Roma came away from the Maradona with a point after a dramatic 3-3 draw against Napoli, and while Gian Piero Gasperini admitted it felt like two points dropped, the result still keeps the club third in Serie A with 18 points from eight games. The comeback itself was a statement of character. Trailing 3-1 with less than 20 minutes to play, Roma levelled through two goals from Leonardo Balerdi, the Argentine defender who has quickly become a fan favourite since arriving on loan from Marseille. His impact has been so immediate that the club is already moving closer to triggering a conditional purchase option, according to reports.

The injury picture remains a concern heading into a busy week. Mile Svilar and Manu Koné are both sidelined, with Gasperini indicating Koné is unlikely to return before the international break. Svilar could make progress by the end of the week, with the manager hopeful of having him available for the trip to Manchester City in Europe. Paulo Dybala, who has missed recent matches with a muscle problem, is closer to returning and could feature from the bench against Cagliari on Tuesday.

For that home fixture against Cagliari, Gasperini is expected to hand Balerdi a starting role in a back three alongside Mancini and Hermoso, with Rodrigo Mora likely to get an opportunity in support of Malen. Roma need a win to close the gap on the teams above them and maintain their strong early-season momentum.