Why Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma Are Firmly in Serie A’s Title Conversation For 2025-26
It is unquestionably difficult to discern 2025-26’s Serie A title contenders. A managerial merry-go-round in Italy this summer has changed the complexion of the top-half immeasurably, leaving plenty of pre-season question marks ready to be answered. One team in particular, however, may have benefitted from the most astute managerial appointment, which could help bring an […]
Charlie Rhodes
Updated on 11 August 2025
It is unquestionably difficult to discern 2025-26’s Serie A title contenders. A managerial merry-go-round in Italy this summer has changed the complexion of the top-half immeasurably, leaving plenty of pre-season question marks ready to be answered. One team in particular, however, may have benefitted from the most astute managerial appointment, which could help bring an end to nearly 30 years of waiting for a Scudetto.
Gian Piero Gasperini Tactics, Style of Play and Record
Serie A’s longest serving manager pulled the curtain down on one of the most romantic tales in Italian soccer this summer.
Gian Piero Gasperini, who departs Atalanta as the club’s longest-tenured manager and the most successful in their history, leaves an enduring legacy in his wake.
His near-decade long stint in Bergamo delivered consistent success, to a club that has yo-yoed between the first and second divisions for much of its unsettled history.
After dragging Atalanta from the bottom-half, to a first European qualification berth in 26 years, regular appearances on the continent followed. It would take until Gasperini’s penultimate season in charge for his first and only piece of silverware, but its significance can not be understated.
La Dea’s Europa League triumph in 2023-24 is only the second major trophy in the club’s history — a full 61 years after lifting the Coppa Italia.
Gasperini had been the chief architect of Atalanta’s rise from minnows to European champions, all the while earning plaudits for the way the club operate, on and off the pitch.
With very limited resources compared to Italy’s historically affluent clubs, Gasperini has consistently maximized player potential, and in doing so made Atalanta one of Europe’s most eye-catching teams.
Prioritizing a chokehold on possession, quick incisive passes and a breathless ability to aggressively counter-attack, his Atalanta sides created scoring opportunities through fluid movement and positional interchange.
Inspired by the Ajax teams of the early 1990’s, Gasperini’s style of play has often resolutely swam against the status quo in Italy, challenging the ‘catenaccio’ tactics of strong organized defense and tactical discipline.
For all the managerial changes that have occurred throughout the summer at Milan, Inter and Atalanta, it is Roma who may be benefiting the most from their new manager.
His arrival in the capital is a monumental moment for Roma. They managed to fend off interest from genuine Serie A title contenders in order to hire a potentially transformational manager, with Gasperini admitting he rejected advances from Juventus.
Gasperini is a visionary tactician with a proven track-record for instilling a long-term identity; something Roma have struggled with for far too long. He inherits a Roma team who started to show semblances of a side who can challenge near the summit next season, and optimism should be sky-high heading into 2025-26.
Why Roma Are Serie A Title Contenders
In all but three of Gasperini’s seasons at Atalanta, he guided them to a top-four finish.
That must be the bare minimum for the Giallorossi, who have failed to break into the Champions League spots for the past eight consecutive seasons.
However, putting aside the Gasperini effect for a moment, everything points towards a much improved campaign for Roma.
At the back end of last season, no team in Serie A collected more points than they did. If you were to isolate points won in 2025, Roma racked up eight more than the next-nearest.
15 wins from their final 20 games under legendary manager Claudio Ranieri is about the strongest foundation Gasperini could have hoped for.
Ranieri, who was involved in the hiring process of a new manager, personally recommended the club bring in Gasperini, which should be a strong indicator that he believes he can continue to build on what he started.
The summer has seen them fill the blanks in areas that have needed desperate attention. Hugely promising right-back Wesley arrives from Flamengo, as well as Neil El Ayanoui from Lens.
Perhaps Roma’s most interesting piece of business has been Evan Ferguson, who arrives on loan from Brighton, with an option to buy. If there is anyone who can revitalize the stuttering career of a once promising striker, it is Gasperini.
It means Roma have two potential Serie A top scorer contenders in Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk.
The Ukrainian managed a respectable 12 goals in his maiden season in Italy last term, but should relish being unshackled in Gasperini’s 3-4-3 system.
No side generated more xG than Atalanta last term, and if Roma begin to adopt a similar intensity, Dovbyk and Ferguson may enjoy chances in abundance.
If Roma can begin to add more goals, there is no reason why they won’t be able to challenge for the Scudetto. Only champions Napoli conceded less goals last season, which suggests they are defensively sound enough to mount a challenge, providing they can be more ruthless in front of goal.
Serie A Title Odds
While there is a significant jump from AC Milan in fourth, to Roma in fifth in Serie A betting sites‘ estimations for 2025-26, it is hard to argue that their title odds represent excellent value.
Gasperini takes over a club that can promise him more resources than Atalanta, and that should be reason to be excited as a Roma fan.
There is such abundant attacking flair and fluidity to be unlocked at Roma, and they finally have a manager with the agency to do it.
There is also reason to be optimistic at the very start of the campaign, with their first five game slate a mixture of newly-promoted teams, a Derby della Capitale, and an intriguing opener with Bologna.
Cutting their teeth on opponents such as Bologna and Lazio will be good indicator of their readiness, but they can also find their feet with fixtures against Pisa and Torino, intersected between.
This season marks 25 years since Roma last lifted the title. It will no doubt be a tall order for Gasperini, who he himself has only ever claimed one piece of silverware. However, there is every reason to be optimistic as a Roma follower this season.
Charlie Rhodes
Charlie has built a deep portfolio across a wealth of sports websites, with a heavy focus on Europe's top five leagues. He has a long-standing interest in Serie A having grown up watching Football Italia on Channel 4 as a child. With extensive experience tailored towards news, long-form content and heavily researched features, Charlie has also garnered experience in several roles in the fintech and marketing sector.
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