million then perhaps this lad is worth something," Carina noted. "Cagliari saw further ahead, and now it seems like a big regret."

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini exploded with emotion when Matías Soulé scored, sprinting toward the Curva Sud in a moment that recalled José Mourinho's famous touchline celebration in September 2021, when Stephan El Shaarawy netted in the 91st minute against Sassuolo. The comparison was striking: both managers had been unable to contain their joy at critical moments, running to embrace the supporters. Yesterday's display suggested Gasperini is restoring the emotional intensity that Mourinho once brought to the Olimpico. The exuberance was infectious, yet it came to an abrupt halt. A staff member physically stopped Gasperini before he could reach the touchline—not to dampen the celebration, but to protect him from a second yellow card. The coach was already on a caution, and a further offense would have meant a ban for Roma's next fixture, a sensitive away trip to Turin. The intervention, though it cut short the moment, was tactically essential. Gasperini's desire to celebrate was unmistakable, but the immediate need to preserve his availability for the coming matches took precedence. The incident encapsulated what has shifted at Roma: the club has rediscovered emotion and connection with its supporters under Gasperini's leadership. The Curva Sud will wait for their manager's unreserved embrace—though likely not for much longer.

AS Roma faces UEFA review of its settlement agreement compliance after a summer transfer window costing approximately 125 million euros in purchases and 30 million in sales, with capital gains reaching only 25 million. The club will defend its position to UEFA at Nyon by highlighting a dramatic reduction in the wage bill—the primary evidence it claims of its sustainability strategy. Last season the payroll exceeded 133 million euros gross; it has now fallen to around 113 million, moving closer to the 100-million target. The wage cuts stem largely from player departures including Zaragoza, Çelik, Angeliño, Tsimikas, El Shaarawy and Dovbyk. The signing of Santiago Castro, a younger player with a lower salary spread across multiple years, exemplifies Roma's shift in strategy. Significant savings also came from the exits of El Aynaoui, Vaz, Ziółkowski and Kumbulla. Contract renewals for Dybala, Mancini, Cristante and Pellegrini followed the same model, reducing the fixed portion of salaries in favour of performance and appearance bonuses; these four extensions alone saved approximately 15 million euros. New arrivals Castro, Mora, Koulierakis, Molina, Balerdi and De Roon will cost around 25 million euros gross combined. Roma's overall wage reduction stands close to 45 million euros, reflecting the club's revised commercial approach as it attempts to satisfy UEFA's conditions set out in the 2022 settlement agreement.

Radio pundits across Rome's main sports stations have weighed in on the club's summer transfer window, with assessments ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 out of 10. The dominant theme is that Roma has strengthened their squad depth significantly but failed to address the most pressing gap: a left-sided winger to compete with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack. Fabio Petruzzi gave the window 7.5, saying: "I'm optimistic: Roma is now clearly much stronger, as a squad, in mentality, as players. Between those who left and those who arrived there is a big difference. Between Balerdi and Ziolkowski there is a big difference, between Mora and El Shaarawy there is a big difference, but also between Castro and Dovbyk. For me you are now the second team behind Inter. Roma and Como in my view are up there; Roma has a bit more than the Lombards. There is a touch of disappointment—with something extra now you would be attached to Inter. But my rating is 7.5." Francesca Ferrazza graded it six, saying it would have been seven with Leweling and eight with Greenwood, and called the absence of a left winger "madness." She noted: "Gasperini closes his third transfer window without a left-sided forward. It's madness. The squad is wider, but a starter is missing up front." Other voices offered lower marks. Paolo Cosenza gave 5.5, arguing the bench is too thin and that Gasperini had asked for both a high and low left-sided winger but Roma supplied neither. Lorenzo Pes pointed out there is no left-footed fullback and that deals for Leweling and initially an alternative fell through, with reports of regime indecision before a revised offer to the German was made but rejected. Roberto Pruzzo awarded six, saying: "You've widened the options, you have two very strong centre-forwards. Castro in my view could play in any team in the championship, I won't even mention Malen. Mora will be able to help from the bench. You needed to sign a winger and it didn't happen, and so that's my assessment. There is no new starter compared to last year." Piero Torri suggested Roma may explore free agents including Sancho or Sterling to address the problem, saying: "I believe Roma will think about it. If Dybala stays fit over the coming months, the problem doesn't exist, because Dybala and Malen play there, and then you pick the third. If luck smiles on Roma and from now until 31 December, the absence of the left winger can become less damaging. But in any case I would go out and get a seventh player up front." The window closed with the squad expanded but incomplete.