Roma dream run under Gasperini: record start across Serie A and Champions League

Maresca has been appointed to referee Roma's Serie A fixture against Torino on Monday at 18:30. Tegoni and Fontani will serve as assistant referees, Sozza as fourth official, and Aureliano at VAR. Maresca has nineteen previous matches involving Roma, with a record of 8 wins, 5 draws and 6 defeats for the Giallorossi—a slight advantage but marked by several controversies. His last Roma appointment came on 17 May last season, when Roma won the Derby della Capitale with a brace from Mancini.

Maresca will take charge of Torino's Serie A match against Roma on Monday 14 September at 18:30, kick-off time 18:30. The fixture is the fourth round of the league campaign. Maresca will be assisted by Tegoni and Fontani, with Sozza as fourth official. Aureliano will operate as VAR, and Ghersini as AVAR. The full set of match officials for the upcoming round of Serie A fixtures has been confirmed. Across the weekend's ten matches, spanning Friday 11 September through Monday 14 September, a complete slate of referees, assistants and video review officials have been named. Lazio play Milan on Saturday 12 September at 18:00, with Marcenaro in charge, while Juventus travel to Sassuolo on Sunday 13 September at 20:45 under Sacchi. Inter face Udinese on Monday 14 September at 20:45 with Pairetto as referee. Other notable appointments include Fourneau for Venezia v Fiorentina on Friday 11 September at 20:45; Rapuano for Genoa v Frosinone on Saturday 12 September at 15:00; Crezzini for Lecce v Monza on Sunday 13 September at 15:00; Bonacina for Napoli v Bologna on Sunday 13 September at 18:00; Mucera for Como v Parma on Monday 14 September at 18:30; and Arena for Atalanta v Cagliari on Saturday 12 September at 20:45.

Giuseppe Cruciani, a prominent Lazio supporter and radio host of the programme La Zanzara, has expressed deep concern about Roma's title prospects under Gian Piero Gasperini. Speaking on the Numer1 podcast alongside Ivan Zazzaroni and Sandro Sabatini, Cruciani said: "I have terror of Circo Massimo and Roma winning the scudetto. There is only one reality, and it is a reality that destroys me. I have said this not from today: I have said it since the market construction, from the fact that Gasperini has everything in hand and that the club is following a straight, secure and coherent path, which is that of putting everything in Gasperini's hands." Cruciani highlighted Roma's dominant performances in the opening three fixtures, claiming they are superior to both Juventus and AC Milan across that period. He cited a statistic showing Roma had recorded 70 shots on goal in three matches, though expressed uncertainty about how many came from inside the penalty area. "I see a situation in which Roma could truly win every match," he said. Cruciani recounted his experience watching Roma's recent fixture against Atalanta while in a restaurant, following the score on a live update website. "At a certain point I saw the 0-1 holding up, but I was not watching the match and so did not realise the dominance. I thought: 'At most they draw.' Then I get up, go into the other room where there was a screen and I see four chances in added time, and I understood everything."