Napoli and Roma battled to a 2-2 draw at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday, with Donyell Malen scoring both goals for Roma in a performance that has prompted manager Gian Piero Gasperini to suggest his team would be in a stronger league position had the forward arrived earlier in the season.
Malen found the net twice, but Napoli responded through Leonardo Spinazzola and Alisson Santos, ensuring the points were shared. The draw leaves Roma in fourth place in Serie A with 47 points from 25 matches, three points behind Napoli and one ahead of Juventus.
Gasperini expressed his satisfaction with Malen’s impact since joining the club, noting the player’s versatility and goal-scoring ability. “I always believed Malen had the ideal characteristics for my style of football, given that he is a complete striker,” Gasperini said, as reported by Football Italia. “He can release shots immediately, he’s quick, and he can combine with his teammates.”
The manager highlighted a previous reliance on Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson, who had struggled for goals before their respective injuries. Dovbyk had scored three goals in 17 appearances, even as Ferguson managed five goals in 22 games. “This is a team that needs a striker like him, who scores goals regularly, also because we put him in positions that are constantly dangerous,” Gasperini added.
Gasperini believes Roma’s squad will become more competitive as players like Dybala, Soule, and El Shaarawy regain full fitness. “He’s been with us for only five games, so we feel we can continue to develop, especially when Dybala, Soule, or El Shaarawy are fully fit. We can be more competitive,” he stated.
Despite the positive performance, Gasperini lamented not having Malen available earlier in the season. “We have had a positive attitude throughout the season, which is why we are in fourth place in the standings. I’m not afraid to say that if we had Malen in the first half of the season, we would have more points now, but our overall approach has always been the same,” he said.
The Derby del Sole ended in a draw, with Malen’s double highlighting his immediate impact on the Roma squad, according to Flashscore.com. The forward has now scored five goals in his first five Serie A appearances for the club.