Torri: 'This looks like a bankrupt ownership'

Francesco Totti has revealed that Sinisa Mihajlovic called him shortly after his retirement from football to try to persuade him to play for Torino. Speaking in his book Oltre, Totti recounted how Mihajlovic made an emotional pitch to bring him back as a defender at the Serie A club. "Francesco, come give me a hand at Torino? What do you care, play another year, position yourself in front of the defence," Mihajlovic said. When Totti expressed concern about public opinion, Mihajlovic replied: "I'll handle the people. Come, you have fun, I have fun and the fans have fun." Totti responded with humour: "What are we doing, running a circus?" Mihajlovic intensified his efforts by appealing to Totti's emotions about the Turin club's heritage and suffering fanbase. "It's all magical here, Francesco. There's history, passion, the people, Superga. Every time I look at it from Turin it moves me. Think about how much the fans have suffered, we need to give them something back. All it takes is a spark and it becomes a fire. A beautiful fire," the former Torino manager urged. Totti, however, could only joke in response: "You need firefighters, not me." Despite Mihajlovic's persistent attempts—"But you think about it," he told Totti—the former Roma captain's reasoning never wavered. It was the same principle that had guided his entire career. His final answer was unequivocal: "Thanks Sini, but there's only Roma. Sorry." Mihajlovic had passed away, and Totti describes him as a friend who died too soon.

Radio commentators in Rome have divided over the performance of two Roma players on international duty. Gianluca Mancini came under criticism for his defending in Italy's latest match, while Nicolò Romano faced scrutiny for errors in his first appearances at senior level. Agresti said Romano had played five matches at a high level but had been unsettled by his elevation to the Italy squad. "On Italy's first goal, Mancini made a big mistake, but the move started from a poor pass by Romano. Yesterday he made errors he doesn't usually make," Agresti noted. Orsi was blunt about Mancini's responsibility: "A defender like Mancini cannot make certain errors—it is not the right way to face the opponent. The two goals conceded by Italy, if two players were switched on, they don't get conceded. Mancini is not 18 years old; he has to help in these situations." However, Orsi backed Romano: "Romano can make mistakes; you put him alongside Tonali and Barella, and they have to give more." Carina took a more measured view of Romano's adjustment. "We have to be calm with Romano: he has only played five matches. It's normal for him to alternate good and poor performances. He has been compared to Strootman, so obviously he will struggle—they have given him Italy's midfield." Mirabella also offered perspective: "He is an experiment and made plenty of mistakes, but it makes sense: he's young, it's his first experience, and he's only just started playing in Serie A." Stella reflected on Italy's broader troubles: "The enthusiasm over Italy has faded. I don't want to be punitive towards the coach, but I have no idea how we can get out of this tunnel."

Kevin Strootman has praised Roma's strong start to the season under Gian Piero Gasperini, highlighting the impact of fellow Dutch players Donyell Malen and Marten De Roon. Speaking to Il Tempo, the former Roma midfielder said of Gasperini's work: "Gasperini is working very well. Roma has had a decidedly important start to the season and I hope it can continue like this. The team has played great matches, playing quite well. The important thing now is to continue down this road." On Malen's performances, Strootman said: "I haven't played much together with him, but I've known him for a long time and he is a very strong forward. He did well both in Germany and in England, even though he wasn't always a starter. At Roma, however, he found a lot of confidence, especially thanks to the coach, and he is doing very well. The difference is also noticeable in the national team. He has great quality and spectacular speed. I think Roma is the right team for him; he feels important and is proving it. I'm not totally surprised by his performances, although probably nobody expected such an impact. I hope he continues like this." Strootman described De Roon as "a player of great experience. He knows the Italian league very well and, above all, he knows Gasperini's game. Marten is really a dressing-room man; he's someone who always gives his all for the team and can help younger players too. He doesn't need to feel more important than others or be in the spotlight. Everything he does in training and in matches, he does for the group. This is a very important aspect for a team that wants to fight for the top places." Strootman also recalled giving Leonardo Balerdi a Roma shirt during his Marseille days, saying: "When I read this on Instagram, I thought 'really?'… it's been a while, I'd completely forgotten about it. Leonardo is a really good lad, he has started his Roma adventure in the best way and I hope he can continue like this." On Roma's title prospects, Strootman said: "Maybe… let's see where Roma will be in March. In the meantime, I'll keep playing with my daughters, then we can chat again."

Roma's international contingent made an impact during the first round of matches across their respective national teams. Rodrigo Mora, representing Portugal's Under-21 side, delivered an assist and created multiple chances in a 90-minute display against Bulgaria that drew praise. Manu Koné continued his strong form for France, deployed as a defensive midfielder against Turkey in a different role than his usual positioning, yet still ranked first for successful dribbles and maintained his stellar start to the season. Koné has now established himself as a cornerstone of the French setup under Zinedine Zidane. Roma sent 12 players on international duty during this break, giving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini a chance to recharge ahead of a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign while maintaining focus on rhythm and fitness. Rodrigo's performance underlined the club's expectations following a €50 million investment, with his growth trajectory in a Roma shirt becoming increasingly significant. The break comes at a critical juncture, balancing necessary rest with the imperative to sustain momentum after the club's impressive opening. Gianluca Mancini's display for Italy proved disappointing, marked by an error leading to Belgium's opening goal and imprecision in the first half, though he improved after the break and came close to scoring. Daniele Ghilardi was not selected for Italy and awaits his national team debut. Konstantinos Koulierakis remained unused on the bench in Greece's match against Serbia. Evan N'Dicka returned to action with Ivory Coast, delivering a solid performance in their victory against Ghana. The three Roma players on Argentina duty—Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi—face a friendly against Bolivia in four days, followed by Argentina's tribute match to Lionel Messi, a fixture where Nahuel Molina and Paulo Dybala are hoped to appear, though Roma has yet to confirm their release.

Roma players on international duty produced mixed results across Europe and Africa on 26 September as the first round of fixtures in the international break played out. Rodrigo Mora was the standout performer for the Giallorossi, starting for Portugal Under 21 against Bulgaria in a Euro qualifier and playing all 90 minutes wearing the number 10. The 2007-born midfielder created the opening goal at the 50th minute, cutting into the area and delivering a low pass for Gustavo Varela to score. Portugal's lead did not hold; Bulgaria came from behind to win 2-1 with goals from Pavlov in the 87th minute and Marinov in stoppage time. Despite the defeat, Mora delivered a decisive contribution after losing recent game time with Roma. Manu Koné and Evan N'Dicka both completed 90 minutes in victories for their nations. Koné was an immediate starter in the new France squad under Zinedine Zidane, playing the entire Nations League match away to Turkey, which France won 1-0 through a Kylian Mbappé goal in the 54th minute; Koné received a yellow card in the closing stages. N'Dicka featured throughout Ivory Coast's 2-0 victory over Ghana in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on the first matchday, with goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié, keeping a clean sheet in the centre of defence. Gianluca Mancini had a difficult evening at the Stadio Olimpico. The Roma defender started for Italy in a Nations League match against Belgium managed by Roberto Mancini, with the Azzurri defeated 2-0. Godts opened the scoring in the 20th minute, getting the better of Mancini, and Lukebakio added a second in the second half. The number 23 played the full match in a challenging performance for Italy's entire defensive unit. Konstantinos Koulierakis remained on the bench for Serbia's 2-1 loss to Greece, while young defender Daniele Ghilardi, called up to the senior squad for the first time, was left out of the 23-man squad for the Olimpico fixture. Further Roma players are due in action over the coming days. Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé will begin their fixture cycle with Argentina on 30 September against Bolivia, the same day Mora returns with Portugal Under 21 against Gibraltar. On 1 October, Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli will feature for Italy Under 21 against Armenia, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19 against Brazil.

Francesco Totti has revealed in his new book *Oltre* that he turned down a proposal to return to Roma as an ambassador for the club's centenary celebrations. The former captain disclosed that he received a single offer through intermediaries—never in a face-to-face meeting with the Friedkin Group—to serve as the public face of the milestone. "I declined the offer," Totti said. "I have never felt comfortable in the role of a beautiful statue that must smile without making an impact and nod without being able to decide." Series A has confirmed fixture changes for matchdays 12 through 19. The Derby della Capitale against Lazio will take place on Sunday, 13 December at 12:30. Roma's home fixture against Juventus is scheduled for Saturday, 19 December at 20:45, while their Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie against Verona will be played on Tuesday, 12 January at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico. During the international break, Roma players continued their national-team commitments. Evan N'Dicka played all 90 minutes as Ivory Coast defeated Ghana 2–0. Gianluca Mancini featured for Italy in a 2–0 Nations League loss to Belgium and received a yellow card. Manu Koné played the full match as France beat Turkey. Konstantinos Koulierakis remained on the bench throughout Serbia's 1–2 defeat to Greece. Director of sport Tony D'Amico is already exploring reinforcements for the January transfer window, particularly a left-sided winger. Roma have begun moves on Georgian winger Giorgi Kvernadze, who has attracted attention from Fiorentina, Napoli, and several Premier League clubs. Hull City has reportedly made an early approach for the Frosinone player, valued at approximately €25 million.

Gian Piero Gasperini is building Roma around a fluid squad model of roughly twenty starting-calibre players, where internal competition remains constant and selection shifts based on form. Konstantinos Koulierakis, Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro—costlier than €100 million combined—have accumulated just 323 minutes so far, but retain strategic value in a squad lacking depth for the season's demands. The trio face stiff competition from Roma's in-form performers. Gasperini has prioritised players delivering consistently strong displays: from Mile Svilar in goal to Donyell Malen in attack, and the defensive leaders including Paulo Dybala. The manager is studying Koulierakis, Mora and Castro carefully to find the right moments for insertion. Mora's opportunities depend on competition with Dybala and Matías Soulé, while Castro could complement Malen in a dynamic attack. Koulierakis awaits his opportunity, currently blocked by Leonardo Balerdi's growth and Mario Hermoso's solidity at the back. These represent significant investments reflecting the club's ambition to elevate standards and give Gasperini multiple solutions for a long season filled with commitments.

Mile Svilar holds both Belgian and Serbian passports, yet today he has no national team to call his own. The Roma goalkeeper, now a regular fixture in Italian football's top tier, finds himself trapped by a regulatory paradox born from a decision made in 2021. Svilar rose through Belgium's youth system from Under-15 onwards, but on his father's advice accepted a call-up from Serbia in 2021 and made his senior debut in a friendly against Qatar at Debrecen, entering the match only as a substitute. He believed the friendly nature of the fixture would leave the door open for a future switch back to Belgium. When he later expressed his wish to represent Belgium, however, FIFA intervened. Having completed the entire Belgian youth pathway before choosing Serbia at senior level, the rulebook prevented him from changing federations again. The result: Serbia no longer calls him up, Belgium cannot call him up. So one of Roma's most important players sits out every international break. The timing has never been more acute. Thibaut Courtois recently decided against playing the full Nations League campaign for Belgium, creating a temporary gap in their goalkeeper hierarchy. Under different circumstances, Svilar would have had an enormous opportunity to fight for the position. Instead, he remains at Trigoria. His Roma form has only strengthened. Since Daniele De Rossi promoted him to number one, Svilar has recorded 48 clean sheets, equivalent to 38.4 per cent of the matches he has played. He has developed into a commanding presence through his personality, distribution, and one-on-one reading, and his footwork has improved markedly—attributes that have made him fully compatible with Gian Piero Gasperini's aggressive football. For Roma, the paradox offers a small silver lining: Svilar remains in the capital during international breaks, working with the staff and avoiding travel and fixture fatigue. For the player, though, it remains a painful situation. Two passports, two possible national teams, none available today—all because of a choice made in 2021, when he thought a brief appearance in a friendly would not permanently close a door. That door has stayed firmly shut.

Mile Svilar, Roma's standout goalkeeper, is trapped in a FIFA eligibility deadlock that has permanently blocked him from playing for either Serbia or Belgium. Born in Antwerp to a Serbian family, Svilar progressed through Belgium's youth system before accepting a Serbia call-up in 2021 for a brief appearance in a friendly against Qatar in Debrecen. Under FIFA regulations, that appearance—combined with his previous youth football for another nation—prevents a second change of federation. Belgium's federation attempted a legal challenge to equate his situation to Brahim Diaz's case, but FIFA rejected the appeal. With Serbia unwilling to select him and Belgium unable to, Svilar has lost a significant opportunity, particularly now that Thibaut Courtois has stepped back from international duty under Belgium manager Mark van Bommel. Despit the closed international door, Roma hold firm in their reliance on their defensive cornerstone. Svilar's statistics document consistent growth: since becoming first-choice under former manager Daniele De Rossi, he has registered 48 clean sheets, keeping a clean sheet in 38.4 per cent of matches played. Beyond his shot-stopping and low-range distribution work—decisive this season against attempts from Geubbels, Simeone, Muriqi and Bisseck—the 1999-born goalkeeper has shown marked progress in ball control and organisation of his defence. Without international commitments, Svilar's focus remains entirely on Serie A and Champions League fixtures in giallorossi colours.