Roma seal Molina signing from Atlético Madrid

Donyell Malen is preparing to return to England as a key figure, having been one of the most successful winter signings in Roma's history since joining from the club in January 2026. The Dutch forward has scored 22 Serie A goals in the 2026 calendar year, making him the top scorer across Europe's five major leagues, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. Tonight's clash at Old Trafford could have featured Malen wearing a different shirt. According to Corriere della Sera, in 2024 Ruud van Nistelrooy, then assistant coach at Manchester United, suggested Malen's name to the Red Devils' hierarchy while he was still at Borussia Dortmund. The English club did not follow up on the proposal, and Malen later moved to Aston Villa before joining Roma. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, his impact has been devastating for the Giallorossi. The forward will face the side that could have bought him two years ago. Tonight's match kicks off at 21:00, and given the form he has shown in Roma colours, Malen could leave Manchester with plenty of regrets.

Donyell Malen has become one of the key figures in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma, but a link to Manchester United, Roma's Champions League opponents, has come to light. As reported by Corriere della Sera, Ruud van Nistelrooy, then an assistant coach at Manchester United, had identified Malen as a possible reinforcement for the Red Devils' attack in 2024. Malen was playing for Borussia Dortmund at the time. The suggestion never led to a transfer. Malen stayed away from Manchester and his career later took him to Roma. The Dutch forward has since become a central figure in the club's attacking system, with his ability to attack the depth of the defence, move across the front line and find the net making him one of the squad's main outlets. He has stood out not only for his consistent goalscoring but also for his contribution in the more difficult games, often influencing the result. Those qualities explain why Van Nistelrooy had considered him for Manchester United, and they are now an important weapon for Roma as they prepare to face the Premier League club in the Champions League.

Donyell Malen has had a devastating impact at Roma and is arguably the best winter signing in the club's history, according to the report. He is currently the top goalscorer in Europe in 2026, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. The Dutch forward could have moved to England a few years ago, when Manchester United were interested, Corriere della Sera reveals. His compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy, then an assistant coach at the Red Devils in 2024, pushed for Malen's name while he was playing for Borussia Dortmund. The move never materialised, and tonight Bobby could reignite the regrets.

Roma threw away a two-goal lead at Manchester United in the Champions League, losing 3-2 after a dominant first half in which Soulé and Malen (from the penalty spot) had put them ahead. The collapse follows a similar late unravelling against Real Madrid, and this time the defeat is even more painful. Roma controlled the first half, rattling a United side that looked unrecognisable, before disappearing from the pitch after the break with no reaction and no ability to ease the English pressure. The responsibility, the article argues, must be shared, and head coach Gasperini must accept his part. Taking off Rodrigo Mora at half-time, after the Portuguese had lit up Roma's attacking play, was hard to understand. Pisilli's introduction was meant to bring more substance and dynamism but removed quality and unpredictability, and from that point Roma barely threatened. Replacing the injured Rensch with Lulli, rather than the more experienced Molina, also raised doubts; the young winger suffered badly under the weight of the match and United's pressure. Both choices failed and Gasperini will have to reflect on them. The squad is also showing strain. The absences of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala were felt, especially when the team needed fresh legs and quality to escape difficult moments. Roma still lack a quick attacking winger who can beat a man and turn a move, something the club sought without success during the summer transfer window. Balerdi, probably the best player on the pitch until then, made a costly error, missing the ball on the cross that allowed Cunha to equalise. A few minutes later it was 3-2. The decisive moment was the penalty awarded to United for a very light contact between Mancini and Cunha, which looked utterly incomprehensible. The retake, after Vásquez had saved the first attempt, was justified because Cristante's foot was already inside the box, but the initial decision that revived a struggling United side remains a source of enormous doubt. Bruno Fernandes's goal reignited United and Old Trafford. The real problem, the article says, was what happened in the minds and legs of the Roma players: as the pace rose and United pressed harder, Roma were gripped by fear of losing a victory already within reach and could not respond. Gasperini acknowledged after the game that this defeat could teach Roma even more than the loss to Real Madrid, and the article agrees, while insisting the problem must be faced rather than hidden behind the refereeing call or the absences. The result leaves Roma's hopes of reaching the Champions League play-off round harder to secure. The club now face Sassuolo on Saturday evening at the Olimpico, a final push before the international break. The article says Roma must recover injured players, energy and composure, and collect three points, while the championship remains the season's main target. Roma have repeatedly shown they can bounce back from disappointment, and the article concludes that the real frustration is seeing how strong this team can be, and how little it still takes for them to stop being so.

Gian Piero Gasperini says Roma's defeat at Old Trafford will teach his side more than the comeback loss to Real Madrid. Roma lost 3-2 to Manchester United in the fourth matchday of the Champions League league phase, after a penalty and a second-half turnaround that swung the game. Roma had dominated the first half and could even have scored a third. Gasperini drew a clear distinction between the two games. He said: "I think it was a different match. Against Real, everything happened in the last 7-8 minutes, with set pieces, from a corner, without other obvious signals. Here it was different after the penalty, which gave them great momentum. We were not able to hold on to that push." Asked whether the goals conceded so close together were down to chance, he replied: "No, there is no chance involved, but the situations are different. In this evening's case, unlike the first half, we were no longer able to have the same strength against their attackers, who were the ones giving us the most difficulty. Then there is the fact that the first goal came from a penalty and the second came after an injury to one of ours. Perhaps it was a moment when the match had rebalanced a little. It's fair that Manchester have a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes of great pressure. If you get through those moments and those episodes unscathed, maybe in the end you win the match too." Alessandro Florenzi asked whether the defeat was part of the team's growth or hurt more than the Real Madrid result, and whether Nahuel Molina could have played to bring international experience. Gasperini said: "Yes, Molina could have played, because as you rightly say he is an international player. But this evening Rensch had started very well, he was having an excellent game. Then he had this injury and I brought on Lulli. Afterwards there were no longer the conditions to make a change. Wesley had an excellent defensive game, and so it went. That was not the reason for the defeat." On the broader question, he added: "I think they are two different matches. Honestly, I believe this match taught us more than the one against Real Madrid. The game with Real was the result of an unexpected ending. This evening we experienced certain moments that can happen in Europe, in environments as important as Old Trafford. We must absolutely learn from them for the future." Gasperini also addressed the second half, when Manchester changed their system, pressed high and stopped Roma playing. He said: "They changed something, they had nothing left to lose and started pressing high. But it was not only that. We should have played in a slightly different way, perhaps using some long balls to take them away from our half. Essentially, though, we could no longer keep track of their attacking players." He added: "We perhaps should have resorted to a few more stoppages and a few more challenges, competitively speaking. We suffered their momentum a little too much, which was then clearly amplified by the penalty and later by the 2-2 episode." Asked about Roma's failure to stop the bleeding in difficult moments, following Mbuemo's double hit off the woodwork after the penalty and the 3-2 goal that came immediately after Leonardo Balerdi's error at 2-2, he said: "Yes, that's how it is. At least this evening it was. It also happened something similar against Real Madrid. Perhaps there is a dip caused by disappointment, when you see a win slip away that you thought you had in your grasp. Against Real Madrid we had it in our grasp, this evening we were still in a good position. Perhaps these episodes mean the team must learn to take some of the pressure of the result off itself, at all costs. It is not only that, although of course the result matters. But this is a match that will surely serve us more than others in order to grow."

Gian Piero Gasperini has spoken after Roma lost to Manchester United in their Champions League fourth-round fixture, a defeat in which a penalty gave the English side real momentum and Roma were unable to hold that surge. Gasperini was asked whether the match echoed the late collapse against Real Madrid. He rejected the comparison: "No, I think it was a different match. Against Real everything happened in the last 8 minutes from set pieces, and there were not such clear signs as there were today, especially after the penalty, which certainly gave them momentum, and we were not able to hold on to that push." On the pattern of conceding goals in quick succession at moments when a result should be managed, Gasperini said there was no coincidence but that the situations were different. "Tonight we did not have the strength against their attackers in the second half. The first goal for them came from this penalty, then came this mistake for the second, at a moment when the match had become a little more balanced. There were those 15 minutes of Manchester pressure, and if you can get through those episodes unscathed, you might even win it." Asked whether this defeat hurt more than the Real Madrid result, Gasperini said: "It was a match. It taught me more than the one against Real Madrid, which was the result of an unexpected ending. In certain moments in Europe, and in environments this strong, it makes us draw something out for the future." Gasperini was also asked whether Mario Molina could have offered the international presence needed in such moments. He said: "Yes, Molina could have come on tonight, but Rensch started very well, then he suffered an injury and I brought on Lulli. After that there were no longer the conditions to make a change. Wesley had an excellent game defensively, and so it went." On why Roma lost the personality they showed in the first half, Gasperini said: "They had nothing left to lose, so they pressed high, and that was to be expected. We had to play a little differently, also using long balls to take them away from our half. Essentially we were no longer able to hold their runners, so they had the better of the pressing and of their attacking moves. This caused us problems, and perhaps we needed a few more stoppages in terms of competitiveness. We were somewhat overwhelmed by their momentum, which was clearly amplified by the penalty and by the episode of the 2-2."

Referee Jesús Gil Manzano has been heavily criticised by Italy's main sports dailies for his handling of Roma's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, with the penalty awarded to the English side and the non-sending-off of Harry Maguire the most contested decisions. La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport both gave the Spanish referee a 4 out of 10, while Il Romanista went as low as 3. The decisive moment came in the 55th minute, when Cunha went down in the box after very light contact from Mancini. Gil Manzano pointed to the spot as Roma protested. La Gazzetta called the penalty very generous, while Corriere dello Sport described it as a "rigorino" (a soft penalty). Il Romanista was even harsher, arguing that the United forward exaggerated his fall considerably. Vasquez initially saved Bruno Fernandes's effort, but the penalty was ordered retaken because Cristante had entered the area early and intervened on the rebound. That decision was correct under the rules. Fernandes scored at the second attempt, reopening the match and sparking the English comeback. The criticism of the officiating does not end there. In the closing stages Harry Maguire was booked for a slap on Castro, but shortly afterwards he committed another foul on the Argentine forward which, according to the three newspapers' slow-motion reviews, should have earned a second yellow card. Gil Manzano let play continue, sparing the English defender a dismissal. La Gazzetta also flagged a possible penalty for United for a late challenge by Wesley in the second half. There was no doubt, however, about the first-half penalty awarded to Roma for a handball by Heaven on Soulé's shot. The referee's performance weighed heavily on the match, although it does not erase Roma's responsibility for their collapse in the second half. The penalty gave confidence to a United side in serious difficulty, while Gasperini's team were unable to regain control of the game.

Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford in Manchester, having led by two goals before being pegged back, a result that makes qualification for the Champions League knockout phase harder. Italian newspapers were unanimous in praising the first half as very high level, but the second half was markedly less bright, and a much-disputed penalty awarded to the hosts added to Roma's frustration. The papers' player ratings were widely critical of Balerdi, who received a 4.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport, a 4 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and a 5 from Il Messaggero. Soulé was the standout performer, rated 7.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and 7 by Il Messaggero and Corriere della Sera. Mora also earned strong marks, with a 7 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica. Pisilli was judged harshly, rated 5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, 4.5 by Corriere dello Sport, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, and 5 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Gasperini was given a 5.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica, a 5 by Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and a 6 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Vásquez received 5.5 from Il Messaggero and 6 from La Repubblica, Il Tempo and Romanews.eu. Cristante earned 6.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and Wesley was rated 6.5 by Corriere dello Sport and Il Tempo. Malen was rated 7 by La Repubblica, with Castro's late cameo marked between 5 and 6 across the papers.

Roma were dominant for 45 minutes at Manchester United before collapsing in the second half, a defeat that Italian newspapers describe as a painful one. It is the club's second Champions League blackout, following the defeat against Real Madrid, and a collapse that Gian Piero Gasperini will have to work on for a long time. Matías Soulé was named the best Roma player on the pitch, playing a perfect first half, opening the scoring and winning the penalty that made it 2-0. However, he faded in the second half, as did the rest of the team. Defender Leonardo Balerdi was rated the worst player on the pitch, with his error on United's equaliser to make it 2-2 weighing heavily on him. The collapse after such a strong start is seen as difficult to explain, and it puts a spotlight on the team's ability to hold a lead against top opposition. The Italian sports press rated the Roma players in a range of marks across five newspapers. Gazzetta dello Sport gave Soulé 6.5 and Balerdi 4, and Corriere dello Sport gave Soulé 7.5 and Balerdi 4. Il Messaggero gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 5, while Il Tempo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Corriere della Sera rated Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5, and Leggo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Gasperini received marks between 5 and 6 across the papers. Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Vásquez started in goal, with Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso in defence, and Rensch, Cristante, de Roon and Wesley in midfield. Soulé and Mora played behind Malen. Rensch was replaced by Lulli at 21 minutes, Mora by Pisilli at half-time, and Mancini and Hermoso were replaced by Ghilardi and Ndicka at 75 minutes. Malen made way for Castro at 80 minutes.

Roma head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Champions League, with Gian Piero Gasperini's preparations disrupted by a back problem that has ruled Lorenzo Pellegrini's fellow goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini out, leaving Devis Vásquez to start in goal. The match kicks off at 21:00 Italian time. Roma come into the fixture after an away win over Udinese. Gasperini has confirmed Rodrigo Mora in attack, alongside Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen. Gianluca Mancini returns to the defence, with Leonardo Balerdi completing the back line in place of Evan N'Dicka. Devyne Rensch and Wesley are named on the flanks. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Mancini, Balerdi, Hermoso; Rensch, Cristante, de Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Manchester United, coached by Carrick, line up in a 4-2-3-1 with Lammens in goal, Yoro, Maguire, Heaven and Dalot in defence, Mainoo and Baleba in midfield, and Cunha, Fernandes and Diallo supporting Mbeumo. Tielemans replaces Baleba at the 50th minute. Roma's Rensch was replaced by Lulli in the 22nd minute, and Mora was substituted by Pisilli in the 46th minute of the second half. The referee is Gil Manzano (Spain), assisted by Porras Ayuso-Barbero and Barbero, with Martínez Munuera as fourth official, Del Cerro Grande on VAR and Cuadra Fernandez as AVAR. Goals came from Soulé in the 9th minute, Malen in the 18th minute and Fernandes in the 53rd minute. Yellow cards were shown to Soulé and Bruno Fernandes in the 21st minute, Lulli in the 35th minute, Malen in the 41st minute and Heaven in the 70th minute.

Roma travel to Old Trafford on Tuesday for a high-stakes UEFA Champions League clash that could decide Michael Carrick's future at Manchester United, with the home side enduring their worst run of form since the late 1980s. United lost 2-0 at home to Chelsea on Saturday and are level on points with 18th-placed Crystal Palace in the Premier League. They are on a nine-game winless streak in all competitions (D3, L6), their worst run since 1988. Carrick's position is under scrutiny ahead of what is described as a must-win game. United beat Champions League debutants Sabah Baku 4-0, but have since lost back-to-back group-phase matches, suffering multi-goal defeats at Atletico Madrid and Como. Roma arrive in better shape. Gian Piero Gasperini's side recovered from a two-game winless start (D1, L1) to thrash Slovan Bratislava 4-0 on matchday three. That win is part of a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W4, D1), capped by a dominant 5-2 win at Udinese last weekend. Roma are unbeaten in 17 Serie A matches (W13, D4), and the Giallorossi will take the Old Trafford pitch in high spirits, seeking their maiden win on United's home ground. United have beaten Roma in all four previous meetings at the Theatre of Dreams, including a 7-1 rout in 2007, when Carrick scored a brace. The under-pressure United boss will be desperate to repeat that success, knowing anything other than a win would likely seal his fate at the club. United have won 13 of their 17 Champions League home matches against Italian opposition at Old Trafford (D1, L3) and bring a seven-game winning streak in European home games into the fixture, with each of their last four wins in that sequence seeing them score at least four goals. However, the 20-time English champions are enduring their worst-ever ten-game Champions League run (W2, D1, L7), and they have failed to score in five of their seven defeats this season. Roma's scoring has been prolific, with Gasperini's side netting two or more goals in six consecutive outings across all competitions. That run started with a 4-3 home loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Roma have since won five straight games without defeat (W4, D1). Their domestic form has not translated to Europe, however. They have secured just two wins from their last 20 Champions League road fixtures (D6, L12) and have gone 32 successive Champions League road trips without a clean sheet. They are also seeking their first-ever away win over English opposition in the Champions League proper (D3, L7). That said, Roma have not lost any of their last six European away games (W3, D3). Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw and Benjamin Sesko are definite absentees for United, while Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo could be on the bench. Bryan Mbeumo is expected to lead the line amid Matheus Cunha's rough patch, with Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Youri Tielemans behind him in Carrick's 4-2-3-1 set-up. Roma remain without Paulo Dybala, Manu Kone and first-choice goalkeeper Mile Svilar. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is struggling with a thigh injury, is also out, meaning Matias Soule is likely to start behind Donyell Malen. Roma's probable lineup is Gollini; N'Dicka, Mancini, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante, Soule; Malen. The prediction is a Roma win.

Roma's radio commentators have looked ahead to Thursday night's Champions League trip to Manchester United at Old Trafford, with several pundits stressing that a win would carry weight well beyond the three points. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: "Gasperini has understood that Manchester won't be a walk in the park, and that he would really like to win. Beyond the three points at stake tonight, because winning would take you a good way forward in the qualification, playing and doing well in Manchester would bring a series of positive consequences across the board. Winning 1-0 at Old Trafford tonight would be worth more than 5-2 at Udine; a win tonight would carry over to the Olimpico against Sassuolo…" Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport declined to make a prediction, saying Gasperini had got it right in insisting Roma should not be influenced by Manchester's recent form. He added that United manager Carrick could be sacked if he fails to get a result against Roma, noting that the club has saved many coaches in its history. Piacentini joked that a hat-trick of dismissed coaches would not be a bad outcome, with Runjaic dismissed first, Carrick tonight and Aquilani on Saturday, "with all due respect to Alberto." Giorgio Marota of Rete Sport expects Gasperini to rely on his senior players in such big games, meaning Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are likely to start. He said Ghilardi is growing rapidly and looks like the player who has developed most. Marota described the squad as having two strong groups, the Italians and the Argentines, and said dressing-room dynamics exist but Gasperini will not be swayed by them, as shown by his removing Pellegrini's captaincy as soon as he arrived. He said Mancini is even more Gasperini-like in his role than Ghilardi, though Ghilardi could challenge him in the long run. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo said tonight's match has great appeal and that, against the Roma side Carrick faced before, Roma would have returned the 7-1 scoreline. He argued Roma would have done well to sign 21- and 22-year-olds ready to break through, citing Moreira, Mastantuono, Alajbegovic and Mora, who has already scored three goals. He said these players cost money but have a future, and expressed hope of signing Endrick, adding that Mora would not be bothered by his arrival. Corsi also warned about AC Milan, saying they want to invest heavily, and that with Moreira and Endrick they could start to take shape, though he noted they have a major brake in Amorim. Francesca Ferrazza of Tele Radio Stereo said that in January a club cannot take a gamble and should instead sign established players who may not be performing at their clubs, a loan move that could help Roma take a step up and push for the title. She said that in the summer a different kind of investment is needed, and recalled that last January the 19-year-old was not signed, which is why people say Roma need another Malen, a fully formed player who provides the final step. Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Roma must focus on the present rather than the ghosts of the past. On Rensch, he said he had been picked from the first minute, but the battle for that place is open, adding that he was not convinced by him in Naples. He said a win on such an important pitch would, for now, place Roma among Europe's elite and represent a real step up in quality. On United, he said the quality is there with Bruno Fernandes, Mbuemo, Cunha and Mainoo, but that the side does not deserve its league position and looks very disjointed. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said that if Roma beat Sassuolo, Parma and Monza in their next three league games, they would be close to first place. He said Bologna, Lazio and Juventus also follow, and that Lazio must be considered. He suggested Balerdi should start tonight and that Molina should be backed for his experience of big stages. He would also play Mora with Soulé and Malen. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said United in these conditions are like Juventus, but Roma must not fall into the trap. He warned that Roma cannot go there and do what they did at Udine, and that a different mental and physical resilience will be needed. On Soulé, Pruzzo said he thinks all the good possible of him and that the club waited for him too long given his qualities, though he has not yet taken the team by the hand and still lacks something to be a recognised leader. He said he backed him because he deserves it. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said Manchester United having Dorgu, the former Lecce player, means they are no longer the Manchester United of old if they invest in him. He called tonight's match complicated and difficult, noting Roma always play at Old Trafford, and that by the law of big numbers one match must go their way. He hoped it would not be so for Roma, adding that if Roma score first, United may collapse because they are mentally weak, while if they score first, they may become elated. For that reason, Roma must be careful.