Roma conclude Wales training camp with double session before Brighton trip

Nahuel Molina has emerged as a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma side, playing on the left flank—a position he had rarely occupied in his career. After an initial trial at Torino, Gasperini deployed the Argentine right-back on the opposite flank against Inter, a role Molina has played only nine times overall. The experiment paid off: Molina delivered the assist for Manu Koné's opening goal and impressed enough to convince his manager that the system works. The fullback has since regained ground on his positional rivals, closing a physical gap that had left him sidelined at the start of the season. Gasperini's tactical flexibility is his trademark—the previous season he had shifted Wesley to the left with similar success. Molina possesses greater attacking instinct than Zeki Çelik, and his contributions came through continuous overlaps, off-the-ball movement and crosses from the byline. According to reporting by Niccolò Maurelli in La Repubblica, the Argentine has found the right notes to satisfy Gasperini's demands. Training resumed today with the full squad and continues through Friday, followed by two rest days over the weekend. In the three weeks before Roma face Como, Gasperini plans to arrange friendly matches, possibly against the club's Primavera side, to restore match fitness for those still awaiting playing time. Lorenzo Pellegrini is among those available again after returning from an injury sustained in the final league matches of last season.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Manu Koné has added his name to Roma's early-season scorers with an unexpected contribution. The French midfielder scored twice against Inter—his first career brace—and has already matched his maximum goal tally from previous seasons in the giallorossi shirt, all by September. Gasperini is working to develop this attacking dimension alongside improving the team's mental approach. The relationship between coach and player has been marked by ups and downs: in May, Gasperini was unimpressed with Koné's performances when his focus appeared to be on the World Cup rather than securing Champions League qualification, and at Turin he was critical of his cameo appearance. Yet there is another side to the story. Gasperini fought to prevent Koné's departure to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, recognising the midfielder's value. Against Inter, Koné was the standout performer, not only for his goals: he made zero dribbling mistakes, won two of four duels and completed 85 per cent of his passes. There is a Roma that functions with Koné and one without him—a pattern already evident last season. Without him, the giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League in the double-header against Bologna and struggled in Serie A between March and April, missing eight league matches during which they failed to earn three points in half their fixtures. Donyell Malen withdrew from international duty for the latest fixture, declining a call-up from new national coach Xavi due to a muscle strain. Wesley and Bryan Cristante will also remain at Trigoria.

Manu Koné has added his name to Roma's early-season scorers with an unexpected contribution. The French midfielder scored twice against Inter—his first career brace—and has already matched his maximum goal tally from previous seasons in the giallorossi shirt, all by September. Gasperini is working to develop this attacking dimension alongside improving the team's mental approach. The relationship between coach and player has been marked by ups and downs: in May, Gasperini was unimpressed with Koné's performances when his focus appeared to be on the World Cup rather than securing Champions League qualification, and at Turin he was critical of his cameo appearance. Yet there is another side to the story. Gasperini fought to prevent Koné's departure to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, recognising the midfielder's value. Against Inter, Koné was the standout performer, not only for his goals: he made zero dribbling mistakes, won two of four duels and completed 85 per cent of his passes. There is a Roma that functions with Koné and one without him—a pattern already evident last season. Without him, the giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League in the double-header against Bologna and struggled in Serie A between March and April, missing eight league matches during which they failed to earn three points in half their fixtures. Donyell Malen withdrew from international duty for the latest fixture, declining a call-up from new national coach Xavi due to a muscle strain. Wesley and Bryan Cristante will also remain at Trigoria.

Roma have emerged from their direct clash with Inter with 13 points from their opening five Serie A matches—the club's best start in five seasons—and sit joint top of the table, a position they last shared with Lazio 54 years ago. The defence has been exceptional, conceding only four goals, level with Cagliari's total, while goalkeeper Mile Svilar leads the league in save percentage at 81%. Gasperini emphasised the importance of the draw against Inter, saying: "The draw with Inter is a signal to the league. We go forward on our own path, confident we can do well." With the international break providing a crucial window before a demanding fixture list, Gasperini will have three key starting players available at the club's Trigoria training centre. Wesley will remain in Rome due to minor injuries sustained in the recent match and to avoid long transatlantic travel, while Donyell Malen will not participate in his country's Nations League fixtures. Bryan Cristante has been ruled out of Italy's call-up after developing a lower back problem. Gasperini acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating: "The calendar will be tremendous after the break. I will have to be brave and throw everyone in—we will have to play with twenty men." These three absences from international duty represent valuable recovery time for the players ahead of the league's resumption. The positive momentum from Roma's strong opening and the return of fit bodies at Trigoria will be central to maintaining their title challenge in the weeks to come.

Donyell Malen has withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for upcoming Nations League matches due to an injury, the Dutch federation confirmed. The Roma forward will remain at the club's Trigoria training ground during the international break. Malen's absence follows similar withdrawals from Wesley and Bryan Cristante, who have also been ruled out for their respective national teams. Xavi Hernandez has called up Mexx Meerdink as Malen's replacement in the Dutch squad. The injury setback comes after Malen featured in Roma's recent 2–2 draw against Inter. The club's medical staff will assess him over the coming days, though the federation provided no further details on the nature or extent of the problem. For coach Gian Piero Gasperini, this marks the third injury-related withdrawal on the eve of the international window. Wesley was excluded from Brazil's squad and replaced by Vanderson, while Cristante will miss Italy's camp at Coverciano, with Samuele Ricci taking his place in the Italian squad. Former Roma player Justin Kluivert also withdrew from the Netherlands squad due to injury, with Guus Til called in as his replacement.

Sending young players out on loan is often meant to build experience, but the tactic frequently backfires. Three recent cases illustrate the gamble: Bologna's Antonio Raimondo, Roma's Alessandro Romano, and Atalanta's Dominic Vavassori have all thrived in loan moves, raising questions about whether their parent clubs made the right call letting them go. Raimondo has scored two double goals in Bologna's opening four matches this season after manager Tedesco chose to start the season with Artem Dovbyk, fresh from a difficult spell at Roma, and Roberto Piccoli. Roma took a bolder step by loaning Alessandro Romano to Cagliari with an obligation to buy during the summer transfer window. Romano scored on his debut, has been among Cagliari's best performers consistently, and earned a senior international cap—a remarkable return for a prospect Roma developed in their youth academy. Roma's midfield includes Cristante, Koné, Pisilli and De Roon, all established operators with strong pedigree. Their presence justified sending Romano out, yet one observer, Pisacane, remarked that Romano was "very similar to Strootman," suggesting his value may have been underestimated. Vavassori, with Atalanta, has an equally striking early record. Though Sarri declined to change his forward pairing of Scamacca and Krstovic—the combination that earned Atalanta European qualification last year—Vavassori has netted twice in the opening stretch of this season with Palermo, a club positioned to mount a promotion bid. Baldini recognised Vavassori's potential after calling him to a national team stage following the World Cup campaign, and Atalanta acknowledged his promise by granting him significant minutes in their U23 side. Not every loan fails: Milan showed sound judgment loaning Cissè and Liberali to Catanzaro last season under Aquilani, and both have since been integrated into the first team. The article concludes that success depends on the squad, the player, and the context—there is no universal formula, though evaluation errors remain common.

Roma have earned 7.5 points in their opening five matches of the 2026-27 season, establishing themselves as serious contenders. Victories over Fiorentina and Atalanta—sides representing the upper-middle tier of Serie A—plus wins against Lecce and Torino, combined with a competitive draw against Inter, paint an encouraging picture despite some regrets about how the Inter result unfolded. Mile Svilar continues as Serie A's strongest goalkeeper, providing constant assurance without being called upon for spectacular saves. Gianluca Mancini has suffered minor technical injuries against Atalanta and Inter but remains too valuable for his leadership and interpretation of the coach's attacking defensive phase, particularly evident in his display during the Torino victory. Evan N'Dicka maintains a regular standard, though he now faces genuine competition for his place. Mario Hermoso has emerged as perhaps Gasperini's most indispensable centre-back, despite occasional lapses; defenders in this system are calculated risk-takers. Leonardo Balerdi has made an instant impression with a handful of interventions, earning fans' affection with his spirit of a great South American defender and securing his status as a regular starter. Konstantinos Koulierakis is gradually introducing himself to the pitch, while Daniele Ghilardi continues his development curve. Emanuele Lulli offers freshness on the flanks, a year after failing to be a regular starter in the Primavera. Wesley, returning from injury and a difficult pre-season, has struggled to regain match sharpness after missing nearly a year; he will return to his previous standards. Bryan Cristante stands as a monument to consistency, never missing a match despite the rotation around him. Manu Koné produced a display in the first half against Inter worthy of his quality, reaching peaks never achieved before, though he lacks Cristante's reliability. Niccolò Pisilli missed much of pre-season and it shows, yet his timing in transitions remains sharp, with two goals from part-time playing. Marten de Roon has seen limited action—unsurprising given Gasperini's habit of recalling him at the last moment when tactical changes demand it. Paulo Dybala lacks goals and the signature shots that made him special, though his assists and unrecognizable fitness levels mean Gasperini receives no questions about his rest requirements. Matías Soulé, who appeared destined for departure and began on the bench, decided the clash with Atalanta and now competes as a more regular starter. Rodrigo Mora started explosively with quality, as the coach highlighted, and will reward patience. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in six matches, giving Roma a one-goal advantage on average; alongside Lautaro, he represents the tournament's finest striker. Santiago Castro, small like Malen, brings unrelenting intensity when introduced and lives for goals—once he finds that breakthrough, added serenity will carry him far.

Roma produced a commanding first-half display against Serie A champions Inter at the Olimpico but surrendered a two-goal advantage to draw as the visitors restored parity in the second half. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation against Inter's 5-3-2, and Roma's defensive structure and individual duels gave them an early edge. Manu Koné scored twice, profiting from defensive lapses by Inter's Barella, to give Roma a commanding position at the interval. Roma's attacking play was orchestrated through a mid-to-mid-high defensive block designed to limit Inter's ability to exploit depth—a concern from their first meeting last season. The left-side chain of Nahuel Molina, Matías Soulé and Mario Hermoso combined effectively in rotations and interplay to create attacking opportunities and penetrations. Leonardo Balerdi proved decisive in covering Roma's depth defensively, sliding across to manage Inter's two main attacking threats while Gianluca Mancini and Hermoso remained engaged in Roma's forward play. Paulo Dybala, who lacked a goal, stood out defensively with three crucial covering runs and diagonal defensive interventions that exemplified Gasperini's tactical instruction. Mile Svilar made a significant early save from Yacine Diouf's run. Inter emerged with renewed intensity after the interval, immediately narrowing the gap when Lautaro Martínez found space unmarked in the box. Roma's concentration wavered fatally: Mancini lost possession carelessly on the offensive third, triggering a transition that ended with Lautaro free in the area with minimal marking. Though Roma had five defenders in a compact shape and only two Inter players were in the box, the individual mistakes proved costly. Chivu's substitutions—introducing Carlos Augusto and Luis Enrique—made Inter's left-side play more fluid and forced Wesley into heavier defensive duties. Roma's outfield players—Koné, Molina, Balerdi and Mancini—visibly tired, leading Gasperini to replace them with Niccolò Pisilli, Evan N'Dicka, Devyne Rensch and Daniele Ghilardi. Lautaro went unmarked a second time in the box, gifting Inter a drawn result that left Roma with regret over the squandered advantage. The analysis underscores Roma's quality and capacity to compete at the highest level, yet reveals the consistency demanded to sustain title challenges. The current top three league leaders and an emerging Lazio surprise package suggest the Serie A title race will require at least 90 points to prevail.