Roma left Como with Serie A’s first goalless draw of the season, a result that felt more valuable than frustrating by the final whistle. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had shown enough in the opening half to believe they could take the match, but their afternoon changed decisively in the 53rd minute when Malen was sent off with a straight red card.
For more than half an hour, Roma had to withstand a strong Como side with ten men. Gasperini accepted that the point had merit in those circumstances, while regretting the opportunities his team had created before the dismissal. “We had very good situations to score in the first half and gave the impression that we could go ahead,” he said. “I do not know how it would have ended with eleven against eleven, but we were confident. Given the situation, the draw is still fine.”
The Roma coach was far less calm when discussing the incident involving Malen. Gasperini argued that the forward had first been repeatedly fouled and held before his sliding challenge, insisting that the decision had damaged what had been an attractive contest. He accepted that the leap looked ugly, but rejected the suggestion that there had been an intention to hurt an opponent.
Shown a replay after the match, Gasperini again objected to judging the challenge through a paused image. “Football is not made of still frames,” he said, arguing that isolated pictures can distort the reality of a movement. He called for the game not to retreat from what he sees as a more authentic interpretation of football this season, maintaining that Malen’s action lacked violent intent.
Roma’s resistance and the road ahead
Gasperini reserved special praise for Paulo Dybala, who remained on the pitch almost until the end despite being among the players most affected by Roma’s numerical disadvantage. Dybala missed a first-half chance, but his coach felt the Argentine was outstanding after the red card, bringing control to difficult situations and helping Roma retain some composure under pressure.
Gasperini had considered introducing Castro once Malen departed, but decided to keep Dybala on as the match developed. He praised the forward’s intelligence and described his display, together with the effort of the rest of the side, as one of real substance.
There was also encouragement from Gollini, making another appearance for Roma. Gasperini highlighted the goalkeeper’s command of his area, his distribution with his feet and his precision on counter-attacking situations, while noting that the team’s defensive work had helped him. In the coach’s view, Gollini has the quality to stand in effectively for Svilar.
Roma now turn towards Wednesday’s meeting with Real Madrid at the Olimpico. Gasperini described the Spanish club as one of Europe’s leading teams, strengthened by an exceptional transfer campaign. He also acknowledged the enduring affection for José Mourinho in Rome, while underlining that his present Roma side is different from the one left by the Portuguese coach only a few years ago.
The point at Como offered another indication of that developing identity: a team capable of playing with initiative before adversity, then finding the heart and physical condition required to defend its work when the game turned against it.
