Gasperini on Roma's win over Genoa and Castro's goal

Roma have scored more late goals than almost anyone in Serie A this season, with only Inter having a better record in the closing stages of matches. Their latest late surge came against Cagliari, where Rodrigo Mora and Malen struck in the final five minutes. Roma have now scored seven goals after the 75th minute in nine league matches, two fewer than Inter, who beat the Giallorossi yesterday. The pattern marks a clear change from last season. Writing in Il Tempo, Lorenzo Pes noted that Gasperini's first Roma side struggled badly to overturn results and often lost games once they fell behind. This season's team attacks with order even when little time remains, and it has shown a hunger for major targets. The comeback at Napoli was followed by another late strike against Cagliari, and the squad has rallied in the closing stages of several games. Gasperini can now draw on important options from the bench, and the numbers show that substitutes have often decided matches. Two of the late goals came against Cagliari from Mora and Malen. Balerdi made the difference at Napoli, Soulé did so against Atalanta, and Pisilli did so in the first matchday against Fiorentina.

Roma's win over Cagliari has underlined how central the club's young players have become to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The Giallorossi rely confidently on their Under-23 players, who have made decisive contributions at key moments of matches, as shown by the performances and goals of those who came through the youth sector and have been developed by the coach. Among the positives is the steady progress of Emanuele Lulli, who recently renewed his contract until 2031. The 2005-born defender scored his second consecutive league goal in front of the Curva Sud, and has established himself as a valuable asset and an important presence in the rotation. Alongside him, Niccolò Pisilli has become a consolidated certainty in midfield, combining consistent performances with a nose for goals. According to Il Tempo, the Olimpico clash was also the night of breakthrough for Rodrigo Mora. The 19-year-old Portuguese, who was initially greeted with scepticism over his market valuation, unlocked the match by scoring his first goal in front of the Roma crowd. Gasperini himself praised the young Portuguese's technical qualities after the game, stressing that his imagination is a fundamental factor for the season. The young group is completed by the gradual integration of players such as Koulierakis and Castro, who are asked to provide valid alternatives in a squad that blends the freshness of the youth ranks with the maturity of the senior players. For Gasperini's Roma, young players are no longer just a future prospect but a solid reality capable of making the difference.

Rodrigo Mora has taken off, and the Portuguese forward is now looking to take Roma by the hand. His goal against Cagliari was decisive in a heavy Roma win and has changed the outlook on his future at the club. He arrived on 19 August, when Roma invested 50 million euros in him (25 million up front and another 25 million the following year, with the option of a 50% share in any future resale), making him the most expensive signing in the club's history. Mora left Portugal and Porto, the club that had nurtured him for a long time, for the first time in his life. Andrea Pugliese, writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, reports that many expected to see Mora start against Cagliari, but Gasperini preferred again to field three midfielders, with Pisilli deployed high alongside Soulé. Mora therefore began on the bench on Tuesday and came on early in the second half. Gasperini had publicly defended him and praised him often before the Cagliari match, but privately he had hoped for a different signal, a reaction. Mora scored with a header despite standing just 168 centimetres tall. Roma now travel to Udine, and Gasperini will need him again. Dybala will still be out, the three-midfielder system is not yet a viable option, and De Roon is clearly declining. That leaves Mora and Soulé as the only available attacking midfielders for Gasperini. Mora's margin for improvement is wide, perhaps as wide as the expectations placed on him.

Roma's win over Cagliari has underlined how central the club's young players have become to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The Giallorossi rely confidently on their Under-23 players, who have made decisive contributions at key moments of matches, as shown by the performances and goals of those who came through the youth sector and have been developed by the coach. Among the positives is the steady progress of Emanuele Lulli, who recently renewed his contract until 2031. The 2005-born defender scored his second consecutive league goal in front of the Curva Sud, and has established himself as a valuable asset and an important presence in the rotation. Alongside him, Niccolò Pisilli has become a consolidated certainty in midfield, combining consistent performances with a nose for goals. According to Il Tempo, the Olimpico clash was also the night of breakthrough for Rodrigo Mora. The 19-year-old Portuguese, who was initially greeted with scepticism over his market valuation, unlocked the match by scoring his first goal in front of the Roma crowd. Gasperini himself praised the young Portuguese's technical qualities after the game, stressing that his imagination is a fundamental factor for the season. The young group is completed by the gradual integration of players such as Koulierakis and Castro, who are asked to provide valid alternatives in a squad that blends the freshness of the youth ranks with the maturity of the senior players. For Gasperini's Roma, young players are no longer just a future prospect but a solid reality capable of making the difference.

Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari, with a young side producing the decisive moments. Lulli equalised for Roma, then provided the assist for Pisilli's 2-1 winner. Pisilli, born in 2004, is from Palestrina and Lulli, born in 2007, is a Roman and Roma supporter, the two of them both having grown up as Romans and Giallorossi fans, as the report notes. Four players in the win were born after 2001, a year that means something special in Rome. The second goal was a home-grown move, the kind not seen at Roma since the days of Totti and De Rossi. Ghilardi, born in 2003, sent the perfect cross for Rodrigo Mora, born in 2007, to head home the winner. Gasperini's side have leaned heavily on youth. This season Roma, the top-of-the-table side that has fielded the most young players, have scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists from their under-23s. Soulé, Koulierakis and Castro have also contributed. Mora had been criticised, perhaps too harshly, for a couple of below-par displays, and this goal is a welcome response. Balzani, writing in Leggo, notes that Mora already has the numbers of a great player and must replace Dybala at Udine. Dybala is not yet at his best but hopes to return next Tuesday against Manchester United. Svilar will undergo fresh tests tomorrow to see whether he can be available before the international break.

Roman radio pundits were largely focused on Roma after the win over Cagliari, with the debate centring on Mancini's performance, Mora's goal and the fitness of Paulo Dybala. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: “Maybe it was the worst match Mancini has played since he’s been here at Roma. Honestly, after that first half I didn’t think he could come back out, and yet he did.” He added: “In a normal world, you had to take Mancini off after 20 minutes. He wasn’t presentable.” Gianluca Piacentini said Mora's goal had silenced his serial critics, and praised Gasperini for stressing that the points Roma have taken this season, the same number as last season, carry greater weight because they came against Como, Inter, Napoli and Atalanta. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended Mancini against the whistles he received, saying: “Mancini plays as a striker on Gasperini’s orders. You can’t go back and forth at two hundred an hour; you lose something along the way.” On the Roma-Cagliari match, Corsi described it as a lacklustre game, adding that the young players had turned it around. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport praised Gollini, who made three important saves, and said he was playing with a concentration he had never shown before, having been given a great opportunity by Svilar’s misfortune. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said: “Mora? If Gasperini had another substitute, he’d have taken him off after a quarter of an hour. That was my impression.” He also said he was pleased that Pisilli and Lulli had partly sorted out the match, and said: “If you have to compare yourself to the Roma market, my friend… I had backed Castro, but if Mina has you in his pocket for 80 minutes, you need changing.” He added that Molina struggles to play in Italian football, and that De Roon was static in midfield. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said: “I thought Roma never would lose this one.” Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma had suffered before taking full points. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Roma are unbeaten with six wins and three draws, and argued that Lazio’s eight wins from nine carry a different weight. He said: “I don’t see the Leicester effect in any way. If Lazio finish in the top three, I’ll become a priest.” Mario Corsi said Lazio do not have a team fit for the top places, and Torri noted that Lazio have taken 25 points from 27, with fixtures against Roma, Napoli, Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Torino still to come. The focus then turned to the coming fixtures. Alessio Nardo said the Dybala situation was thorny: he had seemed set to return against Cagliari, but now risked missing the next three matches. He said: “I expect a very, very difficult match against Udinese, and it will take a great Roma to win it.” Lorenzo Pes said Dybala had returned to training on Sunday but would miss Saturday’s game against Udinese, adding: “I think he doesn’t want to miss Manchester-Roma at Old Trafford.” Checco Oddo Casano said the doubt for Saturday against Udinese would be between Mora and De Roon, and said the club’s hopes in attack now depend on Soulé.

Roma's win over Cagliari has underlined how central the club's young players have become to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The Giallorossi rely confidently on their Under-23 players, who have made decisive contributions at key moments of matches, as shown by the performances and goals of those who came through the youth sector and have been developed by the coach. Among the positives is the steady progress of Emanuele Lulli, who recently renewed his contract until 2031. The 2005-born defender scored his second consecutive league goal in front of the Curva Sud, and has established himself as a valuable asset and an important presence in the rotation. Alongside him, Niccolò Pisilli has become a consolidated certainty in midfield, combining consistent performances with a nose for goals. According to Il Tempo, the Olimpico clash was also the night of breakthrough for Rodrigo Mora. The 19-year-old Portuguese, who was initially greeted with scepticism over his market valuation, unlocked the match by scoring his first goal in front of the Roma crowd. Gasperini himself praised the young Portuguese's technical qualities after the game, stressing that his imagination is a fundamental factor for the season. The young group is completed by the gradual integration of players such as Koulierakis and Castro, who are asked to provide valid alternatives in a squad that blends the freshness of the youth ranks with the maturity of the senior players. For Gasperini's Roma, young players are no longer just a future prospect but a solid reality capable of making the difference.

Pierluigi Gollini has won over head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the Roma fanbase since taking over the goal after Mile Svilar suffered a foot fracture in early October. Across six matches, the 31-year-old has eased the doubts that surrounded his return to a starting role. Roma had not expected much from a goalkeeper who had not played regularly for more than two years, but Gollini has responded on the pitch. His early reliability came in Como, where Roma held on while down to ten men. His performance against Cagliari is considered his best in the giallorossi shirt so far. On Tuesday evening, with Roma struggling to contain the Sardinians, Gollini kept the team in the game with a series of decisive saves. He stopped Adopo's effort, then Deiola's long-range shot, then denied Mendy and Trepy. Roma won 4-2, and without him the score could have told a very different story. Gollini and Lulli were named the best players on the pitch, and Gasperini praised his goalkeeper as "strepitoso". The relationship between the two men has a history. Gollini and Gasperini clashed during their time together at Atalanta, where disagreements contributed to the goalkeeper's departure from Bergamo, so reuniting in Rome seemed almost like a twist of fate. Gasperini said that Gollini has grown considerably since those years, when he was more exuberant and less willing to work at improving himself. "Abbiamo rimesso un po' di puntini a posto," the coach admitted, adding that he had never doubted his technical qualities. Gollini is now described as a more mature goalkeeper, more aware of his abilities and his responsibilities. He will soon become a father, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, which reports that his personal life has also found new balance. At Atalanta he had reached the Nazionale and played in the Champions League as a key figure, and the problem was sustaining that level. He now appears to have found the right path again. This development also changes the outlook for Svilar's recovery. The Belgian remains Roma's first-choice goalkeeper and one of the best in Serie A, but his return no longer has to be a race against time. Tests scheduled for today will establish whether he can be available for the Champions League trip to Manchester United. Gasperini now has a reliable alternative, which allows Svilar to recover without the pressure of an emergency. The article raises the idea of giving Gollini the goal in the Coppa Italia, which would let Svilar manage his energy and keep Gollini in regular competitive football. Gasperini has not announced this choice, but the option is being considered in light of Gollini's recent displays.

Roma have scored 23 goals so far this season, more than double the 10 they managed over the same period last year, and 12 different players have found the net across all competitions. Corriere della Sera reports that the side under Gian Piero Gasperini has raised its attacking output considerably. Donyell Malen is the focal point of the attack. The Dutch forward has scored 10 goals in 11 appearances this season and has also provided 6 assists in 31 appearances in total. Roma's real strength, however, lies in the variety of its options and the involvement of the whole squad. The goals have come from strikers, defenders and midfielders alike. Pisilli has scored 4 goals, matching his tally from last season. Other scorers include Hermoso, Balerdi, Lulli and Koné. Gasperini's side is constantly evolving, combining the finishing of its main striker with a strong collective approach in play.

Roma have scored more late goals than almost anyone in Serie A this season, with only Inter having a better record in the closing stages of matches. Their latest late surge came against Cagliari, where Rodrigo Mora and Malen struck in the final five minutes. Roma have now scored seven goals after the 75th minute in nine league matches, two fewer than Inter, who beat the Giallorossi yesterday. The pattern marks a clear change from last season. Writing in Il Tempo, Lorenzo Pes noted that Gasperini's first Roma side struggled badly to overturn results and often lost games once they fell behind. This season's team attacks with order even when little time remains, and it has shown a hunger for major targets. The comeback at Napoli was followed by another late strike against Cagliari, and the squad has rallied in the closing stages of several games. Gasperini can now draw on important options from the bench, and the numbers show that substitutes have often decided matches. Two of the late goals came against Cagliari from Mora and Malen. Balerdi made the difference at Napoli, Soulé did so against Atalanta, and Pisilli did so in the first matchday against Fiorentina.

Roma have 21 points after nine Serie A matchdays, the same total as a year ago, but the similarity ends there, according to Simone Valdarchi writing in Il Corriere della Sera. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini says the apparent paradox applies to his second Roma side, which has absorbed his tactical principles and now plays almost by memory. The squad's average quality has also risen thanks to the transfer market. The clearest evidence is in attack. In the first nine rounds of Serie A 2025/26, Roma scored with a trickle, spreading their 10 goals across the matches. This season, in the same nine matchdays, the giallorossi have scored 23 goals, more than double the figure from the same stretch a year ago. Such a prolific start has not been seen at Trigoria for a long time; the last comparable beginning came in the 2016/17 season under Spalletti. Ten years on, Gasperini's Roma have Donyell Malen as their guiding star. Across the three Champions League matches played so far, with 8 goals scored, Roma have already had 12 different players find the net. Malen is the driving force, but the article stresses that he is backed by a team ready to support him up front. Malen is no longer alone, and the goals are coming from across the side rather than from one man.

Paulo Dybala's comeback has been put on hold after a new discomfort in his right calf, leaving him unavailable for Roma's match against Cagliari. The Argentina forward injured the same calf during the Real Madrid game on 14 October. Initial diagnosis had been encouraging, and Dybala had been aiming for a place on the bench as early as the Slovan Bratislava match. Further tests, however, revealed that an oedema had concealed a small tear. Dybala returned to group training on Sunday, following the draw at Napoli, and pushed hard in an attempt to make the squad for Cagliari. The small tear diagnosed by the medical staff needs a few more days to heal. Doctors have now circled 7 November on the calendar as his new target date. Dybala is pressing to speed up his recovery and wants to be available for the trip to Manchester to face United on the 3rd, but the medical staff are expected not to give the green light, as caution is at its highest. Yesterday, on the rest day, Dybala was at Trigoria, where he completed a personalised training session. Donyell Malen was also present, and the pair took part in a photo shoot for Adidas together.