Gasperini: Roma lost ‘by an avoidable goal, Dybala has a little problem’

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Peter Young | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 9:14 AM ET

Gian Piero Gasperini is not overly disappointed by Roma’s performance during their surprise 1-0 loss at home to Torino on Sunday, but feels that Giovanni Simeone’s winner was ‘avoidable’ and has also revealed that Paulo Dybala had to come off due to another physical problem.

The Giallorossi fell to their first defeat of the season courtesy of a second-half strike from Simeone at the Stadio Olimpico in Sunday’s early kick-off.

Gasperini, coming in off the international break, went with an intriguing starting line-up , leaving out both of his centre-forwards in Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson and instead going with Dybala and Matias Soule as his forward options.

“The ‘lightweight’ trio in attack was a possibility for us, but we weren’t particularly dangerous in the first half,” Gasperini told DAZN after full-time.

He also revealed: “Dybala had a small physical problem, so he had to come off. Let’s hope it’s nothing too serious.”

Gasperini: Roma loss ‘decided by an avoidable goal’

Gasperini believes that Roma ‘didn’t play a bad game’ against Torino, but feels that Simeone’s winner was one that should have been avoided. He also felt that players returning late from the international break, plus the hot temperature in Rome – almost 30℃ during the game – made life difficult for the Giallorossi.

“The match was decided by an avoidable goal. The energy was a little lower in this temperature and everything became more difficult. Overall, we didn’t play a bad game, we did well on the pitch. We could have sped up a little more in our movement of the ball.

“From the start, we were lacking the ability to shoot, make the last pass, the right final ball. You have to be careful not to concede goals at this temperature, because you are lacking in energy.”

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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