AS Roma's opening day victory over Fiorentina was overshadowed by two major refereeing controversies. The match on 24 August 2026, which ended 1-0 to the Giallorossi, featured a disallowed Mario Hermoso goal and Viola protests over an uncalled foul before Donyell Malen's winner.
The key moment came in the 28th minute of the first half. Paulo Dybala crossed for Evan Ndicka, who headed the ball down for Hermoso. The Spanish defender slotted home, but the celebration was short-lived. Referee Marcenaro immediately flagged for offside. A VAR check confirmed Hermoso was in an offside position when Ndicka made the pass, ruling out the goal. This incident denied Roma the lead during a period of offensive pressure, a fact reflected in the possession and shot statistics on our stats page.
Just minutes later, Roma took the lead through Malen. The Dutchman beat goalkeeper David De Gea with a backheel finish following an assist from Dybala. Fiorentina vehemently protested, however, over a challenge by Hermoso on Franco Mastantuono in the build-up. Replays showed contact between the Giallorossi defender and the Viola player's face. Marcenaro judged the intervention insufficient to stop play and award a foul, a decision that ignited fury on the Tuscan bench. The match became a test case for interpreting rules in the penalty area.
The first-half incidents heightened tensions and created a nervy environment. Roma, denied Hermoso's goal, still found a way to go ahead. Fiorentina felt hard done by the uncalled foul on Mastantuono. This double controversy influenced the tactical approach of both sides in the second half, with La Viola chasing an equalizer and the Giallorossi more focused on managing the result. The updated league table after this first matchday is available in the standings section.
The win brings AS Roma their first three points, but the refereeing debates threaten to overshadow the performance. The disallowed Hermoso goal shows VAR's effectiveness in correcting offside errors. The decision on the Mastantuono contact, however, reopens the debate on the threshold for fouls in the attacking phase. For Roma, the key takeaway is closing the match with a goal from Malen, who confirms his status as an attacking focal point.
