Roma Primavera boss Guidi: Bologna playoff holds 'important stakes', fan support will be decisive

Roma's English pre-season tour ended in concern after a 3–0 defeat at Brighton laid bare significant defensive lapses and attacking impotence. The performance revealed delays both in physical conditioning and the absorption of tactical patterns, leaving Roma having conceded 11 goals across their last four friendly outings. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed open frustration on the touchline, demanding greater midfield screening and emphasising the urgent need to activate the team's intensity. The match highlighted glaring defensive oversights and minimal cutting edge up front. Devyne Rensch came under constant pressure on the counter-attack from Yankuba Minteh, while Mario Hermoso had an off day in marking Georginio Rutter. Donyell Malen showed signs of being short of match fitness. The attacking partnership of Santiago Castro and Paulo Dybala made little impression on goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With two weeks remaining before Roma's competitive league debut, Gasperini will have crucial time to accelerate both recruitment and work at Trigoria to correct these problems.

Roma suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brighton at the end of their pre-season training camp, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini critical of the display. The defence was disorganised and repeatedly caught out, prompting Gasperini to consider wholesale changes at half-time. He identified a fundamental problem: the squad has not yet regained the intensity and competitive edge that brought them third place last season. "It's as if this team struggles to switch back on," Gasperini said, reflecting on a performance he labelled "dire". The coach acknowledged that his rebuild is progressing slower than hoped. Addressing the transfer market, Gasperini outlined the direction Roma will pursue under sporting director D'Amico: signings must be both young and elite. That blueprint already mirrors the club's recent activity—both completed moves and deals that fell through in recent weeks—indicating a clear strategic shift toward building a squad with immediate quality and long-term potential. Gasperini's comments signal his desire to accelerate recruitment, having expected to be further along in the summer window by this point. The Brighton result underscored his concern that the current group lacks cohesion and sharpness as the competitive season approaches.

Roma's pre-season tour of England ended in a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Goals from Georginio and a double from Ayari condemned the Giallorossi to a sluggish, listless performance that prompted immediate concern from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "Terrible: a poor performance, lacking the right concentration. We're struggling to switch on, but we think we can fix it soon," Gasperini said after the match. The squad returns to Trigoria on Tuesday for group training, which will mark Nahuel Molina's first session with the team. Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury layoff extends beyond initial expectations, with Gasperini warning recovery will take at least a month and the matter will be reassessed in September. The coach also urged patience for players returning from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen among them—as Roma prepare for Serie A's start in a fortnight. On the transfer front, Gasperini confirmed changes to the squad. "We replaced Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro, then Koulierakis arrived. But numerically we still need something. D'Amico is negotiating very young but important players," he said, referencing director Tony D'Amico's ongoing dealings in the market.