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Roma lose 4-1 to Cardiff; Gasperini stresses need to strengthen squad; Koulierakis arrives in Rome

Roma lose 4-1 to Cardiff; Gasperini stresses need to strengthen squad; Koulierakis arrives in Rome

Source: Roma News

Roma suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Cardiff City in their first pre-season friendly of the summer, with Paulo Dybala opening the scoring from a Matías Soulé assist before missing a penalty. Gianluca Castro made his debut, starting up front and battling throughout before receiving a yellow card late on; defender Bah was also forced off with injury.

Gasperini analysed the performance in his post-match comments: "Distratti dietro nel primo tempo, abbiamo preso gol su rimpalli. Qualcosa di buono l'abbiamo fatto, ma se sei poco attento diventa tutto più difficile." The coach reiterated that the squad requires completion, stating: "Il mercato è partito tardi, sono andati via diversi giocatori e servono innesti per rendere la squadra davvero competitiva." Gasperini confirmed his targets—a defender, a winger, and two forwards—insisting they are achievable objectives. Castro is viewed as an excellent acquisition who can rotate with Donyell Malen and elevate the squad's level.

On the transfer front, Greek defender Konstantinos Koulierakis landed at Ciampino airport and completed his move from Wolfsburg on a permanent basis for approximately €16.5 million plus bonuses and a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Born in 2004, Koulierakis becomes Roma's second summer signing after Castro. The club is also pursuing Franco Mastantuono, a 2007-born Madrid youth prospect, though Real's preference for a loan or loan with option has not convinced Roma; Fiorentina are advancing in those talks. Negotiations for Feyenoord winger Read continue, with Roma offering €23 million plus €2 million in add-ons.

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Story Coverage5 sources on this story

Konstantinos Koulierakis has completed his transfer to Roma from Wolfsburg as the club's second summer signing. The Greek defender arrived at Ciampino airport on August 2 and underwent medical checks before joining the squad's pre-season training camp in Wales. The outlets differ on the transfer fee: Retesport reports €18 million total, while Roma News states approximately €16.5 million plus bonuses and a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Koulierakis will sign a five-year contract and was greeted by supporters at the airport before heading to the Vale Resort to meet head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and teammates including Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. The signing comes after Roma's 4-1 pre-season defeat to Cardiff City, where Gasperini emphasized the squad needs reinforcement. The coach confirmed he is targeting a defender, winger, and two forwards to make the team competitive, with negotiations ongoing for other targets including a Feyenoord winger.

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

Testo Originale / Source Text

“NEWS DELLA GIORNATA – Tutte le notizie della giornata giallorossa raccolte in un solo articolo. Buona lettura! Prima amichevole del ritiro in Galles e risultato pesante: la Roma cade 4-1 contro il Cardiff City. Dybala apre segnando l’1-0 su assist di Soulé, poi fallisce un rigore. Da segnalare…”

Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.

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