Roma began their pre-season schedule with a dominant 6-0 victory over Serie D side Trastevere, utilising two distinct line-ups to give their full squad valuable minutes. Donyell Malen announced his return to club football with an early goal, whilst Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante were also on target in the comfortable friendly win.
The Giallorossi faced their first external opposition of the summer after initial warm-up sessions against their own youth teams. The match marked Malen’s first appearance since representing the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup, with the forward making an immediate impression.
First-half flurry
Malen required just three minutes to break the deadlock, finishing from Devyne Rensch’s assist to give the hosts a swift advantage. The early goal set the tone for a one-sided opening period in which Roma’s established stars controlled proceedings against the fourth-tier visitors.
Dybala doubled the lead after combining with Cristante, who subsequently added his name to the scoresheet with Malen returning the favour for the assist. Wesley struck the crossbar with a powerful effort before Luigi Cherubini completed the first-half scoring after 35 minutes, sealing a 4-0 lead at the interval.
Evan N’Dicka made his first appearance of the campaign as part of a defensive trio alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso, with Mile Svilar between the posts. Rensch and Bah operated as wing-backs, whilst Wesley and Cristante anchored the midfield behind the attacking trident of Dybala, Cherubini and Malen.
Youngsters shine after break
A completely changed eleven emerged for the second period, maintaining the momentum with two further goals against the battling Trastevere side. Angelino found the net before 17-year-old Antonio Arena capped the scoring, taking the final tally to six and showcasing the depth available to the coaching staff.
Pierluigi Gollini replaced Svilar at half-time, with Ziolkowski, Seck and Ghilardi forming a revised back three. Lulli, Giammattei and Panico featured in midfield positions, whilst Camara operated behind the attacking duo of Dovbyk and Arena.
Injury updates
The fixture also offered clarity on Roma’s early injury situation. Robinio Vaz and Niccolò Pisilli were unavailable due to fitness issues, whilst Matías Soulé was rested following his international commitments.
The comprehensive victory provides a solid foundation for Roma’s pre-season preparations, allowing the coaching staff to assess both senior players and academy prospects ahead of the competitive campaign.