Donyell Malen celebrates his goal. Alamy Stock Photo

Injured Ferguson still sidelined as new signing Malen scores in Roma win

Malen arrived from Aston Villa on Friday and wasted no time in making an impact.

European results 

Serie A 

  • Torino 0-2 Roma 
  • Fiorentina 2-0 Bologna 

EVAN FERGUSON REMAINED sidelined with a back injury as new Roma signing Donyell Malen scored in a 2-0 Serie A win against Torino. 

Malen, who was signed from Aston Villa this week, took just 26 minutes to score on his debut. Paulo Dybala starred for Roma, assisting Malen’s goal and scoring Roma’s second. 

Dybala laid on for Malen’s classy close-range finish midway through the first half before ensuring a third straight win for fourth-placed Roma in the 72nd minute.

The Argentina international’s brilliantly guided finish from Devyne Rensch’s cross was his first goal in nearly three months and helped put Roma on 42 points.

“We played really well and showed great desire to win, which is what we came here to do,” said Dybala to Sky.

Dybala was excellent coming in from the left in a win which was revenge for being eliminated from the Italian Cup by Torino on Tuesday night, and moved Roma three points ahead of fifth-placed Juventus in the battle for Champions League football.

“Obviously it’s easier for me to play in that position, it’s where I’ve played most of my career,” added Dybala, who enjoyed playing with Malen, who also had a goal ruled out for offside.

“He’s a really good player with experience who’s played in the top leagues. His movement makes it easier for us to find him.”

Fiorentina meanwhile beat Bologna 2-0 to honour deceased owner Rocco Commisso.

Without a win until just before Christmas, Fiorentina claimed a deserved third success in six matches thanks to goals in the first half from Rolando Mandragora and Roberto Piccoli.

Paolo Vanoli’s side sit just inside the relegation zone but level on 17 points with Lecce, who are 17th and face AC Milan later on Sunday.

Fiorentina have a superior goal difference than Lecce and only sit below them by virtue of having played a game more.

During pre-match preparations, Fiorentina players wore T-shirts with a picture of Commisso and the message “Thanks Rocco”, in tribute to a man who just missed out on giving the Tuscan club a first major trophy since 2001.

Italian-born billionaire Commisso was the founder of Mediacom Communications, one of the largest cable TV providers in the United States, and was a passionate football fan who had also owned the New York Cosmos before acquiring Fiorentina in 2019.

He invested in a new €120 million training centre and redevelopment of the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, works which are still ongoing ahead of Fiorentina’s centenary next season.

– © AFP 2026, with reporting by Gavin Cooney

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