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Roma beaten 1–4 by Cardiff City in Wales
·2 August 2026·90d ago

Roma beaten 1–4 by Cardiff City in Wales

Source: Il Romanista

Roma suffered a heavy defeat to Cardiff City in their opening pre-season fixture, losing 4–1 at the Welsh Championship club on 2 August. The Giallorossi conceded three goals in the opening half-hour and went in at 0–3 at the break, with errors from established players including Svilar, N'Dicka, Hermoso, Wesley, Cristante and Dybala contributing to a chaotic first period. Paulo Dybala missed a penalty in spectacular fashion before atoning in the second half with a goal created by Matías Soulé, though Cardiff added a fourth after an apparent foul on debutant Castro went unpunished.

The match served as the competitive debut for Castro, who operated as the striker in an all-Argentine attacking triad alongside Dybala and Soulé under coach Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical system. Roma fielded a reduced squad following two weeks of pre-season work, while Cardiff were significantly further along in their preparation ahead of their League Cup campaign starting within days. Officiating decisions favoured the hosts, with romanisti receiving a series of yellow cards distributed seemingly arbitrarily. Wesley and Rensch appeared vulnerable on the flanks, while the centre-backs and midfield operated out of sync. A notable injury concern emerged when Bah suffered a right knee distortion and had to be stretchered off. The second half saw gradual improvements, though Cardiff's quality ensured few clear chances materialised for the visitors. Young midfielder Lulli (born 2007) impressed in a brief appearance.

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This summary was generated by an AI model. Always read the source for complete and accurate information.

Story Coverage9 sources on this story

Roma began their pre-season campaign in Wales on August 1st with a friendly against Cardiff City, suffering a heavy 4–1 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium. The Giallorossi conceded three goals in a chaotic first half, with defensive errors from established players including Svilar, N'Dicka, Hermoso, Wesley, and Cristante contributing to the collapse. Paulo Dybala missed a penalty before atoning in the second half with a goal assisted by Matías Soulé, though Cardiff added a fourth goal. Il Romanista reports the match served as the competitive debut for Santiago Castro, operating as striker in an all-Argentine attacking triad under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical system. Multiple outlets note that Wesley and Rensch appeared vulnerable defensively, while the centre-backs and midfield operated out of sync. Forza Roma reports tensions flaring late in the match when Castro was fouled without a whistle, leading to heated words and a physical exchange between Dybala and Cristante. The squad suffered a setback when Bah sustained a right-knee distortion and required stretcher assistance. Gasperini remained pragmatic, acknowledging the team's rustiness while noting the requirement for depth across all positions. Roma News reports that newly announced CEO John Galantic attended the fixture and will remain throughout the Welsh training camp.

AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.

Testo Originale / Source Text

“Molte ombre, poche luci. Nonostante quella abbagliante del sole agostano delle 3 del pomeriggio, ora locale, perfino a Cardiff. Dal primo impegno in Galles la Roma esce con 4 gol sul groppone contro una squadra di Championship (la seconda serie britannica). Non esattamente una bella figura. Ma…”

Read the full article in Italian at Il Romanista.

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