Emanuele Lulli: Who is the player Gasperini surprisingly selected for the Roma-Fiorentina match?

The first matchday of the 2026–2027 Serie A season delivered another interesting surprise to fans and insiders: Emanuele Lulli, born in 2007 and a product of the Giallorossi youth academy, started for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma against Fiorentina at the Olimpico. This decision stemmed from a shortage of players on the wings, with Rensch sidelined by a flexor injury and Molina not at his best due to a foot ailment.

Gasperini therefore decided to rely on the 2007-born player on the right wing. Lulli grew up in Palestrina, in the province of Rome, where he took his first steps with the local team before moving to Tor Tre Teste, one of the capital’s most renowned talent hotbeds. From there, he made the leap to Trigoria, where he progressed through the entire youth system, eventually winning the Under-16 Scudetto in 2023—in the final, curiously enough, against Fiorentina.

Standing 184 centimeters tall, Lulli started out as an attacking right back but is also capable of adapting to the role of wing midfielder in a five-man midfield. His style of play is characterized by speed, intensity, the ability to cover the entire flank, and to support the attack without losing focus on defense. It’s no coincidence that the Grugliasco coach saw in him the same potential he had previously developed in players like Palestra, Ruggeri, and Hateboer.

Last season in the Primavera was his real breakthrough. With 2 goals and 8 assists in 28 appearances, Lulli established himself as one of the standout players in the league, earning a call-up to the first team over the summer for the preseason training camp in Great Britain. There, he faced opponents like Borussia Dortmund and Cardiff City, and it was against the Welsh capital club that he provided the assist for Paulo Dybala’s goal: a flash of brilliance that may have played a major role in Gasperini’s decision to keep him on the roster permanently and consider him ready for his Serie A debut.

Behind his technical prowess lies an intriguing soccer story: as a child in Palestrina, Lulli was part of a group of talented young players, born between 2007 and 2009, nicknamed “The Damned” for the tenacity with which they tackled and won regional tournaments—a label that speaks volumes about his competitive spirit.