Roma thrash Slovan Bratislava 4-0 to win in the Champions League for the first time in seven years

Roma responded straight away to their dramatic defeat to Real Madrid, beating Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico to move up to 4 points in the Champions League. Gian Piero Gasperini made six changes from the side that played Genoa, yet the team kept its identity, intensity and competitiveness. The night was spoiled by a fresh blow from the treatment room: Lorenzo Pellegrini suffered a muscular problem that rekindled concern ahead of the big match against Napoli. The 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava brought Roma confidence and breathing space, confirming the soundness of Gasperini's choices and his ability to manage the squad's energy without changing the tactical set-up. After the match the coach stressed how vital it is to have a squad ready to respond at all times, especially with a calendar that allows no pause. Pellegrini's injury is a problem to the right thigh flexor, and he will undergo tests and be sidelined for about twenty days. It is a heavy setback that adds to the absences of Dybala, Svilar and Koné, further complicating the management of the attacking department. Roma face a Champions League that promises fascinating challenges against Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, but the squad is thin for the delicate trip to the Maradona. The club will have to grit its teeth and make a virtue of necessity.

Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0, a result that partially eases the disappointment of the defeat to Real Madrid. The Giallorossi overwhelmed their opponents and, according to the Italian press, showed they intend to make their mark in Europe as well. Italian newspaper reviews single out another strong performance from Hermoso, the return to his best form from Wesley, and praise for Pisilli's goal, scored while wearing the captain's armband. The match also drew credit for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who changed the players but not the way the team plays. He has repeatedly said there are no first-choice players and reserves, and the side keeps moving whoever takes the pitch. The Gazzetta dello Sport rated Roma as follows: Gollini 6, Ghilardi 7.5, Balerdi 7, Hermoso 7, Molina 7, De Roon 6.5, Pisilli 7, Wesley 7.5, Mora 5.5, Pellegrini 7.5, Malen 7.5, with Gasperini on 7.5. Hermoso was replaced by Koulierakis and De Roon by Mancini in the 77th minute. Wesley was replaced by Rensch in the 58th minute, Pellegrini by Soulé in the 52nd, and Malen by Castro in the 58th. Il Corriere dello Sport gave Pisilli 7.5, Hermoso 7.5 and Wesley 7.5, with Gasperini on 7.5. Il Corriere della Sera rated Pisilli 7.5 and Wesley 7, with Gasperini on 7. Across the Italian papers, Pisilli, Wesley and Hermoso were consistently among the highest-rated Roma players, while Mora received the lowest marks, ranging from 5.5 to 6. Gollini was rated 6 by every outlet.

Mario Hermoso scored the goal that opened the way for Roma's Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava, ending a winless run in the competition that had lasted 2,807 days. The Spaniard's strike was his second goal of the season, following his effort against Atalanta. A year ago, Hermoso was not even expected to report to pre-season training, and the summer of 2025 saw him seemingly with one foot out of Trigoria. Fifteen months on, he is the player Gasperini cannot seem to do without. Hermoso has made 10 appearances this season, starting nine of them. His only rest came against Genoa. Marco Juric of La Repubblica notes that after two months he has played 752 minutes, more than any other Roma player. Last season he made 37 appearances as the club returned to the Champions League, and this season's workload is set to be even heavier. The Champions League win is Roma's first in the competition since 12 February 2019, when they beat Porto 2-1. Hermoso was then at Espanyol and had yet to have any connection with Roma. Juric observes that Hermoso's greatest Gasperini-style quality is that he has become indispensable almost without anyone having declared him so. Theoretically a defender who should live mainly on timing his interventions and covering, he has also scored two important goals: the one against Atalanta that started the comeback and the European strike against Slovan. Today he is Gasperini's praetorian guard.