It’s been a summer of fits and starts for Roma as they return to the Champions League. Romanisti worldwide spent months on end wondering whether the Giallorossi would manage to truly reinforce Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad to prepare for the return to CL after an eight-year drought. Tomorrow, we finally get to find out what all the drama was for, and if it was all worth it.
Roma open their Serie A campaign Monday night at the Olimpico against a Fiorentina side that has transformed nearly as much as Roma has.
However, Fiorentina’s transformation was one of dire necessity instead of bigger pocketbooks; they finished a miserable 15th place last year, but made intriguing signings this summer, including Franco Mastantuono, Arthur Atta, and Christ Inao Oulaï. That means that what was an easy match last season could very well be a challenging one for Roma as they kick off the year, even without considering the time the Giallorossi squad likely still needs to truly gel.
What to Watch For
The Mora-Dybala Show
With that in mind, one of the biggest questions the Giallorossi will face as this season starts is just how they will line up their creative attacking talent moving forward. The arrival of Rodrigo Mora after a week-long push-and-pull with Porto has finally given Gian Piero Gasperini a new player to mold into his next Papu Gomez (or perhaps even his next Paulo Dybala). Reports coming out of training suggest that the 19-year-old will be given the opportunity to start tomorrow alongside La Joya, giving the Giallorossi a truly potent creative duo at the heart of their starting eleven.
Mora has already made it clear that Dybala was one of his idols growing up. He has also specifically praised Gasperini for his affinity for No. 10-type players, saying he believes the two should be a natural fit. By playing both Mora and Dybala behind the striker, Mora can provide the explosiveness and one-on-one ability for Gasperini while Dybala floats into the spaces where he can do the most damage. It has obvious echoes of Gasperini’s old Atalanta attacking setups, and with that comes the hope that the Giallorossi will be able to take the results from last season and add a bit more of a goal-happy attitude to them.
Roma vs. Fiorentina
Date: August 24th
Kickoff: 20:45 CET/2:45 EDT
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Roma
Referee: Matteo Marcenaro
Naturally, expecting Mora to become a world-beater in his first match as a Roma player while still only 19 is likely a bit too big of an ask for the diminutive forward. Still, Mora has already broken the 10-goal barrier while only 17 at Porto, and Gasperini has publicly said he has “all the qualities” to make his mark. If Mora can give Roma even a glimpse of what made D’Amico spend so much political capital getting him here, the Olimpico could have a new favorite very quickly. It will also make it that much easier for Gasperini to pick and choose when Dybala has to play, allowing for a well-rested La Joya to pick his shots and hopefully avoid the injury bug.
Malen v. Castro… Or Maybe Not?
The other obvious question facing Gian Piero Gasperini is who starts ahead of the Mora-Dybala pairing in the attacking midfield. Donyell Malen has earned the right to be the favorite, and is practically guaranteed a start tomorrow in my book. After arriving in January, the Dutchman scored 10 goals in his first 12 Serie A appearances, averaging a goal every 97 minutes, and quickly established himself as the striker Roma had been looking for since the departure of Edin Džeko. Malen’s ability to run beyond the defensive line and into attacking space tore up Serie A defenses last spring, and while he had an uneventful World Cup with the Dutch national team, there’s no signs of him slowing down now that he’s back with the club.
And yet, the signing of Santiago Castro inevitably starts some conversations about just how Gasperini will line up tomorrow and in the future. Castro offers something different from Malen, and he ironically comes with more of a Serie A guarantee than Donyell did in January. After all, Castro scored 11 goals in all competitions for Bologna last season and brings the pressing, movement, and physicality that should make him a natural fit for the Gasperini system. Roma paid €35 million for him and handed him the No. 9 shirt for a reason; he’s going to play, and he’ll likely soak up minutes just as much as Malen will across all competitions.
The easy assumption to make would be to say that the first month or so will determine if Castro or Malen is Gasperini’s regular starter at striker; GPG has been known to pick a horse and ride with it for as long as possible, so it’s reasonable to fear that once he chooses one striker, the other will ride the pine until injury or poor form demands a change. I’m not convinced that’s how this will go, though.
If there’s a story of the summer transfer window, it’s that Tony D’Amico and Gasperini spent the summer accumulating attacking options; this was not a summer where sales funded purchases (at least not yet). With Dybala and Mora both more than capable of operating underneath a striker, and Matías Soulé still available to provide another attacking dimension, there is plenty of room for creative solutions. Given that, Castro’s arrival could eventually allow Roma to make stronger in-match adjustments—or put forward a two-striker system when the timing is right.
If Roma need a more physical presence against a deep defense, Castro offers it. If they need someone to stretch the back line and attack space, Malen is the obvious choice. That likely calls for Malen to start solo tomorrow, but don’t be surprised if we see a good amount of Castro as well. The money spent on Castro suggests that Gasperini knows the #9 deserves to play. Time will tell how that impacts our #14.
