Roma opened their 2026–27 season with a commanding 4–0 victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick and setting up further chances in a performance that announced the club's attacking potency. Paulo Dybala provided three assists, combining with Malen in what the match report describes as a partnership functioning "better than Goku and Vegeta". Niccolò Pisilli added the fourth goal. Rodrigo Mora made his debut and was given a standing ovation before kick-off, Gasperini launching him into the starting XI in a statement of intent that saw all new arrivals handed match time in a fixture played at high tempo with minimal defensive strain on Mile Svilar.
The victory delivered immediate validation of Roma's summer recruitment. Dybala's fitness and form were on full display—the 8/10 rating in the match assessment noted he "wanted to be Roma's first goalscorer of the season" and that his connection with Malen was devastating when he was operating at this level. Malen's 8.5/10 reflected his ruthlessness, the report highlighting both a gift from Dybala for his opening goal and a second that was "pure Malen: grit, speed and killer instinct". Wesley, making his first competitive appearance, showed his ankle was holding up, though "not yet in dazzling form". Mora's brief introduction before his substitution at 53 minutes drew praise for a "curling shot that forced De Gea to work overtime", demonstrating the quality Villas-Boas had been reluctant to release.
Gasperini's tactical blueprint was laid bare from the opening whistle. The boss "called the press, called for few touches" and had "already shifted into fifth gear" by the first match of the campaign, the report notes. In midfield, Bryan Cristante covered the most ground—averaging 10.2 km as he had done last season—while Manu Koné arrived dangerously on percussive runs, though Gasperini "threw him a look" when he forced an unnecessary acceleration on the 3–0 goal. The defence was untroubled; Evan N'Dicka, making an early impact, was "providential in closing on Pellegrino" within three minutes of his entry, and Gianluca Mancini "strapped the spaces by right" from the Fiorentina midfield. Matías Soulé came on at 53 minutes and "got tangled on the shot" despite doing everything else correctly in the box before playing a role in the fourth.
Gasperini made five substitutions: Konstantinos Koulierakis replaced Mario Hermoso at 67 minutes, Santiago Castro came on for Malen at the same interval, Neil El Aynaoui entered for Koné at 78, and Pisilli replaced Dybala at 78, scoring shortly after "with a bit of fortune following a good flick".
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Roma opened their 2026–27 season with a commanding 4–0 victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico, delivering immediate validation of the club's summer recruitment under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Donyell Malen scored a hat-trick while Paulo Dybala orchestrated play with three assists, combining in a partnership described as devastating. Niccolò Pisilli added the fourth goal late on. Rodrigo Mora made his debut and earned a standing ovation before kick-off, introduced in the starting XI as an attacking midfielder, though he was substituted at 53 minutes after forcing De Gea to work with a curling shot. Wesley made his first competitive appearance at left-back, with his ankle fitness holding up despite not yet reaching peak form.
Gasperini's tactical intent was evident from the opening whistle, with the press high and tempo relentless. Bryan Cristante covered the most ground in midfield at 10.2 km, while Manu Koné arrived dangerously on attacking runs, drawing a tactical reminder from his manager when he forced an unnecessary acceleration during the third goal. The defence faced minimal strain, with Evan N'Dicka proving providential in closing down Pellegrino early on, and Gianluca Mancini controlling the right side effectively. Matías Soulé entered at 53 minutes and played a role in Pisilli's goal, which came with a touch of fortune following a good flick.
Gasperini made five substitutions across the match, rotating his squad to manage the campaign ahead. The victory demonstrated both the attacking prowess of Roma's new signings and the defensive solidity Gasperini has instilled in the side's opening statement of intent.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“La Roma parte con un Tri-bala e un Pisilli. Perdonateci il gioco di parole, in realtà la tripletta è targata Malen, neanche a dirlo, ma i tre assist sono cortesia di Paulo e Niccolò ci mette la firma. I giallorossi inaugurano la stagione con un poker alla Fiorentina davanti ai propri tifosi e con…”
Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.