Romano earning regret at Trigoria as Cagliari boss draws Strootman comparison

Roma's wing positions are now secure. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini no longer faces the tactical problem that troubled him last season: the absence of a quick, technical player on the opposite flank from Wesley. Last year, with Wesley as one of Serie A's strongest defenders on one side, Gasperini had to adapt by repositioning Zeki Çelik elsewhere. That constraint has lifted. Emanuele Lulli, young and rapid, is already providing assurances and proves ready for this campaign. But Roma have also landed another signing that drew less attention yet showed its value yesterday: Nahuel Molina. The Argentine is rising in fitness; the residual effects of the World Cup are passing. In the match against Inter, he was perfect. He contained Diouf, supported the attack, and was decisive in the final third with an assist for Manu Koné's first-half goal. Molina's skillset is there; consistency is the next step. He does not yet have 90 minutes in his legs, but the flanks now have valid masters. Wesley leads them, followed by the former Udinese player and Lulli. Gasperini can rely on all three without losing quality. The improvement from last season is enormous. The Piedmont-born coach plays through the flanks, favouring attacking football with pushing players who can contribute in front of goal. Now he has them on both sides. Molina is a top-level player. Lulli will be. The flanks have an owner on each side, and Gasperini can only be pleased.

Santiago Castro used Roma's scheduled rest day to train alone at home, refusing to sit idle after being left unused in the bench on the previous day's match against Inter. Head coach Gasperini opted to bring on defenders and midfielders instead of the Argentine striker. Castro remains confident that the fixture congestion in the coming months will offer plenty of opportunities to prove his value, and has documented his solo session—featuring weights and athletic drills—through a photo his fitness coach shared on social media. The 21-year-old's determination underscores his hunger for minutes despite limited opportunities so far. Castro will now link up with Leonardo Balerdi and Matías Soulé to join Argentina's national team for friendly matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin.

Santiago Castro trained alone on Sunday while his Roma teammates took a rest day, continuing his push for regular playing time under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. After Roma's match at the Olimpico, Gasperini granted the squad Sunday off to recover, with work resuming Monday — but Castro opted to train anyway, working with weights and bodyweight exercises as documented by his fitness coach Guido Viggiano. Castro watched Saturday's match from the bench as Gasperini selected other attacking options, a choice the article characterises as unremarkable given the Argentine forward's recent arrival. His independent training session underscores his determination to force his way into Gasperini's plans. The message is clear: Castro does not down tools even when permitted to rest.