Radio pundits split on Roma's depth, Dybala's fitness and Malen's absence

Former Roma winger Max Tonetto has spoken to Gianlucadimarzio.com about his career, his move to the capital and the Roma side of the mid-2000s, when he was among the club's key figures under Spalletti. Tonetto said he arrived at Roma feeling better prepared for a big club, a major dressing room and a demanding city: "I was much more ready than in the past to face a big club, an important dressing room, a difficult and complicated city like Rome. It was the right moment to make that step." He described a dressing room with champions such as Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, alongside a group of younger players who lightened the days with pranks and jokes. Totti, Tonetto recalled, was one of the driving forces of that atmosphere. "He is a guy who loves to have fun, who loves a joke. In those years he was not as outgoing as he has been since he stopped playing. Everything he showed, he showed with deeds and little with words." Tonetto's brightest memory of that period is inevitably the Santiago Bernabeu. In March 2008, Roma beat Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Tonetto provided the assist for Taddei's goal. The performance earned him the nickname "T-Max" for his constant runs down the flank. He reflected on the four-year cycle: "It was the peak of a four-year cycle that was certainly important for me and for the whole team. We won three trophies, we finished second three times, twice reached the Champions League quarter-finals and once the round of 16. We established ourselves on the European and international stage. Looking back, I would enjoy those moments more." Tonetto identifies the win in Madrid and the victory in Lyon as the two moments that mark the peak of a period in which Roma consistently competed at a high level. "Winning in a stadium like that, with that history and against a team used to great nights, is certainly one of the most beautiful memories. That night has remained indelible." He then turned to De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani and their careers as coaches. "Between the two, I certainly saw De Rossi doing very well on the bench, and Aquilani I just did not see it at all. They were probably going through different stages of maturity: Alberto was still very young, while Daniele was a little more mature, even though there is only one year between them. When I saw them play together at 22, I rated Alberto on a par with Daniele."

Matías Soulé has made the strongest start of his Roma career, with his 2026-27 form standing out even against top sides such as Real Madrid and Napoli. The Argentine forward has 3 goals and 3 assists across Serie A and the Champions League, and an average of 2.78 shots on target and 2.22 successful dribbles per match. The Italian article compares this start with his breakout 2023-24 season at Frosinone under Di Francesco, when the then teenager scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist in his first nine league matches, totalling 767 minutes, while averaging 2.44 shots on target per game, according to Sofascore data. He joined Roma from Juventus in the summer of 2024 for 30 million euros. His first season in Giallorossi colours, under De Rossi and Juric, was much quieter, with just 1 goal and 1.5 shots per match. The article notes that this was normal for a very young player. The following year brought a change, with 3 goals and 2 assists in 666 minutes. He was often decisive even when Roma were struggling, including his goals against Pisa and Verona. A groin problem (pubalgia) then ruined the end of that season, and Soulé disappointed greatly, seriously risking a sale. This season, he has added a defensive contribution to his attacking game, having worked on both phases of play with Gasperini in recent months. He has often been among the best players on the pitch for a Roma side that has now discovered the real Soulé. The article adds that he is now claiming a place in the Argentina squad and is not making fans miss Paulo Dybala. It concludes that the real Joya, the nickname linked to Dybala, will be seeing the two of them play together.

Roma's first team is running smoothly under Gian Piero Gasperini, with well-targeted signings, a recognisable style and young players developing well. The problem lies with the players out on loan in Serie A and abroad, who have struggled to establish themselves. Some were signed under the previous management of Massara, others under Ghisolfi, and some have been drifting between clubs since the Mourinho era. Many of them, if not all, could return to the club in June without having been redeemed, which the article calls a clear loss. Goalkeeper Zelezny is on loan at Serie C side Perugia. He has started every match, but his figures are less impressive: 17 goals conceded in 11 games for a side that was expected to be among the leaders. In defence, Angelino, Ziolkowski and Kumbulla are out on loan. Angelino, who has recently suffered serious health problems, returned to Deportivo La Coruña. He has made only one start, against Sevilla, and was sent off in the 59th minute. Kumbulla has not played a minute for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and has made just one appearance in the Copa del Rey. Ziolkowski has one appearance on record, due to a serious plantar fascia injury, and is expected back in November. In midfield, El Aynaoui is a regular starter for Leipzig, but his performances have been unexceptional, with a single assist. Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga and 29th in the Champions League. Setting aside Romano and Baldanzi, who both have an obligation to buy, Cherubini has made 7 appearances and scored one goal for Benevento. Salah Eddine, who moved to Panathinaikos in September, has four appearances in total, and it is still too early to judge him. Robinio Vaz's start at Hull City has been disappointing: no starts, only a few minutes late in matches, and no goals. The Frenchman cost 25 million in January and is not finding a place in the side as he did under Gasperini. Mannini, who has also moved to Benevento, has no starts. Dovbyk risks returning as early as January. Palladino never picks him, preferring Osteegard in the unusual role of centre-forward given Piccoli's absence. The Ukrainian has scored one goal in four matches, all under Tedesco while he was still in charge at Bologna.

Paulo Dybala will not be available for Roma's away trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Arena, despite head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's optimism about his recovery. Roma are facing a demanding run of fixtures and arrive at the match with several important absences. According to Il Tempo, Gasperini is waiting for the Argentine forward, known as La Joya, to return. Dybala was left out of the squad for the match against Cagliari, despite rejoining the group training on Sunday. He has suffered no setbacks and the injury has fully healed, but he was not called up as a precaution. Before the Cagliari game he had felt a minor discomfort, and the medical staff preferred not to take a risk. The focus now is on getting Dybala back for the UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester United on 3 November.

Matías Soulé has made the strongest start of his Roma career, with his 2026-27 form standing out even against top sides such as Real Madrid and Napoli. The Argentine forward has 3 goals and 3 assists across Serie A and the Champions League, and an average of 2.78 shots on target and 2.22 successful dribbles per match. The Italian article compares this start with his breakout 2023-24 season at Frosinone under Di Francesco, when the then teenager scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist in his first nine league matches, totalling 767 minutes, while averaging 2.44 shots on target per game, according to Sofascore data. He joined Roma from Juventus in the summer of 2024 for 30 million euros. His first season in Giallorossi colours, under De Rossi and Juric, was much quieter, with just 1 goal and 1.5 shots per match. The article notes that this was normal for a very young player. The following year brought a change, with 3 goals and 2 assists in 666 minutes. He was often decisive even when Roma were struggling, including his goals against Pisa and Verona. A groin problem (pubalgia) then ruined the end of that season, and Soulé disappointed greatly, seriously risking a sale. This season, he has added a defensive contribution to his attacking game, having worked on both phases of play with Gasperini in recent months. He has often been among the best players on the pitch for a Roma side that has now discovered the real Soulé. The article adds that he is now claiming a place in the Argentina squad and is not making fans miss Paulo Dybala. It concludes that the real Joya, the nickname linked to Dybala, will be seeing the two of them play together.

Rodrigo Mora's decisive header against Cagliari has delighted Roma supporters and revived regret among Porto fans over the midfielder's departure. Before Tuesday evening, the young Portuguese had had an uneven spell in the capital. He arrived in August with high expectations after an initial outlay of €25 million, alternating flashes of talent with less convincing displays and even finding himself on the bench in recent weeks. Then came a superb header at the Olimpico, followed by the assist that set up Malen's 4-2, which changed the picture overnight. His performance was noticed in Portugal too. As Il Romanista reports, the debate over a sale that some Porto supporters have never accepted has resurfaced on social media. One fan wrote: "Mora was sold because of Farioli, and now he is showing why everyone said 50 million was a bargain... Roma are lucky." Another went further, saying: "Great technique and grit, the place in Portugal's team must be his, not Ronaldo's." A third took a swipe at Roma: "He is too great a talent for a club that doesn't know how to value its players." Among the regret, though, there is also pride from those who watched Mora grow in the blue and white shirt. One Porto supporter wrote: "Even though there remains regret over how he could have become with us with more time, seeing him score like this makes us proud. May he keep growing, shining and showing the qualities we already knew. Talent has never been in doubt!" The message shows how much the player left his mark on the Dragão, despite a departure marked by controversy and division. Gian Piero Gasperini continues to manage him carefully. Mora has made 10 appearances in the first 12 matches, totalling 425 minutes, numbers that reflect a talent still seeking full consecration. The coach has always defended him, pointing out that he must improve above all physically and in his stamina over 90 minutes. After the Cagliari game, however, Gasperini described him as "una mina vagante", a wildcard. The header was his seventh goal of a young career, scored despite his height of 168 centimetres. Mora said: "I dream of being a decisive player." A first start could come soon, on Saturday at Udine, with Paulo Dybala absent. It is a chance to show that the Cagliari performance was not an isolated flash. Roma hope they have found a future protagonist, while in Porto some still wonder whether a mistake was made in letting him go so early.

Roma have scored more late goals than almost anyone in Serie A this season, with only Inter having a better record in the closing stages of matches. Their latest late surge came against Cagliari, where Rodrigo Mora and Malen struck in the final five minutes. Roma have now scored seven goals after the 75th minute in nine league matches, two fewer than Inter, who beat the Giallorossi yesterday. The pattern marks a clear change from last season. Writing in Il Tempo, Lorenzo Pes noted that Gasperini's first Roma side struggled badly to overturn results and often lost games once they fell behind. This season's team attacks with order even when little time remains, and it has shown a hunger for major targets. The comeback at Napoli was followed by another late strike against Cagliari, and the squad has rallied in the closing stages of several games. Gasperini can now draw on important options from the bench, and the numbers show that substitutes have often decided matches. Two of the late goals came against Cagliari from Mora and Malen. Balerdi made the difference at Napoli, Soulé did so against Atalanta, and Pisilli did so in the first matchday against Fiorentina.

Roma's win over Cagliari has underlined how central the club's young players have become to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The Giallorossi rely confidently on their Under-23 players, who have made decisive contributions at key moments of matches, as shown by the performances and goals of those who came through the youth sector and have been developed by the coach. Among the positives is the steady progress of Emanuele Lulli, who recently renewed his contract until 2031. The 2005-born defender scored his second consecutive league goal in front of the Curva Sud, and has established himself as a valuable asset and an important presence in the rotation. Alongside him, Niccolò Pisilli has become a consolidated certainty in midfield, combining consistent performances with a nose for goals. According to Il Tempo, the Olimpico clash was also the night of breakthrough for Rodrigo Mora. The 19-year-old Portuguese, who was initially greeted with scepticism over his market valuation, unlocked the match by scoring his first goal in front of the Roma crowd. Gasperini himself praised the young Portuguese's technical qualities after the game, stressing that his imagination is a fundamental factor for the season. The young group is completed by the gradual integration of players such as Koulierakis and Castro, who are asked to provide valid alternatives in a squad that blends the freshness of the youth ranks with the maturity of the senior players. For Gasperini's Roma, young players are no longer just a future prospect but a solid reality capable of making the difference.

Rodrigo Mora has taken off, and the Portuguese forward is now looking to take Roma by the hand. His goal against Cagliari was decisive in a heavy Roma win and has changed the outlook on his future at the club. He arrived on 19 August, when Roma invested 50 million euros in him (25 million up front and another 25 million the following year, with the option of a 50% share in any future resale), making him the most expensive signing in the club's history. Mora left Portugal and Porto, the club that had nurtured him for a long time, for the first time in his life. Andrea Pugliese, writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, reports that many expected to see Mora start against Cagliari, but Gasperini preferred again to field three midfielders, with Pisilli deployed high alongside Soulé. Mora therefore began on the bench on Tuesday and came on early in the second half. Gasperini had publicly defended him and praised him often before the Cagliari match, but privately he had hoped for a different signal, a reaction. Mora scored with a header despite standing just 168 centimetres tall. Roma now travel to Udine, and Gasperini will need him again. Dybala will still be out, the three-midfielder system is not yet a viable option, and De Roon is clearly declining. That leaves Mora and Soulé as the only available attacking midfielders for Gasperini. Mora's margin for improvement is wide, perhaps as wide as the expectations placed on him.

Rodrigo Mora has taken off, and the Portuguese forward is now looking to take Roma by the hand. His goal against Cagliari was decisive in a heavy Roma win and has changed the outlook on his future at the club. He arrived on 19 August, when Roma invested 50 million euros in him (25 million up front and another 25 million the following year, with the option of a 50% share in any future resale), making him the most expensive signing in the club's history. Mora left Portugal and Porto, the club that had nurtured him for a long time, for the first time in his life. Andrea Pugliese, writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, reports that many expected to see Mora start against Cagliari, but Gasperini preferred again to field three midfielders, with Pisilli deployed high alongside Soulé. Mora therefore began on the bench on Tuesday and came on early in the second half. Gasperini had publicly defended him and praised him often before the Cagliari match, but privately he had hoped for a different signal, a reaction. Mora scored with a header despite standing just 168 centimetres tall. Roma now travel to Udine, and Gasperini will need him again. Dybala will still be out, the three-midfielder system is not yet a viable option, and De Roon is clearly declining. That leaves Mora and Soulé as the only available attacking midfielders for Gasperini. Mora's margin for improvement is wide, perhaps as wide as the expectations placed on him.

Roman radio pundits were largely focused on Roma after the win over Cagliari, with the debate centring on Mancini's performance, Mora's goal and the fitness of Paulo Dybala. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: “Maybe it was the worst match Mancini has played since he’s been here at Roma. Honestly, after that first half I didn’t think he could come back out, and yet he did.” He added: “In a normal world, you had to take Mancini off after 20 minutes. He wasn’t presentable.” Gianluca Piacentini said Mora's goal had silenced his serial critics, and praised Gasperini for stressing that the points Roma have taken this season, the same number as last season, carry greater weight because they came against Como, Inter, Napoli and Atalanta. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended Mancini against the whistles he received, saying: “Mancini plays as a striker on Gasperini’s orders. You can’t go back and forth at two hundred an hour; you lose something along the way.” On the Roma-Cagliari match, Corsi described it as a lacklustre game, adding that the young players had turned it around. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport praised Gollini, who made three important saves, and said he was playing with a concentration he had never shown before, having been given a great opportunity by Svilar’s misfortune. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said: “Mora? If Gasperini had another substitute, he’d have taken him off after a quarter of an hour. That was my impression.” He also said he was pleased that Pisilli and Lulli had partly sorted out the match, and said: “If you have to compare yourself to the Roma market, my friend… I had backed Castro, but if Mina has you in his pocket for 80 minutes, you need changing.” He added that Molina struggles to play in Italian football, and that De Roon was static in midfield. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said: “I thought Roma never would lose this one.” Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma had suffered before taking full points. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Roma are unbeaten with six wins and three draws, and argued that Lazio’s eight wins from nine carry a different weight. He said: “I don’t see the Leicester effect in any way. If Lazio finish in the top three, I’ll become a priest.” Mario Corsi said Lazio do not have a team fit for the top places, and Torri noted that Lazio have taken 25 points from 27, with fixtures against Roma, Napoli, Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Torino still to come. The focus then turned to the coming fixtures. Alessio Nardo said the Dybala situation was thorny: he had seemed set to return against Cagliari, but now risked missing the next three matches. He said: “I expect a very, very difficult match against Udinese, and it will take a great Roma to win it.” Lorenzo Pes said Dybala had returned to training on Sunday but would miss Saturday’s game against Udinese, adding: “I think he doesn’t want to miss Manchester-Roma at Old Trafford.” Checco Oddo Casano said the doubt for Saturday against Udinese would be between Mora and De Roon, and said the club’s hopes in attack now depend on Soulé.

Manu Koné is the player Roma cannot do without, according to the article, ahead of even Mile Svilar and Paulo Dybala. The French midfielder is described as Gasperini's man of balance, an element who seems impossible to replace. The numbers back this up: with Koné on the pitch, Roma have conceded 4 goals in 7 matches; without him, they have conceded 9 in just 5. His withdrawal against Real Madrid, with a mask on his face and pain visible in his eyes, had already set off alarm bells. From that moment, Roma's defensive phase appeared to lose its certainties. The article argues that Koné is not a player of spectacular moments but of balance, which allows others to shine. In Gasperini's side, Roma take considerable risks when attacking: the full-backs push forward, the attacking midfielders move close to Malen, and the team pushes up to win the ball back immediately. When the press is beaten or opponents counter, Koné steps in. His contribution, the article says, is measured not only by tackles won but by the dangerous moves that never develop. According to StatsNext, he averages 5.3 balls recovered, 1.75 tackles and around 0.9 interceptions per 90 minutes. Team data is also highlighted: with him on the pitch Roma conceded 0.57 goals per match, against 1.8 without him. The article acknowledges that this figure alone does not prove a direct link between his absence and the defensive difficulties, but says it merits attention. Against Cagliari the difference was evident, the article states. Pisacane's side passed through with ease, transitions flowed, and Roma left gaps. De Roon was struggling and Cristante was not at his best. The midfield needed a Manu, the player Roma have held on to for years and whom Gasperini never wants to lose. The article concludes that the data supports this view, though it was evident even without the numbers. The immediate goal is to have Koné back for the match against Sassuolo. Gasperini is waiting for him, and so is Roma.