Can Donyell Malen’s goals help Roma mount a serious title challenge?
Given the squad that Capello had at his disposal, it should have been the start of a new dynasty for Roma. Instead, the capital city side failed to build on that Serie A winning campaign, finishing as proverbial bridesmaids on nine different occasions since 2001.
Going deeper still, a tally of just five major honours in 25 years is a truly dismal return for one of Italy’s most historic clubs.
Gian Piero Gasperini is now at the helm, a man who led Atalanta into the Champions League and to Europa League glory.
Roma, of course, are a different beast entirely. A third-place finish during his maiden season at the Stadio Olimpico was a fine achievement and it was largely thanks to the goals from Donyell Malen during the second half of the campaign.
The Dutchman has begun 2026/27 in a similar vein of fashion. Can he be the man to end 25 years of agony?
Donyell Malen reinvigorated Roma last season
Malen made an initial loan move to the Italian capital in January of this year, despite spending only 12 months at Villa.
Largely used as a substitute during his brief spell in the Midlands, the forward scored ten goals across 46 appearances under Unai Emery.
Prior to his arrival, Roma had lost seven of their opening 18 Serie A matches. Malen wasted no time in making an impact, scoring against Torino on his debut and finished with an extraordinary total of 14 league goals in just 18 matches.
The Giallorossi lost just four of their remaining games – one of those against Scudetto winners Inter Milan – as Gasperini lead the club back into the Champions League for the first time since 2018/19.
Roma announced the permanent signing of Malen during the summer for a £21m fee – an absolute bargain in the current market.
With a deal running through to 2030, Malen has ample time to cement himself as a modern-day club icon in the capital. Three league matches into the new season, he is already carrying on exactly where he left off.
Roma are thriving in Serie A this season
Roma sit top of the table making the perfect start.
Malen has been instrumental to that early surge to the summit of Serie A, scoring five goals to take his tally to 20 in just 23 matches.
It isn’t simply the volume of goals that has endeared him to supporters, but the variety.
His opener against Fiorentina saw Malen turn brilliant to create a yard of space beyond his marker to fire a low shot into the back of the net. His second saw the forward ease past Radu Drăgușin before firing a lovely effort into the roof of the net at the near post before he rounded off his treble with a poacher’s finish.
Three goals, three different profiles, proving that he is one of the most complete forwards in Serie A.
After a brace against Lecce on matchday two, Gasperini even compared Malen to one of his former stars.
“I have been fortunate enough to work with some great goalscorer, like Diego Milito at Genoa, but also with Atalanta I often had players who knew how to score goals. Malen is a little different, although he does remind me of Milito in some ways,” said Gasperini.
“He has this ability to control, turn and accelerate, which are extraordinary characteristics for a centre-forward. I think both of us, me and him, wanted him to play in that role. It was a gamble that paid off.”
Across those first two league matches, Gasperini deployed Malen as the lone centre-forward in a 3-4-2-1 system, with Argentinian playmakers Paolo Dybala and Matías Soulé operating directly behind him.
That system evidently worked a treat, with Dybala assisting all three of Malen’s goals against Fiorentina, while Soulé found the net against Lecce.
In their latest match, against Gasperini’s former club Atalanta, Dybala and Malen were partnered together in the 2-1 victory.
The former provided an assist for Soulé’s dramatic late winner, but the Dutchman still caused plenty of chaos during his time on the pitch. Not only did he complete the most dribbles (4) and create one chance, but Malen also won five of his six ground duels and took ten touches in the opposition penalty area.
Goals are what Malen is going to be defined by, but performances like this prove he can still dominate games without scoring.
The 2026/27 campaign is still in its embryonic stages, but Roma do look like a force to contend with.
Serie A duties are on hold for a few days as the capital side take on Fenerbahçe in the Champions League on Thursday, but momentum is certainly on their side.
If Malen keeps delivering across the next few months, Roma challenging for a first Scudetto in 25 years becomes a real possibility, something that would inevitably guarantee hero status for the 27-year-old.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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