Roma’s afternoon at the Sinigaglia turned on a single decision early in the second half, when Donyell Malen was sent off in the 53rd minute against Como. The Dutch forward’s dismissal brought an immediate and forceful reaction from Gian Piero Gasperini, who considered the punishment excessive as his side faced the remainder of the match with 10 men.
A red card changes Roma’s task in Como
Malen was shown a straight red card by referee Fabbri after a challenge on Kaiki. The Roma attacker was attempting to win back possession and caught the Como player on the ankle in the momentum of the tackle.
- The incident occurred in the 53rd minute at Como’s Sinigaglia Stadium.
- Malen received a direct dismissal rather than a caution.
- Paulo Dybala, close to the scene of the foul, immediately argued that it should have been a yellow card.
- The decision left Roma to manage the closing phase of the fixture a man short.
Gasperini disputes the referee’s judgement
Gasperini made clear that he did not agree with the severity of the call. The Roma coach protested to fourth official Sozza soon after Fabbri’s decision, spreading his arms in disbelief on the touchline.
His response reflected Roma’s sense that Malen’s attempt to recover the ball had been punished too harshly. There was no hesitation from the referee in producing the red card, but the Giallorossi bench saw the challenge differently.
Support for Malen after the dismissal
When Malen reached the Roma technical area before heading towards the dressing rooms, Gasperini’s mood shifted from protest to support. The coach offered the forward affectionate encouragement, a paternal gesture after an abrupt end to his match.
For Roma, the episode became one of those league moments that stretches beyond the individual foul: an argument over interpretation, a coach defending his player, and a team required to reshape its afternoon in difficult circumstances on the shores of Lake Como.
