DUTCH INTERNATIONAL DONYELL Malen was the hero again as Roma ran Lecce ragged in Serie A on Monday with a mesmerising 4-0 away win, in which the in-form forward scored twice.
Malen’s brace, bolstered by the hat-trick he scored in Roma’s 4-0 thumping of Fiorentina last week, took his tally to 19 goals from 20 league matches since joining from Aston Villa in January.
Veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini described Roma’s performance as top calibre last week, and this latest performance at a packed Lecce stadium was of the same ilk.
Gasperini’s men overran Lecce with waves of lightning breaks as Malen netted a double inside the opening 24 minutes.
Matias Soule is rumoured to be leaving Roma but scored the third on 25 minutes, while new arrival the 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder Rodrigo Mora completed the rout just after the hour.
Gasperini then took off Malen with Roma facing a heavy schedule and the club under financial constraints to keep the squad on a modest wage bill.
The 68-year-old coach described Malen as “a gamble that paid off”.
“He has this ability to control, turn and accelerate all within moments, which are extraordinary characteristics for a centre-forward. Both of us, me and him, wanted him to play in this role,” Gasperini said after the game.
Atalanta dealt Bologna a body blow in Monday’s late game when a speculative long-range effort from Lazar Samardzic found the bottom corner to make it 1-0 six minutes into time added on.
Atalanta join Roma, Champions Inter Milan, Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan, Juventus and Lazio on six points after two matches.
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal and Raphinha both struck twice as the champions beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 on Monday to continue their perfect start to the campaign.
Sergio Camello netted a brace for the visitors at Camp Nou, but Hansi Flick’s Barça managed to record a third win from three matches in an entertaining battle.
With his first goal, Yamal, 19, hit the milestone of 50 for the club — two years younger than Barcelona icon Lionel Messi was when he managed the feat.
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Barcelona started brightly but fell behind after Jules Kounde allowed Alvaro Garcia to race beyond him.
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The Rayo midfielder crossed for Camello to finish clinically first time into the top corner.
Stung, champions Barcelona hit back quickly with quick fire goals from Raphinha and Yamal.
Raphinha, who has played up front during the start of the season amid Barcelona’s failed battle to land Atlético Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, continued his rich vein of goalscoring form.
The Brazil international showed excellent footwork to leave Pathe Ciss for dead and then produced a cool finish.
Watching on from the stands was Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, poised to join Barca before the transfer window closes on Tuesday and clearly facing a battle with his compatriot to start up front.
Shortly afterwards, teenager Yamal scored his first of the season after Rayo conceded possession in a dangerous area following a defensive mix-up.
Yamal opened up some space and brilliantly whipped the ball into the near top corner to bring up his half-century for Barça.
Flick’s side stretched their lead early in the second half when Florian Lejeune bundled Anthony Gordon’s cross into his own net.
However, youngster Xavi Espart could not handle Camello at a Rayo corner, and the forward nodded home his second of the game to give the visitors a fighting chance.
The electric Gordon helped create Raphinha’s second of the night and the Brazilian’s fifth of the season, making him La Liga’s top goalscorer.
Former Newcastle winger Gordon back-heeled the ball to Raphinha, who tucked home to secure Barça’s win, with Yamal further extending their advantage in stoppage time.
The youngster, who Flick said was arriving back at his top level after suffering a hamstring injury in April, produced a lethal curling finish from the edge of the area after substitute Karim Adeyemi teed him up.
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Ex-Aston Villa attacker on fire in Serie A
DUTCH INTERNATIONAL DONYELL Malen was the hero again as Roma ran Lecce ragged in Serie A on Monday with a mesmerising 4-0 away win, in which the in-form forward scored twice.
Malen’s brace, bolstered by the hat-trick he scored in Roma’s 4-0 thumping of Fiorentina last week, took his tally to 19 goals from 20 league matches since joining from Aston Villa in January.
Veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini described Roma’s performance as top calibre last week, and this latest performance at a packed Lecce stadium was of the same ilk.
Gasperini’s men overran Lecce with waves of lightning breaks as Malen netted a double inside the opening 24 minutes.
Matias Soule is rumoured to be leaving Roma but scored the third on 25 minutes, while new arrival the 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder Rodrigo Mora completed the rout just after the hour.
Gasperini then took off Malen with Roma facing a heavy schedule and the club under financial constraints to keep the squad on a modest wage bill.
The 68-year-old coach described Malen as “a gamble that paid off”.
Atalanta dealt Bologna a body blow in Monday’s late game when a speculative long-range effort from Lazar Samardzic found the bottom corner to make it 1-0 six minutes into time added on.
Atalanta join Roma, Champions Inter Milan, Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan, Juventus and Lazio on six points after two matches.
Elsewhere, Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal and Raphinha both struck twice as the champions beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 on Monday to continue their perfect start to the campaign.
Sergio Camello netted a brace for the visitors at Camp Nou, but Hansi Flick’s Barça managed to record a third win from three matches in an entertaining battle.
With his first goal, Yamal, 19, hit the milestone of 50 for the club — two years younger than Barcelona icon Lionel Messi was when he managed the feat.
Barcelona started brightly but fell behind after Jules Kounde allowed Alvaro Garcia to race beyond him.
The Rayo midfielder crossed for Camello to finish clinically first time into the top corner.
Stung, champions Barcelona hit back quickly with quick fire goals from Raphinha and Yamal.
Raphinha, who has played up front during the start of the season amid Barcelona’s failed battle to land Atlético Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, continued his rich vein of goalscoring form.
The Brazil international showed excellent footwork to leave Pathe Ciss for dead and then produced a cool finish.
Watching on from the stands was Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, poised to join Barca before the transfer window closes on Tuesday and clearly facing a battle with his compatriot to start up front.
Shortly afterwards, teenager Yamal scored his first of the season after Rayo conceded possession in a dangerous area following a defensive mix-up.
Yamal opened up some space and brilliantly whipped the ball into the near top corner to bring up his half-century for Barça.
Flick’s side stretched their lead early in the second half when Florian Lejeune bundled Anthony Gordon’s cross into his own net.
However, youngster Xavi Espart could not handle Camello at a Rayo corner, and the forward nodded home his second of the game to give the visitors a fighting chance.
The electric Gordon helped create Raphinha’s second of the night and the Brazilian’s fifth of the season, making him La Liga’s top goalscorer.
Former Newcastle winger Gordon back-heeled the ball to Raphinha, who tucked home to secure Barça’s win, with Yamal further extending their advantage in stoppage time.
The youngster, who Flick said was arriving back at his top level after suffering a hamstring injury in April, produced a lethal curling finish from the edge of the area after substitute Karim Adeyemi teed him up.
– © AFP 2026
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