Roma Crush Fiorentina in Serie A Opener as Malen Shines with a Hat-Trick and Dybala Makes History

By Dr. Talal Othman

AS Roma kicked off their 2026-2027 Serie A campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing visitors Fiorentina 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in matchday one of the new season handing head coach Gian Piero Gasperini a dream start to his first official outing in charge of the Giallorossi.

Malen the Man of the Match with a Perfect Hat-Trick

Dutch forward Donyell Malen was the undisputed star of the night, netting a hat-trick spread across three moments of the match in the 27th, 52nd, and 60th minutes, marking his Serie A debut in the best possible way. Remarkably, all three goals were set up by Argentine playmaker Paulo Dybala, who delivered an exceptional performance orchestrating his side's attacks and carving open the visitors' defense time and again.

The fourth goal came in the 86th minute courtesy of young midfielder Niccolò Pisilli, putting the finishing touch on a complete attacking display from the home side across both halves.

Gasperini: Malen and Dybala Were "Exceptional"

Italian coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his delight with his players' performance after the final whistle, praising Malen and Dybala and describing their display as "world-class" and "extraordinary" a nod to the swift chemistry the attacking duo has already shown in just the season's first game.

A Difficult Start to Fabio Grosso's Fiorentina Project

For Fiorentina, the result marked a painful beginning to Fabio Grosso's tenure. The new head coach took charge of the Viola this summer, succeeding Paolo Vanoli, and this was his first official test in the dugout. The Tuscan side looked short of answers against Roma's attacking pressure, with their defense unable to contain the Malen-Dybala partnership for the full 90 minutes a warning sign that will demand a swift response from the coaching staff ahead of the coming rounds.

Match Analysis

The commanding win sends a strong message from Roma to their Serie A title rivals, with the Giallorossi showing clear intent to control proceedings from the opening minutes, thanks to the fluid understanding between midfield and attack. For Fiorentina, this heavy defeat serves as an early wake-up call in what promises to be a long season, with all eyes now on how Grosso responds to this early setback.

With this result, Roma launch their Serie A campaign in the best possible fashion, while Fiorentina face immediate pressure to course-correct and avoid a troubled start to the season.

Match Summary: