Roma return to the Olimpico in a strange dual reality that only this club seems capable of inhabiting: one where the Giallorossi are cruising in Serie A at a level we haven’t seen since 2013, yet are somehow stumbling through a Europa League campaign that should, on paper, be far more straightforward. The club’s domestic form suggests a team discovering its identity and sharpening its edges, while their European form suggests a side still somehow searching for its rhythm under the Thursday-night lights.
That tension sets the stage for tomorrow’s visit from Midtjylland, a team whose name often invites a raised eyebrow but whose results in this League Phase deserve nothing but respect. They’ve been efficient, disciplined, and opportunistic, leading to them standing alone atop the Europa League, but their relatively small size as a club makes them give shades of Bødo/Glimt in the darkest cavern in my heart. They might just be the kind of opponent Roma make trickier than needed. The group table is tighter than it should be, and Roma isn’t anywhere close to the top of it; tomorrow’s match can be a chance for Roma to remind Europe that their Serie A swagger can travel into midweek.
Kickoff: 18:45 CET/12:45 EST
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Roma
Referee: Nikola Dabanović
Despite that excellent league form, Gasperini knows the pressure to bring that performance to Europe is building. How aggressively does Gasperini rotate with a massive Derby del Sole waiting on Sunday? Can Roma finally set the tone early instead of spending 70 minutes trying to shake off whatever midweek haze has plagued them? What will this match reveal about the team’s evolving identity under Gasperini? Are they ready to transfer their Serie A swagger onto the continental stage?
Can Fergie and the Pharaoh Make It Work?
Roma’s Irish forward #11 Evan Ferguson (C) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the Italian Serie A football match between US Cremonese and AS Roma at the Giovanni Zini Stadium in Cremona, northern Italy, on November 23, 2025. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
Roma enters this match knowing that it’s the first half of a mission-critical double feature. Tomorrow, they host the Europa League leaders at the Olimpico; Sunday, they host Antonio Conte’s Napoli in a match that will say a lot about whether this side truly belongs in the Scudetto conversation. After losing to both Milan and Inter, Gasperini cannot afford another slip in a head-to-head clash against a contender. But that’s Sunday’s problem. For now, Roma must deal with Midtjylland. Even if Sunday’s match is circled on the calendar for all Romanisti, tomorrow’s match can’t be taken lightly. A win tomorrow is the only way to keep pace, move closer to the top eight, and avoid those dreaded knockout playoffs.
Up front, Gasperini will again turn to Evan Ferguson and Stephan El Shaarawy, flanked by Soulé in what may be a “do enough to win, but don’t burn out the starters” selection. Ferguson, of course, is the big question mark. His Roma loan has been uneven to put it mildly, and he’s had long spells where he’s struggled to impose himself. But his goal last match against Cremonese (his first club goal in over a year!) feels like the kind of release that can reset a striker’s entire trajectory. If Gasperini is rotating without risking too much, handing Ferguson another start is both a necessity and a calculated bet that the young forward might finally be rounding into form at the perfect moment.
El Shaarawy, meanwhile, continues to be the veteran buffer that managers lean on when the forward line wobbles. His goal output hasn’t exactly kept pace with Roma’s needs, but that’s something affecting every forward at the club. They’ve all underperformed this season, which is bizarre for a manager whose system is built on volume, movement, and scoring by committee. But with Hermoso likely rested ahead of Napoli, Koné rotated out for El Aynaoui, and Wesley sitting, El Shaarawy’s experience becomes even more critical in a lineup designed to win without overexerting itself. The Pharaoh’s intelligence and timing can help stabilize an attack that too often sputters in Europe. If Ferguson’s confidence carries over, Roma may finally see this front line function the way Gasperini has imagined. After that, maybe the Giallorossi will be able to have an offense that matches the airtight defense that has catapulted them to the top of Serie A. Who knows where that combination might take them?
Will Pisilli Get His Moment?
FULVIO BERNARDINI SPORT CENTER, ROME, ITALY – 2025/11/26: Niccolo Pisilli of AS Roma (r) smiles during a training session the day before the UEFA Europa League 2025/2026 football match between AS Roma and FC Midtjylland. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Roma’s win in Cremona was a reminder that even when half the club is in triage, this incarnation of the squad can still get the necessary three points against smaller sides. Gasperini didn’t have Hermoso, Bailey, Dybala, or Dovbyk, but Gasperini’s men were able to score more than two goals for the first time all season. The youngsters led the way, allowing Roma to ride big performances from Soulé, Ferguson, and Wesley and claim sole possession of first place.
Tucked beneath those headline names is a player whose season has been more patience than spotlight: Niccolò Pisilli. The Primavera product hasn’t seen the minutes he probably imagined when Gasperini walked through Trigoria’s doors. Still, he remains one of the more intriguing subplots in a squad that suddenly has depth to burn. Pisilli’s recent interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio reads like a young player who completely buys into the Gasperini system. Pisilli said “He’s got a gift… he’s obsessive,” and he’s definitely not wrong. Gasperini rebuilt Atalanta in his own image, and Pisilli sees that same transformation beginning in Rome. “He changed the history of a club,” he said. “Now he’s doing something very important with us.” It’s hard not to hear a hint of excitement in that, even as the midfielder acknowledges his own limited role so far.
If we’re lucky, this might be the stretch where opportunity arrives. Pisilli may not be first in line to replace any of the midfield starters, but the academy graduate seems to be firmly in Gasperini’s plans. His comments about Gasperini “never leaving anyone behind” suggest the door is very much open. If Niccolò gets the call, he may just carve out a real place in the midfield rotation of a side balancing hopes for both European progress and a Scudetto push. Keep your fingers crossed for him, because if he starts to shine for the senior side now, there’s no better moment for him to stake a claim as Roma’s future.
