Ryan Friedkin attends Newport County v Roma

Mario Hermoso scored to give Roma a 1–0 victory over Newport County in a pre-season friendly during the club's Welsh training camp on 4 August. The result comes after two disappointing warm-up matches: Roma conceded three goals in a comeback loss to Cannes and suffered a 4–1 defeat to Cardiff. Gasperini's squad faces the second stage of the Welsh retreat with this victory marking a turnaround in form during the pre-season schedule. The match entered its second half with Roma already ahead through Hermoso's goal.

Roma travelled to Rodney Parade, home of Newport County, on 4 August for their second pre-season friendly during their training camp in Wales. The squad was greeted warmly by supporters, who took selfies with the players. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini led the travelling party, accompanied by Roma vice-president Ryan Friedkin, who watched the fixture closely as the team built match fitness ahead of the 2026–27 season. The friendly served as valuable preparation for Roma's campaign to come. The match allowed Gasperini to give his players crucial game time during the pre-season schedule in Wales.

Donyell Malen has been ruled out of Roma's second pre-season friendly at Newport County due to a fever. The Dutch forward was unavailable for selection as the Giallorossi continued their training camp in Wales. Malen's absence marks a setback during Roma's summer preparation under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The forward is part of the squad assembled for the 2026-27 season and his fitness will be monitored as the campaign approaches.

Roma fell to a 1–0 defeat at Newport County in a pre-season friendly on 4 August, with Mario Hermoso scoring an own goal in the 37th minute. Gian Piero Gasperini fielded a 3–4-1-2 formation, recalling Neil El Aynaoui to the side after his recent return to training. The XI also included Paulo Dybala and a player identified as Castro in the attacking line, alongside Bryan Cristante in midfield. The loss came during Roma's preparations for the 2026–27 season ahead of their domestic campaign. Gasperini made use of his available squad depth, with Pierluigi Gollini, Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski and several others held in reserve. The friendly provided an opportunity to assess fitness and tactical shape before competitive fixtures resume. Newport County, managed by Hayden Mullins and fielding a 4–2–3–1 setup, secured the victory at home. The match served as a test outing for both sides in their respective pre-season schedules.

Neil El Aynaoui is pushing hard to establish himself as a key figure in Gasperini's Roma midfield. After a mixed previous season that saw him instrumental in the club's late Champions League push, the midfielder returned from Morocco's World Cup campaign with a minor left knee problem but has integrated fully into group training. To accelerate his fitness, he completes additional solo running sessions around the club's training base, working under close supervision from Gasperini's staff. In a behind-closed-doors match two days ago, El Aynaoui scored twice—once with a header from a Cherubini cross and once from distance—as he competes for regular minutes. El Aynaoui arrived from Lens with a goalscoring reputation, having netted 8 goals in 24 matches. Since joining Roma he has managed only two goals—one in Serie A and one in the Europa League—a return that falls short of expectation. Aston Villa has enquired about him, but his future remains with the Giallorossi. Gasperini faces midfield injury problems: Bah has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, Pisilli is still unavailable, and Koné is expected back only on 10 August. Manchester United continue to pursue Koné without having made a concrete move, but El Aynaoui is determined to climb the hierarchy and carve out a leading role in Roma's midfield.

Mohamed Bah suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Roma's friendly against Cardiff on 3 August and will undergo surgery with Dr Georg Ahlbaumer, with a recovery period estimated at approximately nine months. The 19-year-old Gambian midfielder's season is over before it has begun. Bah was struck by the same injury two years ago during the summer 2024 pre-season retreat under Daniele De Rossi, when he tore the ACL in his left knee at Saint Moritz and missed eleven months of action. Roma's pre-season training at Vale Resort in Hensol continues under Gian Piero Gasperini, who has maintained high-intensity work as the squad prepares for their second warm-up fixture. Wesley is unavailable for tonight's friendly at Rodney Parade in Newport, having sustained a minor ankle sprain in Saturday's match against Cardiff City, which Roma lost 4–1. The club is taking precautionary rest with the winger. Neil El Aynaoui is gradually returning to full training. Tonight's Newport County match kicks off at 19:00 local time (20:00 Italian time). Kostas Koulierakis, the latest arrival, trained with the squad for the first time on Sunday after joining the Welsh retreat on Saturday afternoon and will feature as Roma look to improve on Saturday's defensive display, when clear lapses in concentration contributed to a heavy defeat.