Roma's Final Push to Dream Big

Artem Dovbyk made an underwhelming start to his Bologna career, squandering a clear chance in 30 minutes off the bench during his side's loss to Roma. The Ukrainian had told Bologna before his arrival that he expected to show his best form after struggling under Gasperini at Roma, where he said he was not enjoying himself. His opportunity came in the second half when Bologna, trailing by a goal, sent him on to try to change the match — but he failed to make an impact, mirroring his difficulties in the previous season with Roma's coach. Dovbyk had an immediate chance to make an impression, receiving a ball that needed only to be pushed into the net, but he missed it badly. That miss cost Bologna dearly, as they might have found an equaliser from the situation. His debut was far from the statement he had hoped to make. Bologna's supporters will be expecting a very different performance going forward.

Jayden Oosterwolde landed at Ciampino airport at 11:55 on 25 August, completing his move from Fenerbahçe to Roma. The transfer enters its final phase with medical examinations and contract signature now scheduled, with supporters present to greet the arrival. The medical checks will be particularly focused on assessing a biceps femoris injury that has troubled Oosterwolde in recent weeks, allowing Roma to establish a clear picture of the condition and expected recovery timeline before head coach Gian Piero Gasperini can deploy him. Once the medical tests are cleared and final contractual formalities completed, only the official club announcement remains.

AS Roma will make an internal decision in the coming hours on whether to pursue Malick Fofana, according to Fabrizio Romano. The club and the forward have already reached agreement on personal terms, and Fofana remains interested in joining Roma. However, Olympique Lyonnais is demanding more than €35 million to let the player leave, placing the ball firmly in Roma's court as they weigh up whether to meet the French club's asking price.

Roma made a statement on the opening day of the 2026-27 Serie A season with a 4-0 victory over Fiorentina, a result that stood out among several notable performances across the weekend. Milan also secured a solid win on the road at Torino, while several players emerged as surprises or confirmed their quality in the first round of fixtures. Donyell Malen was among those to impress, delivering a strong showing in Roma's commanding display. Elsewhere, Cissé and Romano provided unexpected bright spots for their respective clubs. However, not all high-profile names delivered, with Kolo Muani making costly errors in Frosinone's match against Juventus, a performance that fell well short of expectations.

Roma's emphatic 4–0 victory over Fiorentina highlighted the opening round of the 2026–27 Serie A season, which concluded with several standout performances and surprise showings across the division. Milan secured a solid win away at Torino in another notable result from matchday one. Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala delivered commanding displays for Roma, underlining their attacking threat early in the campaign. The season opener also produced notable debuts and confirmations elsewhere: Cissé and Romano caught the eye with unexpected performances, while Kolo Muani endured a difficult outing for Frosinone against Juventus, squandering several clear chances.

Roma's commanding 4–0 victory over Fiorentina on 24 August has dominated discussion across Rome's radio stations, with broadcasters and former players praising the team's performance and title credentials. David Rossi of Rete Sport called it "a monologue, a performance at a level perhaps too high for expectations", while noting that August friendlies are a different proposition from matches that matter. The standout performer was Paulo Dybala, who impressed sufficiently that Gianluca Piacentini declared himself tempted to head to the Circus Maximus: "If Dybala has 35 matches in his legs at that level, it's an easy title. I would sign for him to play 25 full matches like yesterday." Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo offered the most striking assessment, claiming the players themselves are convinced of their prospects. "Having the fortune to speak with some footballers, they assure the squad's identity—if they're saying among themselves that they'll make it this year, they're exhausted. These footballers have gained a consciousness, you see it even from how they play in defence. When Dybala talks about doing better than last year, you think he means finishing second 20 points behind first? They're talking about the title. There's Inter, but if Roma continues with this ferocity this year it's entertaining. If Roma competes with Inter, then everything starts again from scratch. This time I couldn't bear to have another title stolen from me by Inter." Lorenzo Pes assessed the Serie A landscape: "Aside from Inter, which is more distant, only Napoli perhaps is stronger than Roma. Roma and Napoli are very close; Roma has the advantage of Gasperini's second year and the fact they've sold none of the big names. Milan and Juve are two unknowns; I think they're slightly behind Como." Discussion also centred on summer recruitment and academy prospects. Piero Torri stated: "If Roma sign Fofana, they buy another one with great quality—take my word. With Fofana–Dybala–Malen I'm settling at the Circus Maximus. I think it can be done." Checco Oddo Casano flagged the need for a winger, believing one will arrive: "The priority is the attacking winger, and I'm convinced one arrives." Roberto Pruzzo and Nando Orsi both highlighted Jan Ziółkowski's (referred to as Lulli) unexpected emergence in the squad, with Pruzzo saying: "Lulli must be there, watch carefully, train at Trigoria, and pick things up bit by bit to try to be useful to the squad," and Orsi praising his personality: "Lulli has the personality to play as a starter." Francesca Ferrazza noted that Gasperini remains actively engaged in the market: "Gasperini is obsessed, living these final market days with the phone in his hand. There's a series of footballers calling him to come to Roma." Whether Roma can maintain this trajectory depends on closing recruitment before the window closes.