Gianluca Mancini

Daniele Ghilardi has emerged as one of the season's surprises at Roma. After months of adaptation last season following his arrival from Verona, the defender earned Gasperini's trust, yet began the campaign without a league start across the opening eighteen matches. His turning point came at Lecce, where he suddenly stepped into the side and performed flawlessly. Last week at the same venue he was named in the starting eleven again, producing four tackles won from five attempts, eight ground duels won and aerial supremacy. On Saturday against Atalanta, Ghilardi replaced Gianluca Mancini and contributed significantly to Roma's comeback. Gasperini chose to release Jan Ziółkowski over the summer in favour of keeping the 2003-born defender, continuing a pattern of player development that has become a hallmark of his management at Roma. Crucially, Italy national team coach Roberto Mancini attended the Olimpico fixture and took note of the performance. While Ghilardi remains too early for September's international break, Mancini is expected to consider him for future call-ups.

Roma commentators have praised the team's attacking display and tactical discipline following a win over Atalanta, with radio panelists highlighting Matías Soulé's performance and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's growing imprint on the squad. Mirabella told Radio Romanista that Soulé was the standout performer, noting his immediate impact despite uncertainty over his future. "Today Matías Soulé felt at home," he said. Frequelli credited Mario Hermoso as the best player on the pitch, citing both his contribution to Roma's equaliser and his resilience after contributing to Atalanta's goal. Bighi echoed the praise for Soulé's growth and drew attention to Gasperini's tactical approach: "The manager is working very well. The squad has won not just through passion but through the work Gasperini is doing." Carina told Radio Radio that Roma has finally become "Gasperiniana"—reflecting the same style viewers saw in Gasperini's Atalanta teams. He noted an unusual tactical choice in the match, saying Gasperini won the game by removing two defenders: "If he hadn't taken off N'Dicka and Mancini, Roma would have suffered the second goal, because both struggle against Kristovic and go into difficulty. With Ghilardi and Balerdi, Roma regains the centre." He identified Rodrigo Mora as a player capable of beating defenders one-on-one but requiring development, while flagging the underlying financial burden: "The problem Roma carries with it is the cost: 50 million." Orsi credited Roma's fitness and tactical organisation, noting they have scored 10 goals across their first three matches this season. "Roma merits more than the 9 points in the league table," he said. Pruzzo expressed reservations about Mora, stating: "In a half he doesn't touch ten passes, though on a couple of occasions he did well. If he doesn't improve in level, I have the impression that something else is needed." Di Giovambattista highlighted Paulo Dybala's contribution of four assists in three games and praised the crowd's role in Roma's comeback. Pes told TeleradioStereo that Gasperini's next step must be restoring Dybala's goal-scoring form, adding: "Roma have conviction and hunger. Winning in Istanbul allows you to start a good path. It's a tough stadium to face, but Roma feel they can win the match."

Gasperini's tactical gamble paid off as Roma came from behind to beat Atalanta, with five substitutions made by the 21st minute of the second half transforming a match the club was losing 1–0 after Ederson's goal. With Ndicka and Mancini struggling against Atalanta's counter-attacks, Gasperini brought on Molina, Soulé, Castro, Ghilardi and Balerdi in rapid succession. The changes proved decisive: Ghilardi and Balerdi immediately steadied the defence and neutralised Atalanta's transitions, while Castro came close with efforts that hit the post and crossbar. Soulé delivered the most telling contribution, providing an assist and scoring a goal in the 93rd minute—an impact matching what he produced in Roma's match at Lecce. Gasperini had stated before the match: "Titolari and riserve ormai non contano più, si gioca in sedici"—effectively that first-team status and substitutes no longer matter, the game is played by sixteen—and the field immediately vindicated him. The depth demonstrated reflects substantial improvement from the previous season. In a match such as Parma last May, the bench contained only Venturino and Vaz; Gasperini now has access to a squad rich with genuine alternatives capable of reshaping a match. The quality of those replacements gives him the tactical weapons to win even when games turn against Roma mid-contest.

Roma return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years on Thursday 10 September, travelling to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce in the League Phase's first matchday with a 18:45 kickoff. The match will be broadcast on Sky Sport and available to subscribers via Sky Go. Gasperini's side arrive in buoyant form after a 2–1 comeback win against Atalanta in Serie A, where Hermoso and Soulé scored in the closing stages, and have won their opening three league matches. Roma are expected to line up in a 3–4–2–1 formation with Svilar in goal, a back three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, Wesley and Molina as full-backs, Cristante and Koné in midfield, and Dybala and Soulé supporting lone striker Malen. Molina and N'Dicka remain in contention with alternatives, and the squad picture will become clearer in training over the coming days. Lorenzo Pellegrini is almost certain to remain absent. Fenerbahce will be without Guendouzi, the former Lazio midfielder, who is serving a four-match suspension (two of which are conditional) following a fight during their qualifier against Lyon. The Turkish side reached the League Phase unbeaten through the preliminaries, eliminating Górnik Zabrze, Sturm Graz and Lyon, though they suffered a recent domestic setback when losing the derby to Besiktas after wins over Konyaspor and Samsunspor. In European competition they remain unbeaten across seven matches. Their probable lineup shows Ederson in goal, Semedo, Škriniar, Aké and Brown across the defence, Kanté and Yüksek in midfield, and Asensio, Aktürkoğlu and Nene behind striker Lukaku. This will be the first official meeting between the two clubs. Fenerbahce have won their last three home matches against Serie A sides without conceding, the most recent a 2–0 victory over Lazio in the 2012–13 Europa League quarter-finals. Official team lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kickoff, around 17:45 Italian time.

Gasperini made an audacious substitution deep into Roma's match against Atalanta that changed the course of the game. With Roma trailing by a goal, he withdrew Malen and introduced two defenders—Ghilardi and Balerdi—in place of Mancini and N'Dicka. At first glance, the move appeared reckless: removing an attacking player when a goal was desperately needed. Yet it proved decisive. Twenty minutes from the end, Ghilardi and Balerdi possessed the freshness and stamina that Mancini and N'Dicka had exhausted, allowing Roma to maintain an aggressive shape rather than drop deeper. The strategy worked: Roma continued to press and attack, ultimately finding their goals through Hermoso and Soulé. Sarri's Atalanta had seemed to have victory secured. The visitors had weathered intense pressure and conceded little despite Roma's dominance in the first half—18 shots to one and repeated chances—only for Ederson's goal to shift the momentum entirely. Atalanta twice came close to doubling their lead as Roma retreated. At that moment, the match appeared lost. Gasperini's intervention was a calculated risk rooted in clear tactical thinking: by introducing fresh defenders, he freed his other players to attack without fear. The instruction was explicit—press forward; the defensive line would hold. Krstovic lost his footing, Atalanta lost their reference point, and Roma regained the initiative. The substitution reflected far more than panic. Bringing on two defenders at that juncture demanded precise understanding of the match's requirements and absolute trust in his players. It signalled that Gasperini had read the game—that he knew exactly what Roma needed and possessed the conviction to execute it, even when conventional logic suggested otherwise. The choice proved vindicated.

Matías Soulé was the standout performer in Roma's comeback victory over Atalanta, earning the highest rating of 7.78 across major Italian publications. Soulé's goal and assist led the scoring charts, with Gasperini (7.43) and Mario Hermoso (7.00)—who netted the equalising goal—also praised for their contributions. Manu Koné impressed in midfield with a 6.78 rating, while Donyell Malen (5.86) struggled and received a failing mark from Il Messaggero and Repubblica, which also surprisingly awarded Rodrigo Mora just 5.5. Gianluca Mancini's performance was rated lowest at 5.43. The victory carries significant weight in Rome's season. Ivan Zazzaroni described Roma as "beautiful, generous with themselves and storming forward," highlighting the team's maturity displayed in the second half. Stefano Agresti framed the hard-fought win as a crucial psychological boost: "Certain hard-fought victories increase enthusiasm, confidence, self-esteem. And they provide certainty." Tiziano Carmellini emphasised the 39 total shots, Gasperini's shrewd substitutions, and the group's mental strength, declaring: "Matches like this forge a team and an environment. This year we will have to reckon with Roma too." Gasperini has entered Roma's history books with this win: he became the third Roma manager to record eight consecutive Serie A victories. Before him, only Luciano Spalletti achieved this feat—with streaks of 11 and 8 wins—and Rudi Garcia, who reached 11 and 9 consecutive victories respectively. Roma will not rest on this success. The squad will have the morning off but returns to Trigoria for afternoon training on 7 September. Roma's attention now turns to their UEFA Champions League debut on Thursday against Fenerbahçe, scheduled for Istanbul at 18:45.