The Giallorossi coach's words on the eve of the match against Bologna

Australian football has unearthed a sparkling new jewel in Italy, with 16-year-old Antonio Arena announcing himself to the world in spectacular fashion. The Sydney-born prodigy scored with his very first touch on his senior debut for Roma, heading home a dramatic equaliser in a pulsating Coppa Italia clash against Torino, leaving fans and pundits alike breathless at his immediate impact.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pulled no punches after his side’s defeat to Juventus, openly questioning Evan Ferguson’s impact and admitting the Republic of Ireland striker is not convincing him. The blunt assessment has intensified scrutiny on Roma’s January plans, with Gasperini hinting at attacking reinforcements while insisting his selection calls were the right ones.

When Gian Piero Gasperini was unveiled as Roma's new coach back in June, he made a point of repeatedly stating that his first objective was getting the fans onside. The former Atalanta coach may have worked miracles in Bergamo but he's always been a bit of a divisive figure, so his appointment certainly wasn't met with universal approval among the supporters.

Legendary Italian coach Fabio Capello has praised Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini for his impact in guiding the Giallorossi to the top of the Serie A table. The former AC Milan and Roma coach drew comparisons between Gasperini’s current Roma and his own title-winning side of 2000-01, but stressed that the team still lacks a prolific goal scorer akin to Gabriel Batistuta.

The weekend before an international break always feels significant. Pick up a positive result and the only thing a manager really has to worry about is players suffering injury while representing their countries. A defeat, though, results in two torturous weeks as the result is pored over in the press while the coach waits for the opportunity to make amends.