Serie A Season Awards: Dimarco, Lautaro, Malen and Paz lead top 11

Cagliari have made a striking start to the 2026-27 season, sitting fourth in Serie A a point off the league summit with the best defensive record in the division, having conceded just two goals in five games. Under Fabio Pisacane, they are employing a compact, vertically-focused approach that eschews high pressing and possession-heavy football in favour of a 4-5-1 shape that cramps the middle of the pitch and allows rapid transitions. In Daniel Maldini and Jacopo Fazzini, the side have two young attackers capable of operating centrally or drifting wide, while Elia Caprile, the young goalkeeper, is leading the league for save percentage and anchoring a stubborn backline. The team's success reflects the kind of squad construction that aligns with Roberto Mancini's vision for the Italian national team setup. Cagliari's midfield has been the foundation of their rise: Harry Winks, 30, has rediscovered form and marshalled proceedings with his passing and positional discipline, freeing Alessandro Romano to develop his game in the middle of the park. Romano's loan move from Roma is being made permanent at an obligation fee of €6.5 million, and his performances already appear to justify the outlay. In Caprile, Romano, Fazzini and Maldini, Pisacane has assembled a young Italian core driving the club towards unexpected heights. While their defensive solidity has been the bedrock of their league position, their struggles in the final third suggest vulnerabilities could emerge as the campaign progresses. Nevertheless, the article indicates Cagliari are well-placed to finish significantly higher than their 14th-place finish last season, with European qualification now a genuine possibility.

Donyell Malen has been named Serie A Player of the Month by the league, recognition of his immediate impact on Roma's opening fixtures of the 2026–27 season. The forward has scored six goals in the early Serie A campaign, continuing the form he showed after arriving in the capital in January. His tally has established him as one of the key attacking reference points for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side. The award validates Malen's strong start to the season, built on his consistent finishing and direct effect on Roma's attacking output. Six goals earned him the individual prize from the league. This form extends the trajectory he established in the latter part of the previous season, when Gasperini continued to rely on him as the focal point of the team's attacking play. Malen has repaid that confidence with goals throughout. Malen did not join the Dutch national team this week, held back by a knee complaint that prevented him from answering his call-up. The issue has allowed him to remain at Trigoria to recover during the international break. The injury does not appear to cause significant concern, and the objective is to have him ready when Roma resume fixtures against Como.

Bryan Cristante is doubtful for Roma's away fixture against Como on Sunday 11 October after sustaining a knee injury that will require close monitoring from the club's medical staff over the coming days. The midfielder had already withdrawn from his national team's call-up due to a lower back problem, but the knee issue has now become the primary concern as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini assesses whether Cristante can return to full availability or must be managed with extra caution. In the event of Cristante's absence, Roma will face a selection decision in midfield alongside Manu Koné. The main alternatives are Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon. De Roon has not yet started a league match for Roma but has had the international break to train at Trigoria and build his match fitness since his arrival. Gasperini will await developments in Cristante's condition before deciding whether the midfielder can feature against Como. His presence for the match remains uncertain as the coaching staff continues to evaluate the knee problem.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Roma's three-week international break offers Gian Piero Gasperini time to recover Wesley and resolve a tactical question about how to deploy him when Serie A resumes. Wesley arrives at the break after an intense campaign last season, during which he made 69 appearances and played effectively on the left wing alongside his natural right-flank position. His progress was interrupted by a serious injury against Egypt ahead of the World Cup, and more recently a right-thigh strain cost him a Brazil call-up. Despite the setback, Wesley showed promise in the first half against Inter, operating on his natural right side in sync with Dybala and causing problems for Dimarco. Roma, sitting top of the league and relying on the consistency of players like Dybala, Malen, Svilar and Koné, recognise that Wesley's full recovery is essential to achieving the next level. The break comes at a critical moment: after months without a pause, his body has demanded rest and restoration to full fitness. Upon the resumption of the season, Gasperini faces a key tactical decision. Wesley may remain on the right with Molina shifted to the left, or he could return to the left wing to open up rotations with other wide options. Gasperini is taking time to reflect on the choice during the international break.

Wesley holds the key to Roma's next leap forward. The Brazilian left-back, already one of Serie A's standout performers last season alongside Dimarco and Palestra despite playing out of position, has been sidelined by injury setbacks that have disrupted his momentum. In a pre-World Cup friendly against Egypt, Wesley suffered an injury that derailed his plans heading into September. Just as he returned to action with Roma, a right thigh muscle strain forced him back to the sidelines when called up by Brazil again. Last season Wesley played in a role not naturally his own, yet his performances were so effective that he climbed the hierarchy of the Brazilian national team. His durability was remarkable—he reached 69 appearances in a single season before the injury against Egypt halted his run. His absence has been felt as Roma, currently top of the league with Paulo Dybala in fine form and Donyell Malen consistently finding the net, have otherwise tightened their defence with Mile Svilar's assured keeping and the emerging quality of Manu Koné, who is now earning recognition at international level with France. Wesley finally stopped after an exhausting campaign of constant availability. He now has three weeks to recover fully, reconnect his physical condition and rediscover his best self. The timing of his return could be crucial: Roma remain just one player away from their ideal setup, and Wesley represents that final piece of the puzzle.

Cagliari have made a striking start to the 2026-27 season, sitting fourth in Serie A a point off the league summit with the best defensive record in the division, having conceded just two goals in five games. Under Fabio Pisacane, they are employing a compact, vertically-focused approach that eschews high pressing and possession-heavy football in favour of a 4-5-1 shape that cramps the middle of the pitch and allows rapid transitions. In Daniel Maldini and Jacopo Fazzini, the side have two young attackers capable of operating centrally or drifting wide, while Elia Caprile, the young goalkeeper, is leading the league for save percentage and anchoring a stubborn backline. The team's success reflects the kind of squad construction that aligns with Roberto Mancini's vision for the Italian national team setup. Cagliari's midfield has been the foundation of their rise: Harry Winks, 30, has rediscovered form and marshalled proceedings with his passing and positional discipline, freeing Alessandro Romano to develop his game in the middle of the park. Romano's loan move from Roma is being made permanent at an obligation fee of €6.5 million, and his performances already appear to justify the outlay. In Caprile, Romano, Fazzini and Maldini, Pisacane has assembled a young Italian core driving the club towards unexpected heights. While their defensive solidity has been the bedrock of their league position, their struggles in the final third suggest vulnerabilities could emerge as the campaign progresses. Nevertheless, the article indicates Cagliari are well-placed to finish significantly higher than their 14th-place finish last season, with European qualification now a genuine possibility.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Gianluca Mancini has been recalled to the Italy squad for Friday 2 October's match against France, kickoff 20:45, after missing the recent trip to Turkey. Coach Roberto Mancini has named him in his selections while dropping Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, who will miss one of Italy's final three matches in this international window. The Italy manager continues to rotate his squad on a match-by-match basis, with nine players omitted for the France fixture. He applied the same approach in recent games against Belgium and Turkey. Following victory over Turkey, Italy will look to secure another win against France in what the article describes as a delicate fixture. Mancini's return to the squad gives Roma another player available for selection after his Turkey absence.

Donyell Malen has been named Serie A Player of the Month by the league, recognition of his immediate impact on Roma's opening fixtures of the 2026–27 season. The forward has scored six goals in the early Serie A campaign, continuing the form he showed after arriving in the capital in January. His tally has established him as one of the key attacking reference points for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side. The award validates Malen's strong start to the season, built on his consistent finishing and direct effect on Roma's attacking output. Six goals earned him the individual prize from the league. This form extends the trajectory he established in the latter part of the previous season, when Gasperini continued to rely on him as the focal point of the team's attacking play. Malen has repaid that confidence with goals throughout. Malen did not join the Dutch national team this week, held back by a knee complaint that prevented him from answering his call-up. The issue has allowed him to remain at Trigoria to recover during the international break. The injury does not appear to cause significant concern, and the objective is to have him ready when Roma resume fixtures against Como.

Donyell Malen has won the Serie A player of the month award for September (which includes August). The Dutch forward scored six goals in his first five league matches, a start that earned him the honour. Malen will receive the award during Roma's match against Genoa. A special Malen card is also being released in the FC27 video game. Malen will lead Roma's attack in the fixture against Como on Sunday, 11 October, when the team resumes their campaign. He missed international duty with a minor knee problem, but his condition is not a cause for concern. Paulo Dybala will partner him in attack, with a contest between Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé to fill the midfield role behind them.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.