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 where the in-form forward scored twice.

Hakan Calhanoglu's early strike earned Inter Milan a 1-0 win at Cagliari on Sunday as they continued a perfect start to their Serie A title defence, while Como edged Napoli 2-1 to spoil Massimiliano Allegri's home debut.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday as his Roma team travel to Bergamo trying to stay in touch with Serie A's title chasers.

Napoli are behind Milan on goal difference and just one point ahead of both Roma and Inter Milan in a tight Scudetto battle, in which Antonio Conte's team will host Juventus in a week's time.

Andre-Frank Anguissa was the hero for Napoli on Saturday with the last-gasp winner which gave the Serie A champions a 1-0 success over Cagliari, while Roma saw off promoted Pisa by the same score.

Roma defender Mats Hummels, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, is set to retire at the end of the season, he announced on social media on Friday.

Paulo Dybala is set to miss the rest of the season after Roma announced on Thursday that the Argentina forward would go under the knife in the hope of resolving a thigh injury.

Former winners Porto were drawn Friday to face Claudio Ranieri's Roma in the standout tie of the Europa League knockout phase play-offs, while Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were among the clubs to discover their potential opponents in the last 16.

Claudio Ranieri took charge of his hometown team Roma on Thursday, coming out of retirement to become the Serie A club's third coach of a troubled season.

The Champions League will have 36 teams in the group stage from next season, four more than this term.

Daniele De Rossi will stay on long-term as Roma coach, the Serie A club announced on Thursday, hours before their Europa League quarter-final decider with AC Milan.

"Evan is feeling better and is in good spirits. He will remain in the hospital for further observations," said Roma on social media, alongside a photo of Ndicka flexing his right bicep while sat upright in a hospital bed in Udine.

Asked by reporters about Roma defender Mancini's behaviour in the aftermath of Saturday's 1-0 win, Gabriele Gravina said: "I don't have any comment other than that I have been informed that (disciplinary tribunal) prosecutors have opened an investigation. Checks are underway."

Paulo Dybala scored twice as Roma eased to a 4-0 thumping of Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday to notch a third straight Serie A win under Daniele De Rossi.

The 40-year-old former Italy midfielder returns to his hometown club where he spent almost his entire playing career

Mourinho departs Roma after an emotional two-and-a-half years in which he won Europa Conference League in 2022, ending a 14-year trophy drought for the capital club..

Roma coach Jose Mourinho has dismissed any notion of becoming Brazil's next manager, saying his allegiance is with his Italian Serie A side.

Yann Bissek's first goal in Italy just before half-time at the San Siro and a late finish from Nicolo Barella were enough for Inter to bounce back from cup defeat to Bologna midweek and keep closest challengers Juventus at bay.

Paulo Dybala picked out Lukaku with a clever cross as the Belgium striker headed Roma in front in the fifth minute at the Stadio Olimpico.

Lukaku grabbed his third goal in five league games for Roma after latching onto a clever pass from Paulo Dybala midway through the first half.