Source: TeleRadioStereo
Effective playing time in Serie A has jumped sharply in the opening round of the 2026–27 season, rising to an average of 58 minutes per match compared with 52 minutes 30 seconds in the equivalent fixture last season — an increase of nearly five and a half minutes, or more than 10 per cent. The highest recorded was Atalanta–Sassuolo with 64 minutes 50 seconds, followed by Genoa–Napoli (62:43), Udinese–Como (61:13) and Inter–Monza (60:27). At the other end, Bologna–Lazio recorded 49:11 and Frosinone–Juventus 49:12. Roma's match against Fiorentina saw 57 minutes 24 seconds of effective play — slightly below the opening-round average but nearly five minutes more than last season's baseline.
In the immediate term, Gasperini's Roma stand to benefit. The coach's system relies on sustained intensity, pressure and aggression in individual duels; more time in play means more opportunity to suffocate opposition build-up, win the ball high and impose continuous one-on-one contests. Teams trying to break the rhythm or artificially slow play will find it harder to do so. Over a full 38-match league campaign, an extra five and a half minutes per fixture equates to roughly 207 additional minutes of active play — equivalent to three and a half matches by current effective-time averages.
The risk emerges over the medium and long term. Gasperini's approach already demands above-average physical expenditure: long pressing, aggressive marking, back-tracking and constant challenges across wide pitch areas. For a squad competing in both Champions League and Coppa Italia as well, the accumulated load threatens increased injury risk and fatigue-related lapses in concentration. Squad depth becomes the deciding factor: a Roma able to rotate four or five players without losing intensity could turn the new rules into a structural advantage. A thin roster risks paying the price in the second half of the season.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“La prima giornata di Serie A ha evidenziato una trasformazione destinata a incidere non soltanto sulla durata delle partite, ma anche sulla preparazione atletica e sulla profondità delle rose. Il tempo effettivo medio è salito a circa 58 minuti, contro i 52 minuti e mezzo registrati nel turno…”
Read the full article in Italian at TeleRadioStereo.
Roma supporters will be unable to attend the away fixture at Lecce on Monday, 31 August. The Prefect of Lecce has signed an order prohibiting ticket sales to residents of the Lazio region and closing the away section at Stadio Via del Mare. The measure follows clashes between Roma and Lecce supporters outside the stadium in March 2025.
Roma supporters will be prohibited from attending the upcoming away match at Lecce after the Prefect of Lecce, Natalino Manno, signed an official order this morning banning ticket sales to all residents of the Lazio region. The visiting section at the Via del Mare stadium will remain completely closed, with no tickets made available to Roma fans. The ban stems from clashes that occurred outside the stadium in 2025. The restriction marks a continuation of restrictions that affected Roma supporters throughout the latter part of last season. From January to May, Roma fans were kept away from away grounds following incidents involving Roma ultras and Fiorentina ultras on the A1 motorway.
Donyell Malen scored a hat-trick on his first competitive outing of the season as Roma demolished Fiorentina 4–0 in their Serie A opener today. Paulo Dybala provided three assists for the Dutch forward in the emphatic display. The feat marked the first hat-trick on Serie A's opening day in a decade. The previous player to achieve the same milestone was Carlos Bacca, who scored three goals for Milan in a 3–2 win over Torino on 21 August 2016.