The Svilar Factor: Roma's Title Hopes Rest on the Goalkeeper's Hands

Paulo Dybala has been invited by Lionel Messi to attend the Argentina captain's final match with the national team on 6 October, an invitation that also extends to Roma defender Nahuel Molina. Roma are evaluating whether to release Dybala for the fixture, and according to Corriere dello Sport, the club's preference is to keep him at Trigoria during the international break. The decision hinges on the fixture schedule. Roma's squad, under Gian Piero Gasperini, will return to action just five days after Messi's farewell—on the road against Como in Serie A. The two intercontinental journeys required within days would burden Dybala with travel recovery, jet lag, and preparation for the league match. Roma would rather have Dybala at their training base working under Gasperini's supervision and fully ready for the campaign's resumption. Molina faces the same situation and the same club stance. No final decision has been made, but Roma's current position is to retain Dybala in the capital during the break.

Roma have begun moving in the January transfer window and have identified Frosinone winger Giorgi Kvernadze as a priority target. The Georgian, born 2003, has scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists across Serie A and Coppa Italia in recent outings that Roma scouts have monitored closely. Napoli are also tracking the situation. The club sits joint-top of Serie A with 13 points from 15 available after an impressive start to the 2026–27 season, level on points with Inter and Lazio. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico recognises that reinforcements are still needed, particularly a left-winger with a right foot — a specific profile the club has prioritised. The five summer signings brought in to implement manager Gian Piero Gasperini's ideas — Leonardo Balerdi, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo Mora, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Marten de Roon — have integrated well, but the squad remains incomplete ahead of the mid-season market. According to reports from Nicolò Schira and confirmed by Il Tempo, Roma have begun their groundwork for January. Kvernadze's form has caught the attention of Roma's recruitment team as the club prepares to strengthen in the coming weeks.

Roma are monitoring Giorgi Kvernadze, Frosinone's Georgian winger, as a potential target to strengthen their attacking flanks this season. Kvernadze has made a brilliant start to the campaign with five goals and two assists across Serie A and the Coppa Italia, attracting interest from multiple clubs. Roma, Napoli and Fiorentina are all tracking the 23-year-old, according to journalist Ekrem Konur. The pursuit reflects an ongoing need at Roma. During the last transfer window, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini wanted to reinforce the wide areas but the club failed to complete the department as he wished. Kvernadze's emergence could see the topic resurface in future windows. The Georgian prefers to operate from the left flank before cutting onto his right foot, a profile that could add quality and unpredictability to Roma's attacking play. Kvernadze was born on 7 February 2003 in Samtredia, Georgia, and came through the youth ranks at Saburtalo before stints with Telavi and Dinamo Batumi. Frosinone signed him in 2023 from Kolkheti-1913 Poti initially on loan with a purchase option, which the club exercised in summer 2024. He is contracted to Frosinone until 2028.

Roma's radio stations aired sharp opinion on the club's prospects this season, with Nando Orsi declaring the team was built to compete for the Serie A title while singling out Inter's deficiencies. Orsi said: "This year a squad was constructed to compete for the scudetto, but nobody says it out of superstition. Inter has some football-related shortcomings that need to be fixed. Roma is strong and capable, it just needs to manage its resources. Whoever says otherwise does it out of superstition. Roma has a strong squad; Saturday's match confirmed we are among the strongest. Juventus, Milan and Napoli don't seem like teams that can compete—they are too inconsistent. Roma and Inter instead are more ready at a technical level and in terms of their squads." The consensus across Rome's radio networks highlighted Lorenzo Pellegrini's recovery from injury and the decision to keep key players available, as well as praise for goalkeeper Mile Svilar's impact. Simone Valdarchi noted that "Pellegrini, although he has fully recovered from the injury he suffered, still needs to find his match rhythm. The work that will be done at Trigoria in these weeks will also be aimed at raising the condition of number 7." Both Valdarchi and Piero Torri stressed Roma's wish to avoid releasing Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina for Argentina's goodbye match for Messi, with Torri arguing that facing two long flights days before the Como match could harm preparations. Lorenzo Pes praised Svilar as "an important factor" who "gives security to the defence and to those watching him," while Roberto Pruzzo highlighted Leonardo Balerdi as an unexpected positive arrival. Mario Mattioli added that Balerdi, who "played 200 matches in the French league," was demonstrating his value in Italian football. Pruzzo also observed that Inter's perceived threat to run away with the title was not materializing as expected, noting he would wait 7–8 more matches to assess the championship's true level.

Roma's early-season form has sparked debate among Rome radio commentators about the club's ability to challenge for the Serie A title. Leonardo Balerdi, the defender who arrived this summer, has made an immediate impact that surprised analysts, though questions remain about the decision to bench Evan N'Dicka and the inconsistency of established players. Mattioli told Radio Radio that Balerdi "is a player of experience, he has played 200 matches in the French league. I'm pleased he came to Italy and is showing what he is worth." Pruzzo added: "I did not expect Balerdi's impact, it is a positive surprise. He is reactive, very practical and does not take risks when there is no need to. On the defensive phase he is numerically sound, he is an added value." Orsi struck a bullish tone about Roma's prospects, saying the squad was built to compete for the title this year and that Roma, alongside Inter, are more ready technically and in terms of squad depth than Juventus, Milan and Napoli, which he described as "too inconsistent." Carina offered a more measured assessment, praising Balerdi's impact but cautioning that benching N'Dicka—"the strongest in one-on-one marking in Serie A"—required courage. He criticised Gianluca Mancini's defending, saying "on the goal conceded by Roma there is his fingerprint," and suggested that with five matches played, it is premature to draw firm conclusions about title contenders, noting that Juventus and Milan remain close in points despite negative talk. Pes on Teleradiostereo highlighted Mile Svilar as a decisive advantage over rivals including Inter and Como, describing him as "a goalkeeper who brings points" and an element that provides security. Pes added that if Roma can increase their goalscoring output beyond the players currently delivering—Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Niccolò Pisilli—the team will become genuinely interesting.

Mile Svilar has emerged as one of Europe's elite goalkeepers under Gian Piero Gasperini, and AS Roma have decisively rejected multiple advances for him this summer, including a concrete approach from Juventus worth over €40 million. The Friedkin Group stood firm, and Svilar has signed a new contract through 2030, anchoring his long-term future at the club. Svilar's form speaks for itself. In five matches this season, he has recorded three clean sheets, 13 saves and an 81.2% success rate on interventions—an average of 2.5 saves per game that places him among the elite goalkeepers with at least fifty official appearances. His performances have been pivotal: decisive interventions against Bisseck and Lautaro in the match against Inter, and against Simeone at Turin. Gasperini's system, which frequently exposes Roma to open-field duels, perfectly suits Svilar's exceptional low-ball exits and one-on-one defending. His development has been consistent since De Rossi's faith in him, followed by the backing of Ranieri, and now the complete trust of Gasperini. At 23, Svilar has rebuilt his career at Roma after difficulties at Benfica, nearly three years into his tenure as the club's undisputed first choice. He has become a leader and an idol to the supporters. One complication shadows his record: after playing for Belgium's youth sides, a 2021 friendly appearance for Serbia prevents him from being called up by the Belgian national team today—a minor disappointment that does not alter his standing at Trigoria.