Wesley ruled out of World Cup; Sabatini and Sampaoli offer support to Roma defender

Roma remain focused on completing their final summer signings despite victory over Fiorentina, with head coach Gasperini and the club's recruitment team pursuing a left-sided attacker. Édouard Fofana of Lyon and Chelsea's Moisés Gittens are the two main targets, though the situations differ markedly. An agreement with Fofana's representatives has been in place for some time, but Roma will make a final decision tomorrow after Lyon's Champions League preliminary tie concludes, partly because the French club needs to generate sales for financial reasons. Chelsea have rejected Roma's loan proposal for Gittens and regard him as non-transferable, though Roma will make another attempt regardless. Jayden Oosterwolde touched down at Ciampino this morning, where he posed for selfies with waiting supporters. The defender underwent medical assessments this evening at Campus Bio-Medico, where Roma conducted further checks on a muscular strain he picked up earlier in the month.

Jayden Oosterwolde landed at Rome's Ciampino airport around 11:30 on 25 August to complete his transfer from Fenerbahçe to AS Roma. The Dutch defender was greeted by Roma supporters and media at the airport before heading to Campus Bio-Medico for a thorough medical examination. Roma are taking an in-depth approach to the checks given that Oosterwolde is managing a muscular injury, and the club is awaiting final medical clearance before completing the registration. The transfer has been structured as a loan with an obligation to buy. Roma will pay Fenerbahçe 1.5 million euros for the loan, with a permanent fee of 14.5 million euros triggered by a conditional obligation that includes a requirement for the player to reach 14 appearances. Oosterwolde, born in 2001, is expected to be unavailable until the first league break in mid-September as he recovers from his injury, meaning he will not be available for Gasperini's immediate selection despite joining the squad. Once the medical is signed off and his contract is registered, Oosterwolde will become available to the coaching staff, though his early weeks at the club will be shaped by his recovery timeline from the muscular problem.

Manu Koné was withdrawn in the 79th minute with a left thigh problem during Roma's latest match, cutting short an otherwise commanding midfield display. The French midfielder, who had returned late from World Cup commitments, was replaced by Neil El Aynaoui; medical staff immediately applied ice to his thigh on the bench. Over the coming days he will undergo tests to determine the extent of the muscle injury. Head coach Gasperini faces mounting injury concerns ahead of the Lecce fixture. Devyne Rensch also suffered a muscle strain earlier in the session, while Nahuel Molina, not at his best, remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes. Gasperini hopes to have the full squad available for the Lecce clash.

Gian Piero Gasperini deployed three different formations during Roma's match against Fiorentina, avoiding the 3-4-2-1 system that defined last season but never abandoning the aggressive one-on-one pressing and intensity that characterise his approach. The tactical adjustments were made to nullify Fiorentina's threats rather than to compensate for transfer market gaps or absences. Gasperini's willingness to shift shape underscores a deeper principle: Roma's behaviour remains unchanged regardless of formation. The side consistently attacks, with N'Dicka operating as a target on the attacking third and Mancini and Hermoso—later replaced by Koulierakis—covering the flanks. Fiorentina manager Grosso began in a 4-3-2-1 before moving to 4-2-4 when Roma went two goals clear. With Kean deployed alongside Pellegrino, Gasperini matched the adjustment with an identical system. The lineup featured Svilar in goal, Lulli, Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso across the back, Cristante and Koné in midfield, and Soulé, Dybala, Malen and Wesley in attack. Soulé had replaced Mora at 2-0. When Grosso shifted to 4-3-3 late on, Gasperini responded by introducing El Aynaoui and Pisilli for Koné and Dybala, switching to a 3-5-1-1. This brought Mancini, N'Dicka and Koulierakis across the back, a five-man midfield of Lulli, Pisilli, Cristante, El Aynaoui and Wesley, with Soulé supporting Castro in attack. Roma scored a fourth goal. Gasperini's track record with such adjustments is long and proven, but the club now needs a right-footed winger capable of providing thrust on the break and winning one-on-one duels. The manager will learn soon whether Chelsea is willing to negotiate for Gittens, and after Lyon play Fenerbahce tomorrow evening, whether an agreement with Fofana can be finalised.

Roma demolished Fiorentina 4–0 in a commanding display, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick to lead the charge. Paulo Dybala contributed three assists and Manu Koné was withdrawn only through fatigue, underlining Roma's control. Debutant Daniele Ghilardi impressed in an early appearance, while Evan N'Dicka stood firm at the back as the team moved to 3–4–1–2 formation under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. All five major Italian newspapers awarded Roma positive marks across the board. Svilar received ratings between 6 and 6.5 in goal. The defence was solid, with N'Dicka rated 7 to 7.5 by all outlets and Mancini and Hermoso both praised. In midfield, Cristante earned 6.5 to 7, while Wesley was rated 6 to 7 on the flank. Koné's 6.5 to 7.5 reflected his strong showing before substitution. Malen's 8.5 to 9 and Dybala's 8 to 9 dominated the attacking ratings. Corrections made 68 minutes in saw Koulierakis introduced for Hermoso, while Pisilli replaced Koné at 79 minutes. Rodrigo Mora (6.5) and later Matías Soulé (6) featured in attack; Santiago Castro entered for Malen at 68 minutes. Gasperini earned 7.5 to 8 from the press corps. N'Dicka's display of 7 to 7.5, Koné's energy and Ghilardi's first appearance highlighted a Roma side functioning with precision and depth throughout.

Roma delivered a commanding performance to defeat Fiorentina in convincing fashion, with the attacking partnership of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala at the centre of a tactically assured display that showcased the squad's early-season form. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini deployed a 3-4-1-2 formation in his opening fixture, positioning Rodrigo Mora as a trequartista behind Malen and Dybala, with the Portuguese forward alternating responsibilities alongside Fagioli in midfield. Roma's defensive structure proved resistant throughout, with Evan N'Dicka marking aggressively in the 3 vs 3 system and largely neutralising Fiorentina's central threat. Bryan Cristante managed transitions effectively between the centre-backs, while Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini remained largely untroubled in open play. Matías Soulé operated as an inverted winger with penetrating runs, and the fullback pairing of Lulli and Wesley — operating on his left foot — kept Fiorentina's wing play at bay. Roma managed territorial supremacy without producing clear-cut chances until Mora drifted to the left flank and forced saves from De Gea. The breakthrough came when Dybala pierced Fiorentina's central defence with a lateral run, opening space for Malen to finish clinically. The second half began with both sides unchanged, but Gasperini's tactical tweaks proved decisive. A rapid counterattack saw Malen and Dybala combine with surgical precision to double the lead. After Soulé replaced Mora, Lulli fed into the Malen-Dybala axis to complete a 3-0 scoreline that raised questions about Roma's defensive depth. The closing stages saw further substitutions as Gasperini shifted to a 3-5-2 formation, with Niccolò Pisilli entering as trequartista and scoring a fourth goal. Fiorentina's attacking threat materialised only sporadically across the 90 minutes, primarily through Kean's runs in behind. Mancini struggled against Kean's pace when facing him directly, repeatedly unable to prevent the striker from being turned on his goal and conceding positional advantage. A yellow card for Hermoso on Mastantuono 70 metres from goal in the first half complicated Roma's defensive options thereafter. Mario Hermoso received an avoidable caution early on that constrained his subsequent play. Roma's display suggested a squad capable of managing the season's demands with focused tactical discipline. The dominant control exercised over a Fiorentina side still integrating summer recruitment underscored Roma's own defensive solidity and attacking coherence, particularly the explosive capability of Malen and Dybala operating in tandem.