Gian Piero Gasperini blasts Roma's 3-0 Brighton defeat, doubts squad’s progress

AS Roma’s pre-season has produced a mixed set of results under new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, with Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion the latest setback. The loss followed a 3-3 draw with Cannes, a 4-1 defeat by Cardiff City and a 4-1 victory over Newport County. Roma now have one further friendly, against Borussia Dortmund on August 15, before their Serie A campaign begins later in the month.

A Mixed Start to Pre-Season

Roma began their summer preparations in July before travelling to France and Wales for a sequence of away friendlies. Against Cannes on July 26, the Giallorossi surrendered a three-goal advantage to draw 3-3. They then lost 4-1 at Cardiff City on August 1 before responding with a 4-1 win over Newport County three days later. The run ended with a 3-0 defeat at Brighton on August 8. The results amount to two defeats, one draw and one win in Roma’s four principal pre-season fixtures, with 11 goals conceded and eight scored.

Defensive Concerns Remain

The 11 goals conceded across those four matches highlight defensive issues that Gasperini will want to address, although pre-season results alone provide limited evidence of how the team will perform competitively. Roma are also adapting to a new coaching regime and have been integrating new players into Gasperini’s system. The Brighton defeat therefore offers another indication of areas that require work rather than definitive evidence that the defence will struggle throughout the Serie A season.

Konstantinos Koulierakis has joined Roma from Wolfsburg to add depth in central defence, while the club has also been active in other areas of the squad. Santiago Castro arrived from Bologna during the summer, and Roma reached an agreement in principle for Nahuel Molina with Atlético Madrid, although the latter should not be described simply as an established Roma player unless the transfer has been formally completed. Sporting director Tony D’Amico officially took up his position on July 1, replacing the previous interim arrangement.

Transfer Window Frustrations

Roma’s squad is still being shaped with the transfer window open, making it premature to draw firm conclusions about its final composition. D’Amico has been charged with overseeing recruitment alongside Gasperini, and the club has already added Castro and Koulierakis while continuing to pursue further reinforcements. The transfer market remains an important part of Roma’s preparations, particularly as the coaching staff assess the squad’s depth and suitability for Gasperini’s tactical approach.

Lorenzo Pellegrini’s situation has also been resolved: Roma announced an agreement on August 8 to extend the midfielder’s contract. Pellegrini had been without a new deal after his previous contract expired at the end of June and had also been working back from a physical problem. There is no reliable basis for stating that he would be unavailable for a specific additional period such as a month, so his fitness should instead be assessed through the club’s subsequent team-news updates.

Looking Ahead: Dortmund Test

Roma’s final scheduled pre-season fixture is against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on August 15. The match will provide another opportunity for Gasperini to assess his squad before competitive action begins. Roma’s Serie A opener is scheduled for August 24 at home against Fiorentina, rather than in September as previously stated.

The club also returns to the Champions League this season after finishing third in Serie A, ending a seven-year absence from the competition. However, the Champions League league phase is not imminent in mid-August, so the immediate priority is the completion of pre-season and the start of the domestic campaign. With the transfer window still open, the Dortmund friendly and the final weeks of squad building should give Gasperini a clearer picture of the team he will take into the 2026-27 season.