Soulé–Mora toss-up as Roma prepare for Fiorentina opener

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma begin their Serie A campaign this evening at the Olimpico against a heavily refreshed Fiorentina. The squad setup is largely settled: Svilar in goal, a proven defensive three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, with Molina making his official Roma debut on one flank and Wesley on the other. The only genuine uncertainty sits in the attacking midfield position, where Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora vie for the spot behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Gasperini's formation hints at an attacking intent despite the tactical flexibility expected of the former Atalanta boss. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are locked in as the midfield pairing, with Molina's inclusion marking his competitive entry into the side. The Olimpico is set to display Roma colours in full, underlining the fresh start under new management in what shapes as a defining early test against Fiorentina's overhauled squad. Multiple outlets have converged on the likely XI. La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts a 3-4-1-2 shape with Soulé in the playmaking role and Dybala and Malen as the strike pair. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport both favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, positioning Soulé and Dybala together on the second line with Malen as the sole striker. Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo align with Gazzetta's 3-4-1-2 structure, again backing Soulé to start ahead of Mora in the attacking unit.

Roma begin their 2026–27 season at the Stadio Olimpico against a heavily rebuilt Fiorentina on matchday one. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces one key decision on the attacking third: either Matías Soulé or Rodrigo Mora will operate behind the Paulo Dybala–Donyell Malen partnership. The defensive block and midfield pairing are confirmed; Nahuel Molina will start on the right wing in his competitive debut, with Wesley on the left. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo all predict a 3–4–1–2 formation with Soulé in the number 10 role, ahead of Dybala and Malen. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport instead project a 3–4–2–1, with Soulé and Dybala paired on the attacking line and Malen as the central forward. The back four remains unchanged: Mile Svilar in goal, Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné make up the midfield base.

Roma begin the 2026–27 season tonight at the Olimpico, hosting Fiorentina under coach Gian Piero Gasperini in a fixture expected to deliver intensity and attacking football. Kickoff is 20:45, and the stadium is sold out. Gasperini has settled on a 3–4–1–2 formation to suit the squad's strengths. The main pre-match question centres on the playmaker role, where young talent Rodrigo Mora is challenging Matías Soulé for a place, though the Argentine holds a slight edge after his summer work in that position. The rest of the starting eleven is confirmed: Mile Svilar in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso across the defence; Wesley and Nahuel Molina on the flanks, the latter preferred to Devyne Rensch; Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné in midfield, as Niccolò Pisilli and Neil El Aynaoui are not at full fitness; Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with Santiago Castro ready from the bench. Fiorentina arrive under Fabio Grosso with a heavily rebuilt squad, managing a transition period and the off-field situation involving Kean. Roma have shown steady progress in pre-season and carry the confidence of a strong finish to last season into this campaign.

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma begin their Serie A campaign this evening at the Olimpico against a heavily refreshed Fiorentina. The squad setup is largely settled: Svilar in goal, a proven defensive three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, with Molina making his official Roma debut on one flank and Wesley on the other. The only genuine uncertainty sits in the attacking midfield position, where Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora vie for the spot behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Gasperini's formation hints at an attacking intent despite the tactical flexibility expected of the former Atalanta boss. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are locked in as the midfield pairing, with Molina's inclusion marking his competitive entry into the side. The Olimpico is set to display Roma colours in full, underlining the fresh start under new management in what shapes as a defining early test against Fiorentina's overhauled squad. Multiple outlets have converged on the likely XI. La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts a 3-4-1-2 shape with Soulé in the playmaking role and Dybala and Malen as the strike pair. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport both favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, positioning Soulé and Dybala together on the second line with Malen as the sole striker. Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo align with Gazzetta's 3-4-1-2 structure, again backing Soulé to start ahead of Mora in the attacking unit.

Roma begin their 2026–27 season at the Stadio Olimpico against a heavily rebuilt Fiorentina on matchday one. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces one key decision on the attacking third: either Matías Soulé or Rodrigo Mora will operate behind the Paulo Dybala–Donyell Malen partnership. The defensive block and midfield pairing are confirmed; Nahuel Molina will start on the right wing in his competitive debut, with Wesley on the left. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo all predict a 3–4–1–2 formation with Soulé in the number 10 role, ahead of Dybala and Malen. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport instead project a 3–4–2–1, with Soulé and Dybala paired on the attacking line and Malen as the central forward. The back four remains unchanged: Mile Svilar in goal, Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné make up the midfield base.

Roma begin the 2026–27 season tonight at the Olimpico, hosting Fiorentina under coach Gian Piero Gasperini in a fixture expected to deliver intensity and attacking football. Kickoff is 20:45, and the stadium is sold out. Gasperini has settled on a 3–4–1–2 formation to suit the squad's strengths. The main pre-match question centres on the playmaker role, where young talent Rodrigo Mora is challenging Matías Soulé for a place, though the Argentine holds a slight edge after his summer work in that position. The rest of the starting eleven is confirmed: Mile Svilar in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso across the defence; Wesley and Nahuel Molina on the flanks, the latter preferred to Devyne Rensch; Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné in midfield, as Niccolò Pisilli and Neil El Aynaoui are not at full fitness; Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with Santiago Castro ready from the bench. Fiorentina arrive under Fabio Grosso with a heavily rebuilt squad, managing a transition period and the off-field situation involving Kean. Roma have shown steady progress in pre-season and carry the confidence of a strong finish to last season into this campaign.

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma begin their Serie A campaign this evening at the Olimpico against a heavily refreshed Fiorentina. The squad setup is largely settled: Svilar in goal, a proven defensive three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, with Molina making his official Roma debut on one flank and Wesley on the other. The only genuine uncertainty sits in the attacking midfield position, where Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora vie for the spot behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Gasperini's formation hints at an attacking intent despite the tactical flexibility expected of the former Atalanta boss. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are locked in as the midfield pairing, with Molina's inclusion marking his competitive entry into the side. The Olimpico is set to display Roma colours in full, underlining the fresh start under new management in what shapes as a defining early test against Fiorentina's overhauled squad. Multiple outlets have converged on the likely XI. La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts a 3-4-1-2 shape with Soulé in the playmaking role and Dybala and Malen as the strike pair. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport both favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, positioning Soulé and Dybala together on the second line with Malen as the sole striker. Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo align with Gazzetta's 3-4-1-2 structure, again backing Soulé to start ahead of Mora in the attacking unit.

Roma begin their 2026–27 season at the Stadio Olimpico against a heavily rebuilt Fiorentina on matchday one. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces one key decision on the attacking third: either Matías Soulé or Rodrigo Mora will operate behind the Paulo Dybala–Donyell Malen partnership. The defensive block and midfield pairing are confirmed; Nahuel Molina will start on the right wing in his competitive debut, with Wesley on the left. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo all predict a 3–4–1–2 formation with Soulé in the number 10 role, ahead of Dybala and Malen. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport instead project a 3–4–2–1, with Soulé and Dybala paired on the attacking line and Malen as the central forward. The back four remains unchanged: Mile Svilar in goal, Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné make up the midfield base.

Roma begin the 2026–27 season tonight at the Olimpico, hosting Fiorentina under coach Gian Piero Gasperini in a fixture expected to deliver intensity and attacking football. Kickoff is 20:45, and the stadium is sold out. Gasperini has settled on a 3–4–1–2 formation to suit the squad's strengths. The main pre-match question centres on the playmaker role, where young talent Rodrigo Mora is challenging Matías Soulé for a place, though the Argentine holds a slight edge after his summer work in that position. The rest of the starting eleven is confirmed: Mile Svilar in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso across the defence; Wesley and Nahuel Molina on the flanks, the latter preferred to Devyne Rensch; Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné in midfield, as Niccolò Pisilli and Neil El Aynaoui are not at full fitness; Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack, with Santiago Castro ready from the bench. Fiorentina arrive under Fabio Grosso with a heavily rebuilt squad, managing a transition period and the off-field situation involving Kean. Roma have shown steady progress in pre-season and carry the confidence of a strong finish to last season into this campaign.

Zbigniew Boniek has backed Roma's transfer strategy and championship ambitions in an interview with Corriere della Sera. The former Roma striker urged the club to start the season strongly, saying: "It will be fundamental to start well. In Italy if you make mistakes in a few matches they immediately start criticizing you. On the contrary, starting with the right foot the enthusiasm of Roma fans could push you to dream. Simply fighting for the top would already be considered an important achievement. My hope is that Roma has an important season, even if they are not among the favourites for the Scudetto." Roma return to the Champions League after seven years, an undertaking Boniek considers demanding. He acknowledged that while Gian Piero Gasperini may still want additional players, the club has already moved decisively in the market. Santiago Castro impressed Boniek as a centre forward: "Castro, for example, I like as a striker and he will be an excellent alternative to Malen." Boniek expressed confidence in Donyell Malen's ability to replicate his form. "He has the perfect characteristics for Serie A," Boniek said. "He's not like many strikers today, who play with their back to goal and fight defenders—Malen always looks at the goalkeeper. He is destined to do well again." Boniek also praised Gasperini's fit with the Roma support, describing the coach as someone who consistently extracts maximum performance from his squad. "I like Gasperini very much, he always manages to get the best out of his team, he is outspoken," Boniek reflected. "Roma fans want to see their team play well and win: Gasperini guarantees you all of that. Perhaps he is disliked, yes, but by opponents."

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma begin their Serie A campaign this evening at the Olimpico against a heavily refreshed Fiorentina. The squad setup is largely settled: Svilar in goal, a proven defensive three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, with Molina making his official Roma debut on one flank and Wesley on the other. The only genuine uncertainty sits in the attacking midfield position, where Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora vie for the spot behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Gasperini's formation hints at an attacking intent despite the tactical flexibility expected of the former Atalanta boss. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are locked in as the midfield pairing, with Molina's inclusion marking his competitive entry into the side. The Olimpico is set to display Roma colours in full, underlining the fresh start under new management in what shapes as a defining early test against Fiorentina's overhauled squad. Multiple outlets have converged on the likely XI. La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts a 3-4-1-2 shape with Soulé in the playmaking role and Dybala and Malen as the strike pair. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport both favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, positioning Soulé and Dybala together on the second line with Malen as the sole striker. Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo align with Gazzetta's 3-4-1-2 structure, again backing Soulé to start ahead of Mora in the attacking unit.

Roma begin their 2026–27 season at the Stadio Olimpico against a heavily rebuilt Fiorentina on matchday one. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces one key decision on the attacking third: either Matías Soulé or Rodrigo Mora will operate behind the Paulo Dybala–Donyell Malen partnership. The defensive block and midfield pairing are confirmed; Nahuel Molina will start on the right wing in his competitive debut, with Wesley on the left. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo all predict a 3–4–1–2 formation with Soulé in the number 10 role, ahead of Dybala and Malen. Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport instead project a 3–4–2–1, with Soulé and Dybala paired on the attacking line and Malen as the central forward. The back four remains unchanged: Mile Svilar in goal, Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné make up the midfield base.