Roma crush Lecce 4-0 with commanding display: Malen double, Soulé and Mora's maiden Serie A goal

Roma's 3–1 victory over Real Madrid on 14 October left supporters with mixed emotions. For 80 minutes Roma dominated the European champions, but defensive errors in the closing stages—specifically three corner-kick concessions—soured what could have been a complete performance. A fan and observer reflecting on the match the morning after acknowledged the pride of the display while warning that such lapses cannot recur if Roma are to sustain a title challenge this season. Gasperini's work and his squad have a clear objective: Roma must compete at the highest level. The article praised the team's attacking quality and intensity but identified corner-kick defending as a correctable flaw that Gasperini must address. The performance drew criticism from Mourinho, who saw the match differently; the writer disagreed, saying "there were 80 minutes of Roma and nothing else" before three crucial set-piece errors. The broader context is that Roma, as a squad commanding significant investment, must maintain focus and consistency throughout the 2026–27 season to challenge for honours. Donyell Malen was singled out for particular praise: "Every shot a threat, no waste." The writer observed that Malen's two goals against Real Madrid, combined with a victory, would have completed his vindication at the club—though the player's quality was acknowledged regardless of the result. The emotional weight of the night united Roma's supporters across the city, a reminder of football's power to bind a community. Looking ahead, Roma must refocus before the fixture against Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi. Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora are expected to take prominent roles in that match. Gasperini's task is to correct the set-piece errors and restore the clarity that Roma displayed in open play, ensuring the club builds on the positives rather than repeating defensive mistakes.

A reader named Michele from Oman has illustrated the Champions League match between Roma and Real Madrid through a satirical cartoon that plays on the team's visible fatigue in the closing stages. The drawing captures the squad's collapse after a strong performance, using wordplay and visual humour to reflect on the match. The cartoon's central joke reads: "In summary we dominated Real Madrid until the 83rd minute… and then we hit rock bottom." Michele's illustration plays on the double meaning of the Italian expression "arrivare all'osso" (reaching the bone), depicting a skeleton dressed as an ancient Roman alongside an energy gauge that bottoms out at the 83rd-minute mark. The work offers a wry commentary on the physical exhaustion accumulated by Roma across the match, pinpointing the moment when the team depleted its reserves.

Roma are awaiting instrumental examinations on Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala, both withdrawn early from Wednesday's Champions League match against Real Madrid. Dybala is suspected to have suffered muscular overload, but greater concern surrounds Koné, the French midfielder who appeared in tears after sustaining a flexor injury to his thigh. Tests scheduled for 16 October will clarify the severity of both injuries and recovery timescales. The assessments come as Gian Piero Gasperini faces the prospect of losing two more first-team regulars on top of existing absences, with Roma due to face Genoa on Saturday evening. The Stadio Olimpico is preparing a new Hospitality area in the Tevere Stand to complement the existing facility in the Monte Mario Stand. Work on the space is nearing completion and the new area could be inaugurated on Saturday during the Genoa fixture, offering dedicated services including catering to Hospitality bracelet holders. When interviewed by TNT Sports Brasil, Wesley expressed satisfaction with his performance against Real Madrid despite the result. "I'm happy, it's nice to receive a compliment from a manager like Mourinho," he said. The Brazilian revealed he had prepared carefully for his duel with Vinícius: "I was telling myself that I had to stop him. I was ready and I'm happy with my match, even though I still have a lot to improve." Gasperini had personally entrusted Wesley with the task of containing Real's attacker. "He told me he would put me to mark Vinícius and that he believed in me. I answered: 'Okay, let's go'," Wesley explained. Commentators offered contrasting perspectives on the performance. Carina on Radio Radio attributed Roma's collapse to individual errors: "It's hard to explain Roma's collapse. Roma played a spectacular match, dominated it, but matches last until the 90th minute and beyond. There were certainly individual errors: on Endrick's goal there's a marking error from Balerdi, on Rüdiger's from Molina. But it would be unfair to blame them entirely: it was a general collapse." Pedrelli on Radio Bruno 101.5 preferred to judge the display on performance rather than result: "I don't look at the result, but at the performance. A great match from Roma despite so many absences, against one of the strongest teams in the world. We're not far from making a real leap forward. Gasperini is the manager I wanted, especially in the answers he gives after the match."

Roma's 3–1 victory over Real Madrid on 14 October left supporters with mixed emotions. For 80 minutes Roma dominated the European champions, but defensive errors in the closing stages—specifically three corner-kick concessions—soured what could have been a complete performance. A fan and observer reflecting on the match the morning after acknowledged the pride of the display while warning that such lapses cannot recur if Roma are to sustain a title challenge this season. Gasperini's work and his squad have a clear objective: Roma must compete at the highest level. The article praised the team's attacking quality and intensity but identified corner-kick defending as a correctable flaw that Gasperini must address. The performance drew criticism from Mourinho, who saw the match differently; the writer disagreed, saying "there were 80 minutes of Roma and nothing else" before three crucial set-piece errors. The broader context is that Roma, as a squad commanding significant investment, must maintain focus and consistency throughout the 2026–27 season to challenge for honours. Donyell Malen was singled out for particular praise: "Every shot a threat, no waste." The writer observed that Malen's two goals against Real Madrid, combined with a victory, would have completed his vindication at the club—though the player's quality was acknowledged regardless of the result. The emotional weight of the night united Roma's supporters across the city, a reminder of football's power to bind a community. Looking ahead, Roma must refocus before the fixture against Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi. Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora are expected to take prominent roles in that match. Gasperini's task is to correct the set-piece errors and restore the clarity that Roma displayed in open play, ensuring the club builds on the positives rather than repeating defensive mistakes.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné will undergo instrumental scans on 16 October to determine the severity of injuries sustained in Roma's recent fixture. Koné suffered a problem to his biceps femoris with fears of a muscle tear, while Dybala withdrew with a muscular strain. His entourage has signalled optimism, though confirmation will come after the scans. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini must navigate significant absences for the Genoa match, with Donyell Malen unavailable through suspension and Dybala and Koné unlikely to feature. This will force tactical changes beyond a typical rotation: Rodrigo Mora, Niccolò Pisilli and Santiago Castro are expected to feature more prominently. The run of injuries follows Roma's recent disappointment at the Olimpico, where Gasperini must shift focus quickly to the league fixture without time to dwell on that setback. The enforced absences represent a necessity rather than planned squad management, as the technical staff grapples with multiple unavailability. Genoa will provide Roma's immediate opportunity to bounce back, with the league offering no respite. Former manager Daniele De Rossi will return to the Olimpico as Genoa's head coach. Speaking on the fixture, De Rossi said: "Like the match last year, I prepared it like all the others and was focused on the game. Perhaps having already played against Roma might help me be a bit more detached, but the real difference is that I prepared last year's first leg worse while the second one a bit better."

Sports Illustrated, the US photography-focused publication, has highlighted Donyell Malen in a recent Instagram post following his standout display against Real Madrid. The Dutch forward scored twice in that match and became the subject of a 20-image gallery published by SI featuring Roma's number 9. The caption read: "Donyell Malen renders every image iconic."

Roma's 3–1 victory over Real Madrid on 14 October left supporters with mixed emotions. For 80 minutes Roma dominated the European champions, but defensive errors in the closing stages—specifically three corner-kick concessions—soured what could have been a complete performance. A fan and observer reflecting on the match the morning after acknowledged the pride of the display while warning that such lapses cannot recur if Roma are to sustain a title challenge this season. Gasperini's work and his squad have a clear objective: Roma must compete at the highest level. The article praised the team's attacking quality and intensity but identified corner-kick defending as a correctable flaw that Gasperini must address. The performance drew criticism from Mourinho, who saw the match differently; the writer disagreed, saying "there were 80 minutes of Roma and nothing else" before three crucial set-piece errors. The broader context is that Roma, as a squad commanding significant investment, must maintain focus and consistency throughout the 2026–27 season to challenge for honours. Donyell Malen was singled out for particular praise: "Every shot a threat, no waste." The writer observed that Malen's two goals against Real Madrid, combined with a victory, would have completed his vindication at the club—though the player's quality was acknowledged regardless of the result. The emotional weight of the night united Roma's supporters across the city, a reminder of football's power to bind a community. Looking ahead, Roma must refocus before the fixture against Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi. Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora are expected to take prominent roles in that match. Gasperini's task is to correct the set-piece errors and restore the clarity that Roma displayed in open play, ensuring the club builds on the positives rather than repeating defensive mistakes.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné will undergo instrumental scans on 16 October to determine the severity of injuries sustained in Roma's recent fixture. Koné suffered a problem to his biceps femoris with fears of a muscle tear, while Dybala withdrew with a muscular strain. His entourage has signalled optimism, though confirmation will come after the scans. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini must navigate significant absences for the Genoa match, with Donyell Malen unavailable through suspension and Dybala and Koné unlikely to feature. This will force tactical changes beyond a typical rotation: Rodrigo Mora, Niccolò Pisilli and Santiago Castro are expected to feature more prominently. The run of injuries follows Roma's recent disappointment at the Olimpico, where Gasperini must shift focus quickly to the league fixture without time to dwell on that setback. The enforced absences represent a necessity rather than planned squad management, as the technical staff grapples with multiple unavailability. Genoa will provide Roma's immediate opportunity to bounce back, with the league offering no respite. Former manager Daniele De Rossi will return to the Olimpico as Genoa's head coach. Speaking on the fixture, De Rossi said: "Like the match last year, I prepared it like all the others and was focused on the game. Perhaps having already played against Roma might help me be a bit more detached, but the real difference is that I prepared last year's first leg worse while the second one a bit better."

Rodrigo Mora made a striking impression against Real Madrid on 14 October, coming on at half-time in place of Paulo Dybala and delivering a performance that caught the attention of both Roma supporters and Blancos fans alike. The Portuguese midfielder, born in 2007, picked apart Real Madrid's midfield repeatedly and provided an assist for Donyell Malen's goal that brought Roma level at 2–1. His display was sufficiently compelling to prompt Spanish fans to praise him on social media. Mora had appeared only from the bench in earlier fixtures against Inter and Como before manager Gian Piero Gasperini handed him a starting opportunity of sorts against the Spanish giants. The 19-year-old has seen limited first-team action so far this season, rotating with Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the left of Roma's attacking three. His performance against Madrid, however, gave notice of his potential and may prompt Gasperini to deploy him from the start in the forthcoming league match against Genoa. Real Madrid supporters responded enthusiastically on social media. One commented: "That Rodrigo Mora is incredible, what a player!", while another wrote: "Mora made Real dance, he has more football in him than our entire midfield." A third noted: "He cost only 25 million this summer..." Gasperini's decision to introduce Mora at the interval, replacing a player of Dybala's calibre, underscored the manager's confidence in the young Portuguese talent's ability to handle elite opposition.

Roma face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 17 October at 20:45 in Serie A matchday seven, aiming to return to winning ways after a 4–3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. The Giallorossi drew 0–0 against Como and 0–0 against Inter before the Real Madrid loss; they have not won since facing Torino. Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi, won their first match of the season last time out, beating Fiorentina 2–1. Gasperini will make changes to his squad following injuries sustained against Real Madrid. Manu Koné left the pitch in the first half with a muscle problem, while Paulo Dybala was substituted at half-time with a muscular strain; both remain under assessment as of 15 October, with recovery timings unclear. Mile Svilar is out with a fractured toe, Bryan Cristante with a knee problem, and Donyell Malen suspended following his red card against Como. Roma last won on matchday six against Torino. In Gasperini's 3–4–2–1 formation, Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in the three-man defence. Emanuele Lulli and Wesley are set for the full-back positions, with Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli in midfield. Santiago Castro will lead the attack in place of the suspended Malen, Matías Soulé will play behind him, and Rodrigo Mora is favoured to complete the attacking line if Dybala cannot recover; Lorenzo Pellegrini is an alternative. De Rossi's Genoa are likely to line up in a 4–4–1–1 with goalkeeper Bijlow, but a 3–5–2 with Vitinha alongside the striker remains possible. Roma hold a dominant record at the Olimpico against Genoa: across 65 official matches played in the capital, the Giallorossi have won 48, Genoa 9, with 8 draws. Most recently Roma won 3–1 on 29 December 2025; before that, on 17 January 1990, Genoa last won at the Olimpico, prevailing 1–0. The official lineups will be confirmed before kickoff. The match will be broadcast on DAZN and Sky Sport, with streaming available through NOW and Sky Go according to subscription level.

Roma squandered a dominant 82-minute display against Real Madrid at the Olimpico to suffer a heavy defeat in the Champions League. After controlling the match with high-quality football and commanding Real Madrid for the opening phase, Roma's discipline collapsed in the final eight minutes as three goals — all conceded from corner kicks — left the Stadio Olimpico in despair. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini received a rating of 6.5 across the Italian press for his tactical setup, but his side's defensive frailties in set pieces proved fatal. The match saw several substitutions: Manu Koné was withdrawn after just 16 minutes for Niccolò Pisilli, while Gianluca Mancini departed at the 63-minute mark for Leonardo Balerdi. Daniele Ghilardi and Nahuel Molina both entered late in the contest. Among the five major Italian outlets' player ratings, Donyell Malen emerged as Roma's standout performer, earning marks of 7.5 to 8 across the press box. Pierluigi Gollini and Balerdi drew the harshest assessments, with ratings ranging from 4.5 to 6 for the goalkeeper and 5 to 6 for the defender. Wesley drew consistent praise for a solid defensive showing, rated 6.5 to 7.5, while Matías Soulé and Evan N'Dicka also featured prominently in the squad across the 90 minutes.

Roma held their own against Real Madrid for 80 minutes in a Champions League encounter at the Olimpico, twice taking the lead through Donyell Malen's brace, but conceded three goals in a devastating late collapse that handed the Spanish side victory. Malen emerged as the standout performer, earning praise across all six major Italian newspapers for his attacking display and two-goal contribution. Matías Soulé also drew consistent ratings in the 7–7.5 range for his involvement in Roma's attacking play, notably providing the assist for the second goal. Gasperini's side dominated large stretches of the match and came close to a third goal, but a series of set-piece lapses—attributed in the match analysis to tactical adjustments—proved fatal. The defensive vulnerabilities were magnified by poor individual performances: Leonardo Balerdi received ratings of 4.5 to 5.5 across the papers, while Nahuel Molina struggled throughout, rated between 5 and 5.5 by all outlets. Gazzetta dello Sport awarded Malen 7.5 and Soulé 6.5, while Corriere dello Sport rated Malen 7.5 and Soulé 7. Il Messaggero gave identical marks—Malen 7.5, Soulé 7—as did Il Tempo, which rated Soulé 7.5. Corriere della Sera and Leggo both scored Malen 7.5, the latter's most generous assessment across the match report cards. Balerdi's substitution at the 63-minute mark failed to arrest Roma's defensive decline. Gasperini himself received a consistent 6.5 from every outlet, reflecting the tactical merit of Roma's performance offset by the costly failure to manage the closing stages. Wesley earned widespread praise in the 6.5–7 range for his defensive work, while Evan N'Dicka and Marten de Roon also registered solid marks of 6–7.