Roma flash news: Dybala's pay cut, Pisilli's milestone, women's Champions League opener

Gianluca Mancini is on course to start at centre-back for Italy against Belgium, according to tactical work at the national team's Coverciano training base. The Roma defender has featured consistently in the centre of defence during recent sessions as coach Roberto Mancini tests a 4-3-3 formation, pairing him regularly with Di Lorenzo, Calafiori and Coppola, who holds the edge over Scalvini due to a minor physical issue. The presence of the Roma centre-back offers security, experience and continuity to the Italian defence, with upcoming sessions before the squad departs for Rome expected to clarify final details — but the indications are clear that Mancini is a fixed point in Italy's defensive setup. The national team is entering the decisive phase of match preparation with technical drills and ball work to settle on the starting eleven. The coaching staff is still evaluating remaining doubts in midfield and attack. Former Roma player Romano, now at Cagliari, has been given opportunities alongside Barella and Tonali in the middle, with Frattesi also under close consideration as an alternative. In the attacking third, the forward line tested with Zaniolo, Pio Esposito and Raspadori could be reshuffled to introduce quality alternatives including Vergara, Zoma or Maldini.

Roma's early-season form has sparked debate among Rome radio commentators about the club's ability to challenge for the Serie A title. Leonardo Balerdi, the defender who arrived this summer, has made an immediate impact that surprised analysts, though questions remain about the decision to bench Evan N'Dicka and the inconsistency of established players. Mattioli told Radio Radio that Balerdi "is a player of experience, he has played 200 matches in the French league. I'm pleased he came to Italy and is showing what he is worth." Pruzzo added: "I did not expect Balerdi's impact, it is a positive surprise. He is reactive, very practical and does not take risks when there is no need to. On the defensive phase he is numerically sound, he is an added value." Orsi struck a bullish tone about Roma's prospects, saying the squad was built to compete for the title this year and that Roma, alongside Inter, are more ready technically and in terms of squad depth than Juventus, Milan and Napoli, which he described as "too inconsistent." Carina offered a more measured assessment, praising Balerdi's impact but cautioning that benching N'Dicka—"the strongest in one-on-one marking in Serie A"—required courage. He criticised Gianluca Mancini's defending, saying "on the goal conceded by Roma there is his fingerprint," and suggested that with five matches played, it is premature to draw firm conclusions about title contenders, noting that Juventus and Milan remain close in points despite negative talk. Pes on Teleradiostereo highlighted Mile Svilar as a decisive advantage over rivals including Inter and Como, describing him as "a goalkeeper who brings points" and an element that provides security. Pes added that if Roma can increase their goalscoring output beyond the players currently delivering—Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Niccolò Pisilli—the team will become genuinely interesting.

Paulo Dybala has undergone a striking transformation at Roma this season, shifting from a pure finisher to a playmaker under Gian Piero Gasperini. With four official assists in Serie A — reportedly seven without regulatory technicalities — he has become the league's leading provider. The change reflects reduced obsession with scoring and greater focus on team service, aided by an exceptional physical condition never matched since his arrival at the club and buoyed by new attacking partners including Donyell Malen, who have eased the burden of single-handedly leading the attack. Dybala's resurgence stems principally from his fitness, managed by new athletic staff led by Alessandro Pilati, who arrived from Genoa after 22 years there. He has logged record minutes across Serie A and the Champions League, underpinned by his decision to abandon personal trainers and rely solely on occasional pilates sessions with his wife Oriana. That choice has yielded immediate results alongside strong leadership in the dressing room, evidenced by his decision to cut his salary significantly to remain tied to Roma. This period of enhanced prominence coincides with an invitation from Lionel Messi to participate in what is likely Messi's final match for Argentina, against Benin at the Monumental stadium. Gasperini and his coaching staff, however, prefer to avoid a long and demanding journey on the eve of the league's resumption and Roma's fixture against Como. The plan is to keep Dybala at Trigoria, protect the work accomplished so far, and ensure continuity in the new chapter of the club's campaign.

Paulo Dybala has undergone a striking transformation at Roma this season, shifting from a pure finisher to a playmaker under Gian Piero Gasperini. With four official assists in Serie A — reportedly seven without regulatory technicalities — he has become the league's leading provider. The change reflects reduced obsession with scoring and greater focus on team service, aided by an exceptional physical condition never matched since his arrival at the club and buoyed by new attacking partners including Donyell Malen, who have eased the burden of single-handedly leading the attack. Dybala's resurgence stems principally from his fitness, managed by new athletic staff led by Alessandro Pilati, who arrived from Genoa after 22 years there. He has logged record minutes across Serie A and the Champions League, underpinned by his decision to abandon personal trainers and rely solely on occasional pilates sessions with his wife Oriana. That choice has yielded immediate results alongside strong leadership in the dressing room, evidenced by his decision to cut his salary significantly to remain tied to Roma. This period of enhanced prominence coincides with an invitation from Lionel Messi to participate in what is likely Messi's final match for Argentina, against Benin at the Monumental stadium. Gasperini and his coaching staff, however, prefer to avoid a long and demanding journey on the eve of the league's resumption and Roma's fixture against Como. The plan is to keep Dybala at Trigoria, protect the work accomplished so far, and ensure continuity in the new chapter of the club's campaign.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is closing in on a competitive return after a lengthy absence. The midfielder, who has not featured in any match for Roma this season, last played in April against Pisa. Gasperini's coaching staff has designed targeted tests during the international break to rebuild his match fitness and rhythm as Pellegrini gradually increases his training workload. Pellegrini's comeback will give Gasperini an added resource in the attacking midfield area, a department so far built around Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora. The 29-year-old is determined to repay the manager's faith and prove himself on the pitch. Beyond the immediate Roma picture, Pellegrini harbours a second objective: returning to the Italian national team and reclaiming his place under Roberto Mancini after two years away. According to Corriere della Sera, Pellegrini has been sidelined for roughly six months and remains the only outfield player in Roma's squad yet to debut in the 2026–27 campaign. His push for match sharpness and a return to previous form represents a significant boost to Gasperini's squad depth as the season progresses.

Gian Piero Gasperini is refusing to ease off during the international break, instead using the coming weeks to prepare Roma for a late-autumn peak when his teams have historically shown their strongest form. While Inter gave their squad six days of complete rest, Gasperini has maintained high-intensity training at Trigoria, though the programme is inevitably shaped by the departure of twelve international players. The squad remaining in Rome includes Mile Svilar, Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante, Devyne Rensch, Nahuel Molina and Marten de Roon, alongside players requiring specific work—notably Wesley, who must build his athletic base, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is returning from a lengthy absence and has already begun an intensive programme to rejoin regular rotation. Gasperini is also considering organizing a friendly match that could involve some youth-team players. Gasperini's approach reflects a precise logic. His teams have consistently shown their best athletic performance between late autumn and early winter, when the benefits of summer preparation become fully absorbed. His most famous precedent came in his first Atalanta season, when six consecutive league wins in November 2016 transformed a team with survival as its target into a Europa League contender. Similar runs followed in 2021 and 2024. Roma have already started well despite not yet operating at full capacity—some new players are still integrating, others building fitness, and Pellegrini has barely begun his season. The stretch ahead will demand depth: the combination of league and Champions League fixtures will produce a sequence of closely spaced matches making it impossible to rely on the same eleven throughout. For this reason Gasperini does not want a pause. He wants a launchpad. The logic is that Roma have already built their league position during the summer; now the coach wants to prepare their bodies for autumn. If the pattern his squads have followed repeats itself, the strongest part of the season may still be to come.

Roma's early-season form has sparked debate among Rome radio commentators about the club's ability to challenge for the Serie A title. Leonardo Balerdi, the defender who arrived this summer, has made an immediate impact that surprised analysts, though questions remain about the decision to bench Evan N'Dicka and the inconsistency of established players. Mattioli told Radio Radio that Balerdi "is a player of experience, he has played 200 matches in the French league. I'm pleased he came to Italy and is showing what he is worth." Pruzzo added: "I did not expect Balerdi's impact, it is a positive surprise. He is reactive, very practical and does not take risks when there is no need to. On the defensive phase he is numerically sound, he is an added value." Orsi struck a bullish tone about Roma's prospects, saying the squad was built to compete for the title this year and that Roma, alongside Inter, are more ready technically and in terms of squad depth than Juventus, Milan and Napoli, which he described as "too inconsistent." Carina offered a more measured assessment, praising Balerdi's impact but cautioning that benching N'Dicka—"the strongest in one-on-one marking in Serie A"—required courage. He criticised Gianluca Mancini's defending, saying "on the goal conceded by Roma there is his fingerprint," and suggested that with five matches played, it is premature to draw firm conclusions about title contenders, noting that Juventus and Milan remain close in points despite negative talk. Pes on Teleradiostereo highlighted Mile Svilar as a decisive advantage over rivals including Inter and Como, describing him as "a goalkeeper who brings points" and an element that provides security. Pes added that if Roma can increase their goalscoring output beyond the players currently delivering—Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Niccolò Pisilli—the team will become genuinely interesting.

Niccolò Pisilli has become AS Roma's new distance record holder, covering 12.53 kilometres in the match against Torino—the game in which he scored despite cramping. The midfielder, who turned 22 today, is currently in a training camp with Italy's Under-21 squad and has not been called up to the senior national team, though that door remains open according to Coverciano. Pisilli has displaced Bryan Cristante from the top of Roma's kilometre-covered rankings. Cristante had long held the distinction, regularly posting the highest figures across the club's matches. The Under-21 staff, led by head coach Roberto Mancini, have explained to Pisilli that his involvement in the youth campaign is essential, with a place in the Under-21 European Championship qualifiers at stake. In his last four outings for Italy's Under-21 side, Pisilli has recorded four goals and one assist. The academy graduate remains a central figure for the Italian youth setup as Roma continue to track his development at senior level.

Niccolò Pisilli has become one of Gian Piero Gasperini's most important weapons at Roma in the era of five substitutions, despite being far from a regular starter. The 22-year-old, who celebrates his birthday today, has already scored two goals in this opening stretch of the 2026-27 season despite starting just once. His specialty remains the closing stages of matches—a trait that emerged under José Mourinho and has been confirmed by his goals against Fiorentina and Torino, both born from his instinct to attack space in the box. Beyond his goalscoring, Pisilli is making an impression through his physical resilience. Against Torino he finished the match in cramp after covering more than 12.5 kilometres, a Roma record for the season. Despite competing with experienced midfielders including Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné, the Casal Palocco academy product is proving himself a complete, modern midfielder. Day by day he confirms he is far more than a simple alternative for Gasperini. Pisilli's rise underlines how Roma's squad depth in midfield is being tested effectively rather than stretched thin. His ability to influence matches in their final passages—when opponents tire and spaces open—has given Gasperini a tactical option of genuine value. Gasperini has placed clear trust in the young midfielder's tactical maturity and physical capacity to execute his demands.