Zago backs Roma to challenge for the title under Gasperini

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.

Roma radio stations have dissected the team's opening weeks of the 2026-27 season, focusing on attacking output, midfield deployment, and the defensive lapses that cost them against Inter. Gianluca Piacentini noted that while the team has impressed overall, Santiago Castro has yet to score despite solid performances, and the attacking group has contributed only three goals total—two from Matías Soulé and one from Rodrigo Mora—leaving room for improvement. Donyell Malen, who remained in Rome during the international break, has been the standout performer among the forwards. The consensus is that Roma's attackers, particularly Castro, Soulé and Mora, would have benefited from staying at Trigoria rather than joining their national teams for what several commentators dismissed as unnecessary international fixtures. Francesca Ferrazza explained that criticism of Paulo Dybala's reduced shooting is misplaced: "Now they're criticising Dybala because he doesn't score and doesn't shoot, but in my opinion it's precisely a deliberate choice to shoot less in goal. A choice shared with the manager, by the way. To extend his season and his career, he plays for others more than for himself." The discussion around Lorenzo Pellegrini centred on tactical fit. Lorenzo Pes raised concerns about how Pellegrini will adapt to Gasperini's intensity: "What intrigues me is how he might fit into certain systems. When you play with a trequartista, that is his best position, perhaps in that role he's the best you have, but when you line up differently on the pitch I'm not sure how much he can adapt. Last season he did reasonably well but in a very different Roma—now it's much more intense. Gasperini says he can see him in midfield too, but in that role he's never actually put him there." Mario Corsi challenged the narrative around Gianluca Mancini's role in Inter's goal, pointing out that four Roma defenders were on the pitch yet failed to function as a unit. He argued the real issue is a lack of a player who can beat his man consistently. Piero Torri stressed that after the international break, Roma will need all available players, with Gasperini having stated the team must operate with a squad of 20 across a seven-match stretch. Roberto Pruzzo offered a positive assessment, noting that Malen's presence this season—absent last year—and Dybala's apparent full recovery give Roma credible tools to challenge Inter, especially once the remainder of the transfer window closes. Luigi Salomone suggested that had Roma's previous manager substituted a different forward earlier against Lazio, the result might have shifted dramatically. The international break will resume mid-October, after which Roma face a compressed fixture list in both Serie A and the Champions League that will test squad depth and tactical flexibility.

Francesco Totti has revealed that both Genoa and Como made serious approaches asking him to return to Serie A football at 48 years old. Totti explained that he took the proposals seriously enough to undergo a rigorous training programme: he played five-a-side football every Monday evening, added three gym sessions per week and two with a physiotherapist, and strictly controlled his diet, cutting out bread and sweets. He acknowledged that his physical condition responded well to the work despite normal wear and tear for someone nearly 50, saying his back was stiff but nothing serious. Genoa's Gian Marco Gilan—the manager—sent him WhatsApp messages asking for his decision, and Totti was drawn to the prospect of Stadio Marassi, which he described as "a beautiful stadium, English-style, with passionate people who follow the matches glued to the pitch. You feel their breath on your neck." Crucially, Genoa was also the venue of his final Roma appearance, something he saw as significant. However, Totti ultimately declined both offers, stating that the fundamental barrier was emotional rather than physical: he could not bring himself to play for any club other than Roma. "Can you play for a team that isn't Roma?" he asked himself repeatedly. He concluded that sporting betrayal has no age limit—"whether you are 18 or 48 years old." His decision came down to the fact that Roma was not a problem to overcome but a principle: loyalty to the only club where he could ever imagine playing. Totti also addressed the breakdown and recent reconciliation with Luciano Spalletti, the Italy manager. Their relationship had fractured on 28 May 2017, the day of Totti's forced retirement, and for over six years they neither saw nor spoke to each other. A turning point came in November 2023 when Vito Scala, a longtime friend, persuaded Totti to attend a Hospital Bambino Gesù visit during an Italy squad gathering before a match against Macedonia on 17 November. At that meeting, Spalletti used humour to break the ice: "From the heart, shall I give you a hug? From the heart, go on..." They exchanged a brief high-five and an embrace that Totti described as fleeting and emotionally neutral. The real thaw came when advertising executive Damiano Biondi proposed they film a commercial together for Amaro Montenegro. After a month of hesitation, Totti accepted. They shot at a location in Rome called I Ponti, and during their first conversation in Spalletti's camper, the tone shifted: Totti told Spalletti, "I couldn't wait. Anyway, you should thank me, boss—if I'd said no, they wouldn't have taken you either." They worked together over two days, relaxed, and smiled genuine, spontaneous smiles. In summer 2026 they filmed a second advert over three days at Spalletti's estate in Tuscany. During a dinner with others, Totti addressed the past directly: "As a coach he was one of the strongest, but he didn't behave well with me." Spalletti countered: "No, Francesco, it's all your fault—you wanted me gone and kicked me out of Roma." Totti replied: "What are you saying, boss? You did it all yourself." Totti emerged from both shoots more at peace, though the fundamental disagreement remained unresolved.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a member of Roma's 2001 Serie A title-winning squad, believes the current team can compete for the championship this season. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Zago reflected on Roma's recent performance against Inter, saying: 'I watched the match on Saturday, Roma had a good first half but when you lose concentration against a side like Inter you pay the price at the end.' He acknowledged the gap between that legendary squad and the present group but remains optimistic about their prospects. 'The Scudetto dream is possible,' Zago said. 'Inter is the only rival. Roma have a great defensive unit. The attack is strong too, they can compete until the final day.' Zago praised Wesley, Roma's Brazilian defender, as one of the world's best full-backs, noting that Real Madrid and Manchester City had also pursued him. 'There is little to say—for me he is one of the strongest full-backs in the world,' Zago remarked, adding that despite scoring less frequently, Wesley's overall performances remain excellent. On head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, Zago was emphatic: 'If he is not the strongest of the last ten years, he is certainly in the top three. In Serie A he is the best. The team must follow him and can aim for great results.'

Gian Piero Gasperini is refusing to ease off during the international break, instead using the coming weeks to prepare Roma for a late-autumn peak when his teams have historically shown their strongest form. While Inter gave their squad six days of complete rest, Gasperini has maintained high-intensity training at Trigoria, though the programme is inevitably shaped by the departure of twelve international players. The squad remaining in Rome includes Mile Svilar, Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Mario Hermoso, Bryan Cristante, Devyne Rensch, Nahuel Molina and Marten de Roon, alongside players requiring specific work—notably Wesley, who must build his athletic base, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is returning from a lengthy absence and has already begun an intensive programme to rejoin regular rotation. Gasperini is also considering organizing a friendly match that could involve some youth-team players. Gasperini's approach reflects a precise logic. His teams have consistently shown their best athletic performance between late autumn and early winter, when the benefits of summer preparation become fully absorbed. His most famous precedent came in his first Atalanta season, when six consecutive league wins in November 2016 transformed a team with survival as its target into a Europa League contender. Similar runs followed in 2021 and 2024. Roma have already started well despite not yet operating at full capacity—some new players are still integrating, others building fitness, and Pellegrini has barely begun his season. The stretch ahead will demand depth: the combination of league and Champions League fixtures will produce a sequence of closely spaced matches making it impossible to rely on the same eleven throughout. For this reason Gasperini does not want a pause. He wants a launchpad. The logic is that Roma have already built their league position during the summer; now the coach wants to prepare their bodies for autumn. If the pattern his squads have followed repeats itself, the strongest part of the season may still be to come.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a defender in Roma's 2001 Serie A championship team, has said Roma can harbour serious ambitions of winning the title this season under Gian Piero Gasperini. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Zago highlighted the strong start the side has made and identified Inter as their only real rival, while ruling out direct comparison with the 2001 squad because of the different era and the strength of Italian football then, when Juventus, Milan, Parma, Lazio and Inter were all formidable forces. On Roma's defensive options, Zago singled out Gianluca Mancini as the player most similar to himself. "Balerdi arrived with a bit of scepticism and is proving to be an excellent player," he said. "Roma has a very good back line." Wesley drew particular praise: "For me he is one of the strongest full-backs in the world—Real Madrid and Manchester City wanted him too. It's not easy to arrive from Brazil and perform at this level. He is playing well on both the right and left. Perhaps he is scoring less but that doesn't mean he is struggling." On the attacking threat, Zago highlighted Paulo Dybala's form and noted that Donyell Malen has already reached six goals, saying "They can play it out to the end." When asked to compare Leonardo Balerdi to the Argentine defender Walter Samuel, Zago cautioned against the comparison: "It is complicated to compare him to Walter at this moment—he arrived not long ago while Walter was already a pillar of the Argentine national team. I hope he can build his career. Obviously if he becomes like Walter it would mean winning the title at the end of the year. It takes a bit of time, but if you are strong you adapt quickly, and when you have champions around you, you adapt easily to the coach's demands." On Gasperini, Zago was emphatic: "If he is not the strongest of the last ten years, he is certainly in the top three. He did great work at Atalanta, taking a mid-table team to play Champions League football and win the Europa League. In Serie A he is the best. The squad must follow him and can aim for great results."