Roma struggle after international breaks: only two wins since 2024

Cesare Prandelli, a former Italy manager and onetime Roma head coach, has reflected on Italian teams' struggles in this season's Champions League, describing the competition as fundamentally beyond the current standard of Italian football. Speaking to La Repubblica, Prandelli said: "The Champions League is a tournament in a class of its own, off the scale for our standards. It is like racing against Formula 1 cars: too fast, too intense and too unpredictable." Addressing Roma's recent loss to Real Madrid at the Olimpico, Prandelli offered a positive assessment of the club's performance and tactical approach. "Roma deserved to win," he said. "If they always play like this, they will make more progress than their Italian rivals, who are struggling a bit. Mourinho was brilliant in revolutionising the formation." Prandelli also cited Villarreal's display against Napoli as an example of the intensity required at the highest level, noting that Allegri's Napoli side had started well but was then overwhelmed by the opposition's fearlessness.

Roma's radio stations dissected a difficult Champions League defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday and looked ahead to Saturday's Serie A fixture against Genoa, with broadcasters divided on whether the 3–0 loss represented a damaging setback or an isolated collapse against a vastly wealthier opponent. David Rossi on Rete Sport argued perspective was essential: Real Madrid's squad value stands at around €1.5 billion compared to Roma's €498 million—triple the gap—and Roma had been weakened by injuries to Svilar, Cristante and Koné, who came off after 15 minutes. He also noted Roma had played an entire first half in ten men against Como only days earlier. Gianluca Piacentini agreed the performance merited credit, noting Roma had been excellent for 80 minutes and calling the final ten minutes an anomaly that should not define the season. Mario Corsi acknowledged Roma were pressured late but flagged the anomaly of conceding three goals from corners: "you can't concede a goal to every throw-in from the corner flag, otherwise it would have ended 18–3." He attributed the collapse to character and mentality rather than tactics. Lorenzo Pes on Tele Radio Stereo expressed concern about constant defensive rotation, saying: "Changing all these defenders generates some confusion—I don't know if it's wise to always change so much at the back." He expects Koné to return after the international break, hoped for his comeback against Manchester United, and anticipated Cristante would target recovery for the Naples fixture. Daniele Lo Monaco on Radio Romanista linked recent injuries to the international break, suggesting Koné's injury after 21 days away was telling: "I'm not saying they don't train in the national team, but we know how much they work." Roberto Pruzzo on Radio Radio said Roma lacked "those 2–3 players who throw the ball in the Tiber"—shorthand for missing decisive midfielders—and called this week's loss one of the worst defeats of recent times. Mario Mattioli critiqued Konstantinos Koulierakis's positioning in the final minutes, saying he "wandered around in the middle like a lost soul" with no clear marking. Gasperini must revive Roma's mood before Genoa arrive on Saturday; Nando Orsi warned that a 3–0 scoreline leaves lasting damage in the dressing room, though he expected Roma's recent form to overcome a side struggling tactically. The international break looms, with attention turning to Manchester United and Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.

Rafa Benítez has analysed Roma's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid at the Olimpico, saying the Italian side was the better team but lost due to defensive errors from dead-ball situations. Benítez, a former Liverpool and Napoli manager who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, commented on the match as part of a wider assessment of four Italian defeats in a Champions League week. Benítez told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Against a fortress like Real Madrid it can happen. But I must say that everything is exclusively linked to episodes in set-piece situations. Roma was superior, Real never managed to get down the flanks. The risk was in man-marking and it happened. But from an evening like that you can also keep the good things, knowing you must learn from the lapses." Roma came close to victory but were caught in a late comeback.

Roma have a troubling record after international breaks. Across the last two seasons—2024–25 and 2025–26—the Giallorossi returned to action eight times following domestic breaks and won only twice, a pattern that will concern Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of Sunday's trip to Como, which marks the team's restart. The streak began in September 2024 under Daniele De Rossi. After opening defeats, Roma drew 1–1 away at Genoa, with Koni De Winter equalising in the 96th minute. De Rossi was sacked two days later and replaced by Ivan Juric. The next break brought no relief: on 20 October, Roma lost 1–0 at home to Inter. That defeat preceded Juric's own departure and the arrival of Claudio Ranieri. On 24 November, Ranieri's first game back after a break ended in a 1–0 loss at Napoli. Only in spring 2025 did Roma secure their first post-break win of the 2024–25 season, beating Lecce 1–0 away—their sole victory in four such restarts that year. The trend persisted into 2025–26. Gasperini's first post-break match came on 15 September when Torino won 1–0 at the Olimpico. In October, Roma faced Inter again and again lost 1–0 at home despite a positive display. Victory finally arrived in November: away at Cremonese, Roma won 3–1, with goals from Matías Soulé, Evan Ferguson and Wesley. That remains their second and most recent post-break success across the eight matches studied. April brought another heavy defeat, losing 5–2 at Inter; however, Roma responded by winning six of their final seven league matches to secure third place and Champions League qualification.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the Trento Sports Festival on 2 October, discussing the foundations he has laid at Roma since his appointment and his vision for the season ahead. The Roma head coach outlined his tactical philosophy and explained how he has worked with the squad over the early weeks of the 2026–27 campaign. "My objective was to create something new, to lay new foundations straight away," Gasperini said. "We never spoke about my past; we had to create something new, based on new concepts of play that were different from what several players were used to. There are two ways in football: waiting for your opponent to lose the ball, or the other way—going to take it. This was the first concept, not to wait for the opponent, and everything else came from that." Gasperini praised his defensive options, singling out Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini as key figures. He described the defence as his "gladiators," adding that Mile Svilar and Evan N'Dicka have been among Europe's best in recent months. On Mancini specifically, Gasperini revealed he had worked to improve the centre-back's attitude: "I knew Mancini, but when I was his opponent I'd think to myself, 'Why is he so unpleasant?' and I tried to tell him straight away, 'Look, this is hurting you—for many years you haven't gone to the national team because of these attitudes.' It was the first thing I worked on. He had a fantastic season, people started talking about Mancini as a player again, and he's returned to the national team." Gasperini offered extensive insight into Paulo Dybala's resurgence, attributing the Argentine forward's improved fitness to his training methods. "He's started as hasn't happened to him for years. I knew him at Palermo when he was very young; many years have passed but he, like all great players, still has enthusiasm and strength," Gasperini explained. "He had years of physical fragility. I thought it was a training issue. Many told me he had silk muscles, that I had to preserve him, and he kept getting injured. He has remarkable fibre; some injuries were random. This season's start is extraordinary physically. He doesn't miss a minute of training or matches. This shows what I've always believed: through training you can improve durability and performances." Regarding Dybala's reluctance to shoot from distance, Gasperini noted: "That's a legacy we'll get over soon. He got injured shooting with Milan and Torino last year and it stayed with him. Now he's overcoming it; he stopped sprinting and to see him jumping past opponents again... we'll return to shooting like before." When asked if he has coached better poets than Dybala, Gasperini responded: "I have a long career and have trained many strong players. Dybala is among the top, if not the absolute top. Ilicic and the Papu too—they're poets because they touch different strings from everyone else." Gasperini discussed young academy prospects Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli, explaining his approach to youth development: "I grew up in the youth sector, coaching 11-year-olds through to the Primavera. I've maintained that approach and it's taught me to see the boy not as something to evaluate but as something to imagine how he might become. Pisilli already had value and experience; Lulli wasn't even always a starter in the Primavera. I have the habit of bringing a few boys from Primavera into training. I saw important characteristics in him and this year I brought him to the retreat. He played against Borussia Dortmund, a demanding match. These are the boys who tell you by how they play if they're ready. The answers come from watching them on the pitch." On Bryan Cristante, Gasperini confirmed a knee injury: "He had a knee problem but when you play many matches, if you're out two weeks you risk missing five matches. He'll miss the first games but will recover quickly." Donyell Malen's arrival was described as unexpected: "Sometimes the planets align and things happen you don't think about. He was a known player; we'd had a friendly where I saw his characteristics. These things happen during the market where you sometimes don't plan anything. We were looking for a striker because Dovbyk and Ferguson were injured. There were several names and suddenly I learned of this opportunity. He was leaving Aston Villa for tactical reasons; he wanted to be a centre-forward and I've always seen those characteristics in him. He has three fundamental touches—the closer he is to the box, the more deadly he is."

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the ninth edition of Il Festival dello Sport in Trento alongside new Roma CEO Galantic, discussing the club's strong start to the season and his first months in charge. The coach explained his vision from day one: "My objective was to create something new, to lay new foundations immediately. We never spoke of my past—we had to build something fresh, founded on new concepts of play that were different from what several players were used to. There are two ways in football: waiting for the opponent to lose the ball or going to take it. This was the first concept, not waiting for the opponent, and everything else stemmed from that." Gasperini praised his defence, singling out Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso as standouts. On Mancini specifically: "I knew him, but when I was his opponent I'd think 'why is he so disagreeable?' and I told him straight away 'this penalises you—for years you haven't gone to the national team because of these attitudes.' It was the first thing I worked on. He had a fantastic season, people started talking about Mancini as a player again, and he returned to the Nazionale." Hermoso, he said, brought defensive grit combined with Spanish quality and important experience from his time at Atlético Madrid. Gasperini also highlighted Mile Svilar and Evan N'Dicka, noting they had been Europe's best defence for months. On Paulo Dybala's remarkable form, Gasperini revealed his belief that the Argentine's previous injury problems stemmed from training rather than fragility. "Lots of people told me he has silk muscles, that I had to preserve him, and he kept getting injured. He has remarkable fibre—some injuries were just bad luck. This season's start is extraordinary physically. He doesn't miss a minute of training or a match. It's proof of what I always believed: through training you can improve resilience and performance." When asked if Dybala's recent shot from distance showed progress, Gasperini explained: "That's a legacy we're overcoming soon. Last year he hurt himself shooting against Milan and Torino and it stayed with him. Now he's getting past it—he wasn't sprinting anymore and to see him jumping over opponents again is great. Soon we'll be back to shooting like before." He also offered high praise for Dybala's overall quality: "My career is long and I've coached many strong players. Dybala is among the top, if not the absolute top. Ilicic and the Papu too—they're poets because they touch chords different from everyone else." Gasperini discussed some younger squad members who have impressed him. On Emanuele Lulli, who was not always a starter in the Primavera: "I have the habit of bringing some young players from the Primavera into training. I saw important characteristics in him and this year brought him to the retreat. He played against Borussia Dortmund, a challenging match. The young players tell you through how they play if they're ready. The answers come from watching them on the pitch." He also defended recent criticism of another academy product: "It's another young man who grew through our youth system. He's very interesting. I was sorry about what happened last week—it seemed we'd found the player to fix the Nazionale and then he was excessively criticised. Perhaps it's the adults who need to stay calm in their judgment." On Santiago Castro's arrival, Gasperini said: "Sometimes the planets align and things happen you don't plan. He was a known player—we had a friendly where I saw his characteristics. The market is a place where sometimes you don't plan anything. We were looking for a striker because Dovbyk and Ferguson were injured. There were several names and suddenly I learned of this opportunity. He was leaving Aston Villa for tactical reasons; he wanted to be a centre-forward and I've always seen those qualities in him. He has three fundamental touches, and the closer he is to the box the more lethal he is." When pressed on whether Castro could surpass Gonzalo Higuaín's records, Gasperini said: "I said that to motivate him—I'm joking a bit. Let's say if he reaches 30 I'm happy." Gasperini reflected on his decision to leave Atalanta for Roma, calling it a major turning point in his career—comparable only to his shift from playing to management and his move to Crotone in Serie C. "I arrived with the conviction it was something owed rather than wanted, and that it was time to cross the Rubicon. You do it with lots of doubts, but you know when you make that choice you don't go back, and it's gone well." On the season's challenges ahead, he rejected the idea of being solely focused on rivals: "I always look at our path. Depending on the moment, Hannibal could be someone else. Before it was Juventus, now perhaps Inter, who is the best team in Italy. If you always chase the strongest you can lose yourself. The objective is to look at ourselves and improve."

Roma must rebuild mentally after their defeat to Real Madrid, with centrefield damage threatening to complicate their immediate recovery. Manu Koné is feared to have suffered a muscle injury that could sideline him until after the next international break, similar to Mile Svilar's absence timeline. Bryan Cristante will attempt to return for the Napoli away match, leaving Roma's central midfield options severely constrained for the Genoa fixture. Paulo Dybala's situation is more encouraging: the Argentine could even make the bench tomorrow despite the problem he sustained against Real Madrid. The mental challenge will define Roma's response; the technical gap over Genoa is clear on paper, but overcoming the psychological weight of the European night will be the real test. Gasperini's decision to speak at the pre-match press conference signals an attempt to rebuild group cohesion and restore energy after the European disappointment. In attack, a three-man unit of Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro is gaining prominence, aided by Donyell Malen's suspension. Emanuele Lulli could feature on the flank in place of Nahuel Molina, with further defensive changes possible. Daniele Ghilardi may start, though it remains uncertain how much Gasperini will overhaul a back line already subjected to frequent rotation in recent weeks. A probable Roma XI shapes as: Gollini; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Lulli, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Castro.

Roma's painful defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday—a loss made all the more difficult by a dominant first-eighty-two minutes undone by three corner-kick goals in the closing stage—has left the club facing an immediate test of character. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is determined to restore momentum with tomorrow's fixture against Genoa, and his willingness to address the squad and media again so soon signals his conviction that the setback must not be allowed to dampen the enthusiasm that has driven the team's progress so far this season. Gasperini's insistence on dialogue reflects his awareness of the danger posed by such reversals. The coach appears conscious of the parallel to Roma's collapse against Juventus last season, when the team surrendered a 3–1 lead to draw 3–3 in the final moments. A single match lost, no matter how bitterly, cannot erase the quality Roma displayed for the vast majority of Wednesday's contest or the genuine progress being made both in European competition and the domestic league. The squad and technical staff have built something of substance; a late reversal does not undo that work. Gasperini believes a clear restatement of purpose is essential to prevent the mood from fracturing. Among the consolations are individual performances worth preserving in memory. Donyell Malen continues to prove himself a centre-forward of substance; Wesley delivered an outstanding display; Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora—who provided an assist for Malen—and Marten de Roon all merited praise. Pierluigi Gollini, Leonardo Balerdi and Nahuel Molina were among those who made individual errors in the closing moments, but such analysis cannot overshadow eight-five minutes of superior football. For tomorrow's match against Genoa, managed by Claudio Ranieri, Gasperini will have only seventeen outfield players available. Absent through injury or other reasons will be Mile Svilar, Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala and Malen—the spine of the squad. The fixture may yet vindicate the manager's stated wish for a left-sided attacker of right-foot preference and a left-sided winger; the club may now understand that such requests were not whim but necessity.

Roma's loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday stung deeply—the team dominated for nearly the entire match before conceding three goals from corner kicks in the final eight minutes. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has chosen to speak publicly less than 48 hours after the defeat, a signal of his determination to rebuild momentum ahead of tomorrow's fixture against Genoa, then Roma-Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday. The setback must not erase what the squad has accomplished; Roma deserved to win until the 82nd minute, and individual errors in the closing stretch—from goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, defender Leonardo Balerdi, and Nahuel Molina—should not overshadow the collective effort. Gasperini's readiness to address the media reflects lessons learned from Roma's collapse against Juventus last season, when the team surrendered a 3–1 lead and conceded two late goals. The loss to Real Madrid represents a growth process for both squad and club—and may vindicate the coach's request for a left-sided attacker with a right foot and a left-sided winger, demands that were not whimsy but tactical necessity. Despite the pain, there is much to celebrate: Donyell Malen has proven himself no ordinary Italian second-string forward; Wesley delivered an outstanding display; and Matías Soulé provided immediate impact with an assist for Malen, as did midfielder Rodrigo Mora, while Marten de Roon also earned praise for his contribution. For tomorrow's Genoa match, Gasperini will have only 17 outfield players available. The absences strike at the spine of the side: goalkeeper Mile Svilar, midfielder Bryan Cristante, fellow midfielder Manu Koné, forward Paulo Dybala, and Malen are all unavailable. The fixture comes as Genoa, managed by Claudio Ranieri, provide the immediate test of Roma's response.