Tactical analysis: Roma dominate first half but cannot hold onto two-goal lead against Inter

Roma led Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first half, only to be pegged back in a late comeback that ended their hopes of a result, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini reliving a night he knew well. Gasperini had been through the same experience in 2021 with Atalanta, when his side also led United by two goals early on, dominating and impressing before the collapse. Roma were in control in the same way, but the momentum shifted and United's second-half fightback cost them dearly. The parallels with 2021 are striking. Atalanta were two goals up after just 28 minutes, scored by Pasalic and Demiral, and the first goal for United came at the 53rd minute, just as Fernandes struck for United on Monday night. In 2021 it was Rashford who scored at that point. Then, as in the Old Trafford match, the late blow came from Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo in the final moments, leaving Gasperini with a bitter finish. Yesterday's ending was the same: a cruel comeback that extinguished Roma's dreams of glory. Five years on, the nightmare has returned, and United remain a formidable opponent, especially at Old Trafford. The article notes that Ronaldo decided matches for United in 2021, while this time it was Cunha who made the difference. As the author puts it, the names have changed but the ending has not. Gasperini now has to work on the minds of his players so that Roma can turn things around in Europe. The stakes are clear: a lesson must be learned quickly if the European campaign is to be salvaged after a painful night in Manchester.

Referee Jesús Gil Manzano has been heavily criticised by Italy's main sports dailies for his handling of Roma's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, with the penalty awarded to the English side and the non-sending-off of Harry Maguire the most contested decisions. La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport both gave the Spanish referee a 4 out of 10, while Il Romanista went as low as 3. The decisive moment came in the 55th minute, when Cunha went down in the box after very light contact from Mancini. Gil Manzano pointed to the spot as Roma protested. La Gazzetta called the penalty very generous, while Corriere dello Sport described it as a "rigorino" (a soft penalty). Il Romanista was even harsher, arguing that the United forward exaggerated his fall considerably. Vasquez initially saved Bruno Fernandes's effort, but the penalty was ordered retaken because Cristante had entered the area early and intervened on the rebound. That decision was correct under the rules. Fernandes scored at the second attempt, reopening the match and sparking the English comeback. The criticism of the officiating does not end there. In the closing stages Harry Maguire was booked for a slap on Castro, but shortly afterwards he committed another foul on the Argentine forward which, according to the three newspapers' slow-motion reviews, should have earned a second yellow card. Gil Manzano let play continue, sparing the English defender a dismissal. La Gazzetta also flagged a possible penalty for United for a late challenge by Wesley in the second half. There was no doubt, however, about the first-half penalty awarded to Roma for a handball by Heaven on Soulé's shot. The referee's performance weighed heavily on the match, although it does not erase Roma's responsibility for their collapse in the second half. The penalty gave confidence to a United side in serious difficulty, while Gasperini's team were unable to regain control of the game.

Manchester United have taunted Roma on social media after coming from two goals down to win at Old Trafford. The Red Devils posted a graphic listing all their victories over Roma, from the 7-1 win through to Tuesday's result, captioned "Absolute cinema". Roma dominated the first half and led by two goals, with the lead possibly being even bigger. Then the game collapsed: the Giallorossi were overrun by English pressing and a questionable refereeing display, and United took the points. The defeat leaves Roma with the sense of having an almost perfect side, though there is still work to do. The post comes at a time when United are in the Premier League relegation zone, which makes the jibe look somewhat out of place. The mockery adds to a painful night for Roma, who had controlled large parts of the match before losing their grip on it.

Roma threw away a two-goal lead at Manchester United in the Champions League, losing 3-2 after a dominant first half in which Soulé and Malen (from the penalty spot) had put them ahead. The collapse follows a similar late unravelling against Real Madrid, and this time the defeat is even more painful. Roma controlled the first half, rattling a United side that looked unrecognisable, before disappearing from the pitch after the break with no reaction and no ability to ease the English pressure. The responsibility, the article argues, must be shared, and head coach Gasperini must accept his part. Taking off Rodrigo Mora at half-time, after the Portuguese had lit up Roma's attacking play, was hard to understand. Pisilli's introduction was meant to bring more substance and dynamism but removed quality and unpredictability, and from that point Roma barely threatened. Replacing the injured Rensch with Lulli, rather than the more experienced Molina, also raised doubts; the young winger suffered badly under the weight of the match and United's pressure. Both choices failed and Gasperini will have to reflect on them. The squad is also showing strain. The absences of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala were felt, especially when the team needed fresh legs and quality to escape difficult moments. Roma still lack a quick attacking winger who can beat a man and turn a move, something the club sought without success during the summer transfer window. Balerdi, probably the best player on the pitch until then, made a costly error, missing the ball on the cross that allowed Cunha to equalise. A few minutes later it was 3-2. The decisive moment was the penalty awarded to United for a very light contact between Mancini and Cunha, which looked utterly incomprehensible. The retake, after Vásquez had saved the first attempt, was justified because Cristante's foot was already inside the box, but the initial decision that revived a struggling United side remains a source of enormous doubt. Bruno Fernandes's goal reignited United and Old Trafford. The real problem, the article says, was what happened in the minds and legs of the Roma players: as the pace rose and United pressed harder, Roma were gripped by fear of losing a victory already within reach and could not respond. Gasperini acknowledged after the game that this defeat could teach Roma even more than the loss to Real Madrid, and the article agrees, while insisting the problem must be faced rather than hidden behind the refereeing call or the absences. The result leaves Roma's hopes of reaching the Champions League play-off round harder to secure. The club now face Sassuolo on Saturday evening at the Olimpico, a final push before the international break. The article says Roma must recover injured players, energy and composure, and collect three points, while the championship remains the season's main target. Roma have repeatedly shown they can bounce back from disappointment, and the article concludes that the real frustration is seeing how strong this team can be, and how little it still takes for them to stop being so.

Gian Piero Gasperini says Roma's defeat at Old Trafford will teach his side more than the comeback loss to Real Madrid. Roma lost 3-2 to Manchester United in the fourth matchday of the Champions League league phase, after a penalty and a second-half turnaround that swung the game. Roma had dominated the first half and could even have scored a third. Gasperini drew a clear distinction between the two games. He said: "I think it was a different match. Against Real, everything happened in the last 7-8 minutes, with set pieces, from a corner, without other obvious signals. Here it was different after the penalty, which gave them great momentum. We were not able to hold on to that push." Asked whether the goals conceded so close together were down to chance, he replied: "No, there is no chance involved, but the situations are different. In this evening's case, unlike the first half, we were no longer able to have the same strength against their attackers, who were the ones giving us the most difficulty. Then there is the fact that the first goal came from a penalty and the second came after an injury to one of ours. Perhaps it was a moment when the match had rebalanced a little. It's fair that Manchester have a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes of great pressure. If you get through those moments and those episodes unscathed, maybe in the end you win the match too." Alessandro Florenzi asked whether the defeat was part of the team's growth or hurt more than the Real Madrid result, and whether Nahuel Molina could have played to bring international experience. Gasperini said: "Yes, Molina could have played, because as you rightly say he is an international player. But this evening Rensch had started very well, he was having an excellent game. Then he had this injury and I brought on Lulli. Afterwards there were no longer the conditions to make a change. Wesley had an excellent defensive game, and so it went. That was not the reason for the defeat." On the broader question, he added: "I think they are two different matches. Honestly, I believe this match taught us more than the one against Real Madrid. The game with Real was the result of an unexpected ending. This evening we experienced certain moments that can happen in Europe, in environments as important as Old Trafford. We must absolutely learn from them for the future." Gasperini also addressed the second half, when Manchester changed their system, pressed high and stopped Roma playing. He said: "They changed something, they had nothing left to lose and started pressing high. But it was not only that. We should have played in a slightly different way, perhaps using some long balls to take them away from our half. Essentially, though, we could no longer keep track of their attacking players." He added: "We perhaps should have resorted to a few more stoppages and a few more challenges, competitively speaking. We suffered their momentum a little too much, which was then clearly amplified by the penalty and later by the 2-2 episode." Asked about Roma's failure to stop the bleeding in difficult moments, following Mbuemo's double hit off the woodwork after the penalty and the 3-2 goal that came immediately after Leonardo Balerdi's error at 2-2, he said: "Yes, that's how it is. At least this evening it was. It also happened something similar against Real Madrid. Perhaps there is a dip caused by disappointment, when you see a win slip away that you thought you had in your grasp. Against Real Madrid we had it in our grasp, this evening we were still in a good position. Perhaps these episodes mean the team must learn to take some of the pressure of the result off itself, at all costs. It is not only that, although of course the result matters. But this is a match that will surely serve us more than others in order to grow."

Gian Piero Gasperini has spoken after Roma lost to Manchester United in their Champions League fourth-round fixture, a defeat in which a penalty gave the English side real momentum and Roma were unable to hold that surge. Gasperini was asked whether the match echoed the late collapse against Real Madrid. He rejected the comparison: "No, I think it was a different match. Against Real everything happened in the last 8 minutes from set pieces, and there were not such clear signs as there were today, especially after the penalty, which certainly gave them momentum, and we were not able to hold on to that push." On the pattern of conceding goals in quick succession at moments when a result should be managed, Gasperini said there was no coincidence but that the situations were different. "Tonight we did not have the strength against their attackers in the second half. The first goal for them came from this penalty, then came this mistake for the second, at a moment when the match had become a little more balanced. There were those 15 minutes of Manchester pressure, and if you can get through those episodes unscathed, you might even win it." Asked whether this defeat hurt more than the Real Madrid result, Gasperini said: "It was a match. It taught me more than the one against Real Madrid, which was the result of an unexpected ending. In certain moments in Europe, and in environments this strong, it makes us draw something out for the future." Gasperini was also asked whether Mario Molina could have offered the international presence needed in such moments. He said: "Yes, Molina could have come on tonight, but Rensch started very well, then he suffered an injury and I brought on Lulli. After that there were no longer the conditions to make a change. Wesley had an excellent game defensively, and so it went." On why Roma lost the personality they showed in the first half, Gasperini said: "They had nothing left to lose, so they pressed high, and that was to be expected. We had to play a little differently, also using long balls to take them away from our half. Essentially we were no longer able to hold their runners, so they had the better of the pressing and of their attacking moves. This caused us problems, and perhaps we needed a few more stoppages in terms of competitiveness. We were somewhat overwhelmed by their momentum, which was clearly amplified by the penalty and by the episode of the 2-2."

Roma were dominant for 45 minutes at Manchester United before collapsing in the second half, a defeat that Italian newspapers describe as a painful one. It is the club's second Champions League blackout, following the defeat against Real Madrid, and a collapse that Gian Piero Gasperini will have to work on for a long time. Matías Soulé was named the best Roma player on the pitch, playing a perfect first half, opening the scoring and winning the penalty that made it 2-0. However, he faded in the second half, as did the rest of the team. Defender Leonardo Balerdi was rated the worst player on the pitch, with his error on United's equaliser to make it 2-2 weighing heavily on him. The collapse after such a strong start is seen as difficult to explain, and it puts a spotlight on the team's ability to hold a lead against top opposition. The Italian sports press rated the Roma players in a range of marks across five newspapers. Gazzetta dello Sport gave Soulé 6.5 and Balerdi 4, and Corriere dello Sport gave Soulé 7.5 and Balerdi 4. Il Messaggero gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 5, while Il Tempo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Corriere della Sera rated Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5, and Leggo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Gasperini received marks between 5 and 6 across the papers. Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Vásquez started in goal, with Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso in defence, and Rensch, Cristante, de Roon and Wesley in midfield. Soulé and Mora played behind Malen. Rensch was replaced by Lulli at 21 minutes, Mora by Pisilli at half-time, and Mancini and Hermoso were replaced by Ghilardi and Ndicka at 75 minutes. Malen made way for Castro at 80 minutes.

Roma led Manchester United at Old Trafford through goals from Soulé and Malen, but collapsed in the second half and lost the match. Soulé gave Roma the lead around the tenth minute with a left-footed strike, and Malen doubled it from the spot before the break. United then won a penalty in the second half. Vásquez saved the initial spot-kick, but the referee ordered a retake because Cristante had his knee on the line when he cleared the rebound. Bruno Fernandes stepped up again and scored, and Roma's concentration went with it. Balerdi's slip allowed the equaliser, and another error led to United's third goal. Roma had dominated the first half, with Soulé and Malen putting them 2-0 up. The second half turned on the disputed penalty. Roma appeared to tire after that, and a thin bench did not help. Gasperini's side had been pushed back, and the closing stages followed a familiar pattern for the club in recent weeks. The ratings were: Vásquez 6, Mancini 5.5, Balerdi 4.5, Hermoso 6, Cristante 6, De Roon 5.5, Wesley 5.5, Mora 6.5, Soulé 6.5, Malen 6 and Gasperini 5.5. Ghilardi, who came on for Mancini in the 74th minute, was rated 5.5, and N'Dicka, on for Hermoso in the 75th, was rated 5.5. Lulli, on for Rensch after 22 minutes, was rated 5.5. Rensch was not rated after playing barely twenty minutes. Pisilli, on from the 45th minute, was rated 5, while Castro, who came on for Malen in the 77th minute, was rated 5.5. Vásquez saved the first penalty but could do nothing about the retake. Mancini was booked for the penalty concession and was reportedly unhappy with the decision. Mora's pass for Soulé and his contribution to the penalty earned him the highest rating of the night, despite a couple of light touches. Balerdi was the most heavily criticised. His rating reflected a double-edged performance: some anticipations raised the pressure, but he steered well for long periods before the late errors. Cristante was praised for his control in the first half and was described as losing some sharpness after the break. The match report ends with the group stage in mind, though the source does not state a next fixture. Roma's bench and fatigue remain the central talking points.

Leonardo Balerdi's two errors in the final minutes turned a comfortable Roma lead at Old Trafford into a painful defeat, with United coming back to win after Roma had been 2-0 up. Roma had dominated the first half under Gian Piero Gasperini, going 2-0 up through Soulé and a Malen penalty, with Balerdi outstanding at the heart of the defence, making ferocious interceptions, playing the ball out with authority and dominating his area. The match then followed the pattern of the recent defeat to Real Madrid: Roma stopped running, suffered constantly and let United back into the game. The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute. Balerdi was well placed to win the ball, an ordinary play for a player who had been the best on the pitch until then, but he slipped and missed it, allowing Cunha to score the 2-2 equaliser. Three minutes later he was again at fault, with the ball for United's 3-2 goal coming through his mistake, the second consecutive error that completed the collapse. Cunha was sent off for a second yellow card shortly afterwards, but the damage was done and Roma lost three points. Balerdi had been in a race for a starting place with N'Dicka until the last moment, but Gasperini preferred him for his dynamism and pace. He was not at full fitness, having not played in the last 180 minutes because of a knee problem. Gasperini deployed him as the central figure of a three-man defence alongside Mancini and Hermoso, specifically to mark Matheus Cunha, who was playing as a number nine for Carrick. Balerdi had earlier been impressive in a double against Napoli, which had convinced Roma to prepare a buy-back option worth over €11 million with Marseille, and he had previously been on Juventus's transfer radar. The article describes the result as leaving Roma battered, with the lesson that dominating like giants is not enough; the side must learn not to fall asleep at the crucial moment.

Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford in Manchester, having led by two goals before being pegged back, a result that makes qualification for the Champions League knockout phase harder. Italian newspapers were unanimous in praising the first half as very high level, but the second half was markedly less bright, and a much-disputed penalty awarded to the hosts added to Roma's frustration. The papers' player ratings were widely critical of Balerdi, who received a 4.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport, a 4 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and a 5 from Il Messaggero. Soulé was the standout performer, rated 7.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and 7 by Il Messaggero and Corriere della Sera. Mora also earned strong marks, with a 7 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica. Pisilli was judged harshly, rated 5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, 4.5 by Corriere dello Sport, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, and 5 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Gasperini was given a 5.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica, a 5 by Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and a 6 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Vásquez received 5.5 from Il Messaggero and 6 from La Repubblica, Il Tempo and Romanews.eu. Cristante earned 6.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and Wesley was rated 6.5 by Corriere dello Sport and Il Tempo. Malen was rated 7 by La Repubblica, with Castro's late cameo marked between 5 and 6 across the papers.

Roma were dominant for 45 minutes at Manchester United before collapsing in the second half, a defeat that Italian newspapers describe as a painful one. It is the club's second Champions League blackout, following the defeat against Real Madrid, and a collapse that Gian Piero Gasperini will have to work on for a long time. Matías Soulé was named the best Roma player on the pitch, playing a perfect first half, opening the scoring and winning the penalty that made it 2-0. However, he faded in the second half, as did the rest of the team. Defender Leonardo Balerdi was rated the worst player on the pitch, with his error on United's equaliser to make it 2-2 weighing heavily on him. The collapse after such a strong start is seen as difficult to explain, and it puts a spotlight on the team's ability to hold a lead against top opposition. The Italian sports press rated the Roma players in a range of marks across five newspapers. Gazzetta dello Sport gave Soulé 6.5 and Balerdi 4, and Corriere dello Sport gave Soulé 7.5 and Balerdi 4. Il Messaggero gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 5, while Il Tempo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Corriere della Sera rated Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5, and Leggo gave Soulé 7 and Balerdi 4.5. Gasperini received marks between 5 and 6 across the papers. Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Vásquez started in goal, with Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso in defence, and Rensch, Cristante, de Roon and Wesley in midfield. Soulé and Mora played behind Malen. Rensch was replaced by Lulli at 21 minutes, Mora by Pisilli at half-time, and Mancini and Hermoso were replaced by Ghilardi and Ndicka at 75 minutes. Malen made way for Castro at 80 minutes.

Roma threw away a two-goal lead at Manchester United in the Champions League, losing 3-2 after a dominant first half in which Soulé and Malen (from the penalty spot) had put them ahead. The collapse follows a similar late unravelling against Real Madrid, and this time the defeat is even more painful. Roma controlled the first half, rattling a United side that looked unrecognisable, before disappearing from the pitch after the break with no reaction and no ability to ease the English pressure. The responsibility, the article argues, must be shared, and head coach Gasperini must accept his part. Taking off Rodrigo Mora at half-time, after the Portuguese had lit up Roma's attacking play, was hard to understand. Pisilli's introduction was meant to bring more substance and dynamism but removed quality and unpredictability, and from that point Roma barely threatened. Replacing the injured Rensch with Lulli, rather than the more experienced Molina, also raised doubts; the young winger suffered badly under the weight of the match and United's pressure. Both choices failed and Gasperini will have to reflect on them. The squad is also showing strain. The absences of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala were felt, especially when the team needed fresh legs and quality to escape difficult moments. Roma still lack a quick attacking winger who can beat a man and turn a move, something the club sought without success during the summer transfer window. Balerdi, probably the best player on the pitch until then, made a costly error, missing the ball on the cross that allowed Cunha to equalise. A few minutes later it was 3-2. The decisive moment was the penalty awarded to United for a very light contact between Mancini and Cunha, which looked utterly incomprehensible. The retake, after Vásquez had saved the first attempt, was justified because Cristante's foot was already inside the box, but the initial decision that revived a struggling United side remains a source of enormous doubt. Bruno Fernandes's goal reignited United and Old Trafford. The real problem, the article says, was what happened in the minds and legs of the Roma players: as the pace rose and United pressed harder, Roma were gripped by fear of losing a victory already within reach and could not respond. Gasperini acknowledged after the game that this defeat could teach Roma even more than the loss to Real Madrid, and the article agrees, while insisting the problem must be faced rather than hidden behind the refereeing call or the absences. The result leaves Roma's hopes of reaching the Champions League play-off round harder to secure. The club now face Sassuolo on Saturday evening at the Olimpico, a final push before the international break. The article says Roma must recover injured players, energy and composure, and collect three points, while the championship remains the season's main target. Roma have repeatedly shown they can bounce back from disappointment, and the article concludes that the real frustration is seeing how strong this team can be, and how little it still takes for them to stop being so.