In a remarkable display of dominance, AS Roma, led by manager Jose Mourinho, secured their first victory of the 2023-24 Serie A season with a resounding 7-0 win against bottom-placed Empoli on Sunday.

The win not only marked a dramatic turnaround for Roma but also propelled them out of the relegation zone, placing them 12th in the Serie A standings with four points from four games. Follow your favourite Serie A team with attractive football betting odds from Nextbet. 

Five different Roma players found the net in this one-sided contest, while Empoli continued to struggle as the only Serie A team yet to score a goal or secure a point this season.

Mourinho, while pleased with the performance, expressed a measured view of the result, stating, “We played well, but we didn’t have a 7-0 game. We played to win calmly, and the team played a good match. A bit of ups and downs, even on a physical level. You can see that there are people who don’t have the condition to play a 90-minute match.”

Roma wasted no time in asserting their dominance, with Paulo Dybala converting a penalty in the second minute after a handball in the box. The early lead set the tone for Roma’s commanding performance.

Renato Sanches extended Roma’s lead in the eighth minute with a well-placed header from a precise cross by Rasmus Kristensen. Empoli’s woes continued as Alberto Grassi scored an own goal in the 35th minute, further increasing Roma’s advantage.

Empoli struggled to mount any challenge against Mourinho’s determined Roma side, and Dybala added his second of the night with a precise low finish into the bottom left corner.

This brace marked Dybala’s first personal scoring account of the season in only his second appearance.

Bryan Cristante joined the scoring spree with a powerful long-range strike, making it 5-0 just 11 minutes from the final whistle. New signing Romelu Lukaku, making his first Roma start since joining on loan from Chelsea, added one more with a low shot into the middle of the net.

Captain Gianluca Mancini completed the rout with a header from Cristante’s backheel cross following a corner, capping off an entertaining night at the Stadio Olimpico.

Empoli’s dismal start to the season continued as they became the third team in Serie A history to lose their first four games without scoring, following Mantova in 1964-65 and Padova in 1994-95.

Empoli’s sporting director, Pietro Accardi, acknowledged the collective responsibility for their struggles, saying, “I believe that at this moment the responsibility isn’t just the coach’s: It’s everyone’s, including me. It’s clear that we will take some time to reflect. There is something that isn’t going right.”

Empoli’s next challenge is hosting league leaders Inter Milan, while Roma turns its attention to the Europa League with a trip to Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova before facing Torino in Serie A next Sunday. Get the latest updates from the Serie A only on Nextbet Sports.