CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | AS Roma |
| League | Serie A |
| Manager | Gian Piero Gasperini |
| Stadium | Stadio Olimpico |
| Nickname | I Giallorossi |
| Founded | 1927 |
| First Choice | Mile Svilar |
| Experienced Backup | Pierluigi Gollini |
| Academy Prospect | Giorgio De Marzi |
| Contract Expiry | Gollini (2027), De Marzi (2027) |
| Key Concern | Svilar’s injury absence exposed the drop-off |
The Defining Moment
Roma’s goalkeeping department entered 2026/27 with a clarity that had been years in the making. Mile Svilar, the Serbian international who had arrived as a patient understudy and developed into a two-time Roma Goalkeeper of the Season, was the undisputed number one. His contract ran until 2030, and his performances across the previous two campaigns — 16 and 18 clean sheets respectively in Serie A — had established him as one of the division’s most reliable shot-stoppers.
The defining moment of the season arrived not through triumph but through injury. A stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his right foot sidelined Svilar for a crucial stretch of the autumn, thrusting Pierluigi Gollini into the spotlight. The numbers laid bare the drop-off with brutal clarity: Roma conceded four goals in six matches with Svilar; fourteen in nine without him. His save percentage fell from 81% to 65.9%.
Gollini responded with professionalism and no little quality — a 100% passing accuracy against Cagliari, a feat unmatched in Serie A since 2019 — but the gap between the two was undeniable. The defining narrative of Roma’s goalkeeping season became a study in dependency: a club with a clear number one, an adequate deputy, and a teenage prospect waiting in the wings.
This is the story of Roma’s 2026/27 goalkeepers: a Serbian international proving his value through absence, an experienced Italian seizing his unexpected opportunity, and an American-born academy graduate edging closer to the first team.
Tactical Context
Gian Piero Gasperini’s arrival at Roma brought a tactical revolution that extended to the goalkeeping position. The former Atalanta architect demands his goalkeeper function as an auxiliary outfield player, comfortable with the ball at his feet and capable of initiating build-up sequences under pressure. Svilar’s growth in this aspect — “the growth in playing with his feet allows him to help the team from the construction from the back,” as one Italian report noted — made him ideally suited to Gasperini’s system.
The early-season numbers reflect a team still adjusting to Gasperini’s demands. In Svilar’s five Serie A appearances, Roma kept three clean sheets and conceded just three goals, a rate of 0.60 per game. The defensive structure in front of him, anchored by Mancini, Ndicka, and the returning Leonardo Balerdi, provided the protection that Gasperini’s high line requires. When Svilar was absent, that structure was tested and found wanting.
The tactical question for Gasperini is not whether Svilar is the right choice — his contract and his performances answered that — but whether the Serbian can remain fit across a season that includes Champions League football alongside Serie A commitments. The stress fracture that sidelined him was not a contact injury but the result of cumulative load, a warning sign for a goalkeeper whose importance to the team cannot be overstated.
The Goalkeepers
Mile Svilar
Svilar is Roma’s undisputed first choice and one of the most important players in the squad. The 26-year-old Serbian international, born in Antwerp, has developed from a patient understudy into a goalkeeper of genuine quality since arriving in the Italian capital. His record across the past two seasons — 16 clean sheets in 2024/25, 18 in 2025/26 — places him among Serie A’s most productive goalkeepers.
His profile suits Gasperini’s system. Svilar is comfortable in possession, his distribution from the back has improved steadily, and his shot-stopping remains his defining asset. The save percentage of 81% before his injury reflected a goalkeeper at the peak of his powers. At 26, he is entering the prime years of his career, and his contract until 2030 provides Roma with long-term security in the most specialised position on the pitch.
The concern is durability. The stress fracture that sidelined him in October and November was a consequence of workload rather than misfortune, and Roma’s dependence on him means that any absence is keenly felt. The club’s medical staff will need to manage his minutes carefully, particularly with Champions League fixtures adding to the domestic burden.
Pierluigi Gollini
Gollini is the experienced deputy who seized his opportunity with both hands. The 31-year-old former Atalanta goalkeeper, who joined Roma as a backup, was thrust into the starting line-up following Svilar’s injury and responded with a series of performances that underlined his quality.
His most notable display came against Cagliari, where he recorded a 100% passing accuracy — 32 completed passes from 32 attempts — alongside three successful long balls. It was a statistical achievement unmatched in Serie A since Wojciech Szczęsny in 2019. Gollini’s shot-stopping was equally important, with several decisive interventions contributing to the victory.
At 31, Gollini is in the peak years of his career, and his contract expires in June 2027. Roma are reportedly working on a one-year extension, a recognition of his value as a reliable deputy who can step in without disrupting the team’s rhythm. He is not a challenger to Svilar, but he is precisely the kind of backup a club with Champions League ambitions requires.
Giorgio De Marzi
De Marzi is the academy prospect edging closer to the first team. The 19-year-old American-born goalkeeper, a product of Roma’s Primavera, has seen his standing within the squad improve significantly over the summer. The loan departure of Radoslaw Zelezny to Perugia and the uncertainty surrounding Devis Vásquez’s future created a pathway for De Marzi to establish himself as the third-choice goalkeeper.
His inclusion in Roma’s Champions League squad list for the League Phase was a significant statement of the club’s belief in his potential. At 19, De Marzi is not yet ready for first-team minutes, but his daily exposure to Svilar and Gollini, and his work under Gasperini’s coaching staff, represent an ideal development environment. Roma are reportedly close to extending his contract until 2031, a further signal of their commitment.
The Numbers Game
TABLE A: Roma Goalkeeper Serie A Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals Conceded | Clean Sheets | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mile Svilar | 5 (5) | 450 | 3 | 3 | 81% |
| Pierluigi Gollini | 4 (4) | 360 | — | — | 65.9%* |
*Save percentage figure reflects Roma’s overall rate without Svilar, as reported following his injury.
TABLE B: Roma Goalkeeper Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Svilar Contract | 2030 | Long-term security |
| Gollini Contract | 2027 | Extension under consideration |
| De Marzi Contract | 2027 | Extension to 2031 close |
| Goals Conceded with/without Svilar | 4 in 6 vs 14 in 9 | Illustrates dependency |
TABLE C: Goalkeeper Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile Svilar | Serbia | Benfica Academy | Two-time Roma Goalkeeper of the Season, excellent shot-stopper, improving distributor |
| Pierluigi Gollini | Italy | Atalanta, Tottenham, Fiorentina | Experienced deputy, reliable shot-stopper, composed in possession |
| Giorgio De Marzi | United States/Italy | Roma Primavera | Young prospect, learning alongside Svilar and Gollini |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Roma’s goalkeeping unit is a study in hierarchy and dependency. Svilar is the undisputed number one, a goalkeeper whose absence was felt more acutely than any other player’s. Gollini is the capable deputy, a professional whose performances during Svilar’s absence justified Roma’s decision to entrust him with the backup role. De Marzi is the future, a teenage prospect learning his trade in an environment that has produced a two-time Goalkeeper of the Season in Svilar.
The concern is not quality but durability. Svilar’s injury exposed the gap between him and Gollini, not because Gollini performed poorly — his passing against Cagliari was record-breaking — but because Svilar’s shot-stopping and command of the area are of a different order. The Serbian’s save percentage of 81% before his injury, compared to the team’s 65.9% without him, quantifies the difference.
The January window is unlikely to bring goalkeeping reinforcements. Roma’s priorities lie elsewhere, and the trio of Svilar, Gollini, and De Marzi provides adequate depth. The more pressing concern is managing Svilar’s workload to prevent a recurrence of the stress fracture that disrupted his season.
The Verdict from the Camp
Italian media on Svilar’s importance:
“The numbers of the newspaper measure the weight of his absence. Roma conceded four goals in six matches with Svilar and 14 in nine without him. The save percentage dropped from 81% to 65.9%. Gasperini also appreciates his sense of position and timing in coming out. His growth in playing with his feet also allows him to help the team from the construction from the back.”
LaRoma24 on Gollini’s record against Cagliari:
“Not just saves between the posts, because Gollini was also perfect in his distribution: as reported by Sofascore, the Roman number 95 achieved 100% accurate passes, 32 out of 32. Not just passes, because also in his clearances Gollini was surgical: 3 out of 3. A double statistic that had not been seen in Serie A since the 2019-2020 season.”
Rivista La Roma on De Marzi’s renewal:
“After the steps forward for the renewal of Emanuele Lulli, the club is preparing another operation dedicated to the boys from the youth academy. For De Marzi, the signature until 2031 would represent a signal of trust and the possibility of continuing his growth in giallorosso.”
Where Next?
Roma’s goalkeeping priority for 2026/27 is preservation. Svilar must remain fit, and Gasperini must manage his workload with the same care he applies to his outfield players. The Serbian’s importance to the team’s structure and results cannot be overstated, and the drop-off during his absence was a warning that the club cannot afford to ignore.
The longer-term picture is settled. Svilar is the number one, contracted until 2030. Gollini is the reliable deputy, with an extension likely. De Marzi is the academy prospect, with a new contract until 2031 reportedly close and a place in the Champions League squad already secured. Roma have built a goalkeeping department with clarity at every level.
For now, the focus is on the next match and the next clean sheet. Svilar’s return to training without a protective boot was the most welcome news of the November international break, and his target is a return against Parma. If he can rediscover the form that produced an 81% save rate and three clean sheets in his first five league appearances, Roma’s defensive foundation is secure. If his injury problems recur, the dependency that defined the autumn will become the defining concern of the spring.
