Roma pundits hail Champions League finish as Dybala renewal looms

Rome's radio stations dissected Roma's transfer activity and the arrival of Marten de Roon on 31 August 2026, with opinion divided over whether the club has adequately strengthened ahead of the new season. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo praised Gasperini's squad-building approach, saying: "Gasp has put together a really impressive group of guys, I like it." He defended Matías Soulé's quality, noting that the winger could deliver 8–10 goals a season and should not be written off. Paulo Cosenza of the same station highlighted the work of sporting director D'Amico, stating: "I have to say this—it is the first time I see a sporting director who, despite having to deal with a thousand difficulties that have a name and a surname, Dan Friedkin, is genuinely trying to satisfy the manager. He is doing exceptional work, despite a path full of obstacles." Francesca Ferrazza added context to Roma's financial manoeuvres, revealing that the club would receive approximately 6 million euros from lucrative loans of Neil El Aynaoui and Robinio Vaz, funds that could finance further arrivals including a right-back. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport expressed hope that Gasperini would still land a winger, saying: "I still hope Gittens arrives, he is Gasperini's preferred option." He noted that De Roon's arrival alongside fellow newcomer Balerdi would inject leadership into the squad: "With him and Balerdi the club brings in two captains, which means you get people with personality and players who have international experience—things that last season were a significant deficit in certain matches." Lorenzo Pes regarded Balerdi as the window's standout deal: "For 15 million euros you bring home a defender of absolute calibre, who would have played in the World Cup if he had not been injured shortly before. For me it is the best operation of the transfer market." However, he identified a tactical paradox: "Paradoxically Roma has intervened perfectly in roles already covered, leaving uncovered instead the roles most in need." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio predicted a 2–0 Roma win over Lecce, while Mario Mattioli forecast a 1–3 victory. Orsi suggested De Roon would likely play around 30 matches across league and cup if properly managed, as he is "an intelligent player tactically" who suits Gasperini's system after years playing under him. Checco Oddo Casano raised questions about Brazilian winger Luiz Henrique, noting that his signing had stalled: "It is strange that Luiz Henrique was blocked but not yet taken. Logic suggests Roma wants to close something more important first, then wrap up the Brazilian." Multiple commentators referenced Roma's match against Fiorentina as evidence of the team's strength when full-strength, with Orsi stating the club was "dominant" in that fixture.

Rome's radio pundits weighed in on Roma's immediate prospects and transfer strategy ahead of the Lecce fixture. Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo assessed the club's summer window and recent signings, highlighting the distinction between addressing the manager's specific requirements and broader squad building. "The Roma made a fairly precise choice a few months ago: it chose the line of the manager and all subsequent decisions are dictated by this, including those in the market," Pes said. "If I look at what the manager needs, the De Roon operation makes sense, because El Aynaoui hasn't convinced Gasperini. I want to see how De Roon's integration into Roma's dressing room goes. I think Balerdi is the best operation of this transfer market. I believe Gasperini will confirm the same eleven from Fiorentina." Simone Valdarchi of Radio Manà Manà (90.9) flagged Lecce's tactical threat despite Roma's technical advantage. "It's a match full of pitfalls, despite Roma's clear technical superiority," he said. "Di Francesco is a good coach, and there's a possibility Lecce will line up with three at the back. Given the calendar, it's essential to take the three points now." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio Mattino (104.5) backed Roma to win, citing the form of Malen and Dybala and the quality gap between the sides. "De Roon can give you a lot in midfield," Orsi added.

Rome radio pundits have weighed in on De Roon's arrival and Roma's transfer direction, with mixed assessments of the midfielder's age and fit within the squad. Pes told Teleradio Stereo that Roma has followed a precise line set months ago, choosing the manager's approach and making all subsequent decisions—including transfer choices—based on it. "If I look at what the coach needs, the De Roon operation makes sense, because El Aynaoui hasn't convinced Gasperini," Pes said. "I want to see how De Roon will settle into Roma's dressing room. But I don't understand the long-term thinking: you risk wasting another year of El Aynaoui. If he isn't bought by Leipzig, adding De Roon and letting a young player go to sign an older one—I don't understand it." Pes also praised Balerdi as "the best operation of this transfer window," calling it a potential move worth around €15 million that brings a top-level defender. He believes Gasperini will stick with the same eleven that played Fiorentina. Carina told Radio Radio the De Roon question will fade after a few matches, describing him as "one of Gasperini's soldiers," but questioned whether he arrives as the fourth or fifth midfielder. "Playing an entire season with only four midfielders gives me some concerns. He's turning 36—I'd be happier if he'd arrived as a fifth option," Carina said. He reported that Fofana was Roma's first target and expects Luiz Henrique to join: "He's an excellent player who plays on the right but does his best work cutting in from the left. If he arrives, Roma will have a pairing of players for every position and Gasperini will be happy." Carina also noted that Soulé's role depends on the transfer market, with Roma holding two offers for him from Fulham and Newcastle. Mattioli at Radio Radio offered a measured view of De Roon, saying he has always liked him but the midfielder's last season involved fewer appearances and his age might show. "In his role he's never held back or rested—that demands a lot of energy," Mattioli said. "He'll be useful as the season progresses and an important squad player, not necessarily a cornerstone." Orsi at Radio Radio backed the signing, stating De Roon "can give you plenty in midfield" and that Roma showed good form against Lecce, particularly through Malen and Dybala.

Roma defeated Lecce 4-0 on 31 August, with Manu Koné starting and playing a key role, hours after Chelsea were reported as potential suitors for the midfielder. Koné has been linked with several English clubs and was seen as a possible replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who could move to Manchester City. At his post-match press conference, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini firmly shut down the speculation. He stated: "Absolutely not, it's a media thing. No one has ever spoken to me about departures, not Koné or anyone else. Especially now, with just 24 hours to go before the transfer window closes." Gasperini also addressed the club's position, saying: "I also know that the owners aren't in favor of any sales. I don't know who has come forward because we've never received any official offers there either, so this too must be denied." Gasperini used the occasion to highlight Roma's current squad depth issues. He explained: "You can't always have Dybala and Malen. Today we only had two players on the bench in attack. We'll have Pellegrini and Rensch back. But you have to remember that there's always someone out. Today we lost Ndicka suddenly." He added: "Anyone who plays in the Champions League, in particular, must have a strong squad with players who don't feel the impact so severely when you lose someone, as happened last year at a certain point in the season. The owners are certainly putting in the effort, within what they can do, in cutting the number of signings they can achieve." With 24 hours remaining in the transfer window, Gasperini's comments reflected both the club's unwillingness to sell and Roma's continued need for reinforcements in attacking areas.

Eusebio Di Francesco, Lecce's manager, acknowledged his side's poor performance in their 2–0 defeat to Roma at the Via del Mare in the second round of Serie A on 31 August. Donyell Malen opened the scoring, and Lecce offered little resistance. Di Francesco said: "We didn't even get into the match, we fell short in every aspect, especially mentality. Today we gave the impression of an empty squad with no desire to react. I take responsibility for this poor first half. Beyond the choices I made, it's the players who need to show the ability to win duels and suffer. I didn't see the aggression of a team fighting for survival. We conceded too much — Roma could have done even more damage in the first half. The squad wasn't mentally in the match." Roma's attacking prowess exposed Lecce's defensive frailty throughout. Di Francesco had prepared his team in a 5–3–2 formation from the start of the week to arrive faster on Roma's attacking midfielders, but the system backfired. He explained: "We stayed too deep with a line of five. We should have pressed harder on Dybala and Soulé. This game plan didn't work, but the responsibility is the manager's. I didn't want to give them space, but the idea didn't bear fruit." The Lecce boss added: "Consider the quality of the opponent, but I didn't expect this performance. We could have gone down to Roma, but we were passive. I work intensely on this. Defensively, they attacked spaces we knew about well, but we always arrived late. This lack of unity bothered me."

Rodrigo Mora scored his first Roma goal in the second half of the 2–1 victory at Lecce on matchday two, and spoke to journalists after the final whistle about the significance of the moment and his early impression of the club. "I want to continue like this. Starting this way was my dream. I'm very happy," Mora said of his debut strike. He expressed particular emotion at sharing the pitch with Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. "It's a dream for me to play with Dybala—I followed him since I was a child. I tried to give him an assist. For me it's marvellous to play with a champion like him and Malen." Mora credited head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with engineering his arrival: "For me the manager was decisive. He wanted a player with my characteristics. I want to continue with him." The midfielder acknowledged the physical demands of Gasperini's methods. "At first the training sessions were very hard, it cost me a bit to adapt, but the results are already showing," he said, adding that Gasperini frequently corrects his decision-making on the ball: "He corrects me often when I receive the ball—to open up, to take on the opponent, to play face-on, vertically." Mora is still in the process of settling into Rome. "I've had little time so far to visit such a special city. I had special treatment from the Porto fans and I'm getting the same from Roma fans," he said. He expressed hope of meeting Francesco Totti soon: "I haven't yet had the chance to get to know the city—I'm still finishing my move. I hope to meet Totti soon. He was an idol for an entire generation."

Roma defeated Lecce 4-0 in Serie A's second matchday, extending their perfect start to the season with a dominant display. Donyell Malen scored twice in the opening 23 minutes, capitalising on defensive lapses from the hosts to put the contest beyond doubt early on. Matías Soulé added a third before half-time, while Rodrigo Mora completed the rout in the second half with his first Serie A goal. The victory follows Roma's 4-0 win over Fiorentina in their opening fixture. Gasperini's side now sit level on points with Inter, Juventus, Milan and Lazio at the top of the table with perfect records, but lead the standings on goal difference with 8 goals scored and none conceded. Malen has now signed five goals across the opening two league matches. The midfielder's contribution has been central to Roma's attacking prowess in these opening fixtures, with the attacking unit functioning at a high level across both matches.

Roma defeated Lecce 4-0 on 31 August, with Manu Koné starting and playing a key role, hours after Chelsea were reported as potential suitors for the midfielder. Koné has been linked with several English clubs and was seen as a possible replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who could move to Manchester City. At his post-match press conference, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini firmly shut down the speculation. He stated: "Absolutely not, it's a media thing. No one has ever spoken to me about departures, not Koné or anyone else. Especially now, with just 24 hours to go before the transfer window closes." Gasperini also addressed the club's position, saying: "I also know that the owners aren't in favor of any sales. I don't know who has come forward because we've never received any official offers there either, so this too must be denied." Gasperini used the occasion to highlight Roma's current squad depth issues. He explained: "You can't always have Dybala and Malen. Today we only had two players on the bench in attack. We'll have Pellegrini and Rensch back. But you have to remember that there's always someone out. Today we lost Ndicka suddenly." He added: "Anyone who plays in the Champions League, in particular, must have a strong squad with players who don't feel the impact so severely when you lose someone, as happened last year at a certain point in the season. The owners are certainly putting in the effort, within what they can do, in cutting the number of signings they can achieve." With 24 hours remaining in the transfer window, Gasperini's comments reflected both the club's unwillingness to sell and Roma's continued need for reinforcements in attacking areas.

Eusebio Di Francesco, Lecce's manager, acknowledged his side's poor performance in their 2–0 defeat to Roma at the Via del Mare in the second round of Serie A on 31 August. Donyell Malen opened the scoring, and Lecce offered little resistance. Di Francesco said: "We didn't even get into the match, we fell short in every aspect, especially mentality. Today we gave the impression of an empty squad with no desire to react. I take responsibility for this poor first half. Beyond the choices I made, it's the players who need to show the ability to win duels and suffer. I didn't see the aggression of a team fighting for survival. We conceded too much — Roma could have done even more damage in the first half. The squad wasn't mentally in the match." Roma's attacking prowess exposed Lecce's defensive frailty throughout. Di Francesco had prepared his team in a 5–3–2 formation from the start of the week to arrive faster on Roma's attacking midfielders, but the system backfired. He explained: "We stayed too deep with a line of five. We should have pressed harder on Dybala and Soulé. This game plan didn't work, but the responsibility is the manager's. I didn't want to give them space, but the idea didn't bear fruit." The Lecce boss added: "Consider the quality of the opponent, but I didn't expect this performance. We could have gone down to Roma, but we were passive. I work intensely on this. Defensively, they attacked spaces we knew about well, but we always arrived late. This lack of unity bothered me."

Roma swept aside Lecce 4–0 at the Stadio Via del Mare to record a second successive four-goal victory with no goals conceded. Donyell Malen scored twice in quick succession to break the deadlock, with Matías Soulé adding a third before Rodrigo Mora sealed the win. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini rotated his squad extensively, while the heat at the coastal venue posed no obstacle to Roma's rhythm and precision. The victory extends Roma's flawless start to the season and sends strong signals of intent in Serie A and Europe. Gasperini oversaw a composed, clinical performance from a team operating with high intensity despite the temperature. Daniele Ghilardi stepped in at short notice after Evan N'Dicka's late absence, while Marten de Roon made his Roma debut when introduced late in the match. The manager made several changes as the game progressed, including bringing on Niccolò Pisilli and Nahuel Molina to manage playing time and maintain sharpness across the squad. Malen's display earned an 8.5 rating in the Italian match ratings, with analysts noting his clinical finishing and all-round threat. He scored his opening goal within five minutes and added a fifth after carrying forward his momentum from Roma's previous fixture. Soulé's performance drew praise for his work rate, though the rating noted he could sharpen his finishing inside the box—he scored nonetheless. Dybala took on a creative role rather than dominating the attack, chipping in with defensive cover when needed and generating chances for teammates. Mile Svilar made a decisive save on his rare involvement in the first half, denying Lecce any consolation. Gasperini deployed a measured approach during cooling breaks to keep concentration levels high, managing a rotation policy that allowed most of the squad meaningful action while maintaining Roma's dominance across the 90 minutes.

Roma delivered an authoritative performance at Lecce, winning 4-0 on the opening day to send a powerful statement to their Serie A rivals. Gian Piero Gasperini's side dominated from start to finish, with Donyell Malen scoring twice, Matías Soulé adding a third, and Rodrigo Mora notching his first goal in Italian football. The emphatic victory came despite Evan N'Dicka's last-minute absence and suggested Roma have shed doubts from a mixed pre-season. Malen broke the deadlock within three minutes, capitalizing on Lecce's defensive error with a low, precise finish past goalkeeper Falcone. The early goal transformed the match entirely. Roma assumed control of possession and raised their pressing intensity, suffocating Lecce's build-up play. The second goal arrived at the 23-minute mark when Malen finished a rapid vertical attack down the left, and one minute later Soulé made it 3-0, again with Malen involved in the build-up. By that stage, only one team was on the pitch. Lecce offered little resistance in the first half, though goalkeeper Mile Svilar was called upon to deny Geubbels a consolation goal at the 38th minute by staying tall and closing down the shooting space. In the second half, Roma maintained their intensity and control. Lecce struck the post from a corner kick but never truly threatened again. Gasperini introduced substitute Rodrigo Mora, who scored the fourth goal just minutes after coming on, realizing his first goal in Italian football. Castro also made an impactful entrance, while Marten De Roon earned a late debut, replacing Paulo Dybala as the pace dropped in the closing stages. The performance showcased the hallmarks Gasperini demands: high pressing, immediate ball recovery, vertical passing, and attacking aggression. With the league at its earliest stage, definitive judgments remain premature, but Roma have emerged from the Via del Mare with a clear demonstration of competitive strength.

Mile Svilar spoke to DAZN ahead of Roma's match against Lecce, emphasising the need to build on early defensive improvements. The goalkeeper said: "We must always seek continuity. Against Fiorentina was only the first match. It's better to start this way but we must try to seek continuity for many matches starting from today." Svilar acknowledged the difficulty of playing at Lecce, particularly given the warm conditions expected. "Certainly, we've come here many times and I know it's a difficult pitch and a hot atmosphere. Today we must impose our game and take home the three points," he said. When asked about the Roma team taking shape, Svilar stressed the importance of squad unity: "A Roma that has been building since last year, a group that has been together for years. This is always positive."