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Roma suffer third pre-season defeat to Brighton as Gasperini sounds alarm 15 days before Serie A
·9 August 2026·90d ago

Roma suffer third pre-season defeat to Brighton as Gasperini sounds alarm 15 days before Serie A

Source: Roma News

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.

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Story Coverage5 sources on this story

Roma's pre-season ended in disappointment with a 3–0 defeat to Brighton in their final English warm-up match. The outlets agree goals came from Rutter and Ayari, though Roma News reports a double from Ayari across both halves. Gasperini acknowledged the sluggish performance, telling media the squad lacked concentration and switching on proved difficult, though he believes the issues can be resolved ahead of Serie A's start on August 24.

On the transfer front, both outlets confirm Roma have made three moves: replacing Çelik with Molina, Dovbyk with Castro, and adding Koulierakis to defence. Gasperini stated the club remains numerically short and indicated director D'Amico is negotiating young but important signings. One outlet specifically names Real Madrid's Endrick as an attacking midfield priority.

Pellegrini's contract extension through June 2027 was announced. Gasperini also warned that Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury recovery will extend beyond initial timelines—requiring at least a month—while several players returning from international duty need time to reintegrate before Serie A begins.

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

Testo Originale / Source Text

“Terzo ko pre-campionato e bilancio amaro per la Roma che chiude la tournée anglosassone incassando un netto 3-0 dal Brighton dell’inviato Andrea Pugliese. Una prestazione lente, svogliata e condizionata dai gol di Georginio e dalla doppietta di Ayari. A fine gara Gian Piero Gasperini non ha…”

Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.

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