Marten de Roon’s first weeks in Rome have begun to carry a different mood. After arriving from Atalanta to work again under Gian Piero Gasperini, the Dutch midfielder is finding greater comfort both at Trigoria and beyond it, with his growing confidence also visible in his return to social media.
De Roon recently shared a post involving Kevin Strootman, joking that he had called for advice about life in the capital, before publishing a selection of private and public images accompanied by the thought that he was gradually settling into Roman life. It marks a more relaxed public presence after some earlier jokes had drawn criticism from within the Roma environment.
The change has reflected his work on the pitch. The international break has helped De Roon recover rhythm and physical sharpness, while also putting him back in contact with the training methods that had made him such a trusted figure for Gasperini in Bergamo. His move to Roma came after he had felt marginalised at Atalanta, and Gasperini had previously defended him against a banner from the Atalanta curva, asking what the “old shoe” was supposed to do.
A choice in midfield for Como
Roma’s immediate problem is Bryan Cristante’s knee inflammation, which is expected to keep the captain out for around three weeks. His absence opens a place alongside Manu Koné, and De Roon is now under serious consideration to make his first Roma start away to Como on Sunday.
He has already featured from the bench against Lecce, Fenerbahçe and Torino, but the final decision will depend on the first preparations for the match against Cesc Fabregas’s Como. Those sessions are due to begin after the squad’s three-day break.
Gasperini’s alternative is Niccolò Pisilli. De Roon offers experience and control, while Pisilli brings energy and forward-running. With seven fixtures arriving across 20 days, including the subsequent meeting with Real Madrid, both midfielders are expected to be needed. The plan could see each handed one start, with Koné beside them.
Cristante’s absence will remove the player most regularly seen with the armband, but Roma believe they have enough senior voices to spread that responsibility. Gianluca Mancini and Lorenzo Pellegrini remain established leaders, while De Roon and Balerdi have added further authority to the group.
All four could begin together at Como, offering Roma experience at a moment when the season is beginning to demand it most. For De Roon, Sunday may provide the clearest sign yet that his reunion with Gasperini is becoming a central part of Roma’s next chapter.
