Antognoni hails Dybala as Gasperini's key to the Scudetto

Roma produced a display of psychological resilience in difficult circumstances, demonstrating the squad's ability to stay composed under pressure. The team weathered a series of testing moments—including the dismissal of Donyell Malen and controversial refereeing decisions—without surrendering to panic. Marten de Roon epitomised the calm required, helping Roma maintain control and slow the tempo when the instinct for their supporters was to panic. The analysis suggests that such composure and self-belief, built through the match's adversity, may prove more valuable than any three-point return itself. While Roma merited going ahead at half-time according to the assessment, the overall performance reinforced a growing confidence within the squad. The team's ability to avoid being frustrated by refereeing incidents and maintain their equilibrium—particularly after Malen's red card—underscores a mental toughness that has been progressively strengthened. This mindset, coupled with the squad's evident self-awareness of their capabilities, separates them from teams that collapse under similar strain. Paulo Dybala squandered a clear opportunity in front of goalkeeper Butez, though such specific incidents matter less than the broader picture. The match took place at the Sinigaglia stadium and involved referee Fabbri stepping aside during the match. Beyond dwelling on refereeing decisions or missed chances, Roma emerge with their collective self-esteem significantly raised—a psychological gain the analysis values as potentially exceeding the significance of the result itself.

Roma kept their second consecutive clean sheet in the first half as Como held them 0–0 at the Sinigaglia. Both sides demonstrated defensive solidity and attacking quality, but one statistic underlines Roma's defensive reliability, particularly in opening periods: Gasperini's side has now kept the sheet clean in the first 45 minutes of their last 11 Serie A matches. The last goal conceded in an opening period came on 18 April against Atalanta, scored by Krstovic.

Fabio Capello has highlighted Donyell Malen as the key threat for Como ahead of Roma's Serie A sixth-round fixture at 12:30 on 11 October. The former Roma manager analysed the forward's qualities in La Gazzetta dello Sport, warning Como's defenders that Malen will be extremely difficult to contain. "The centre-back who faces Malen—Ramon or Chalobah—must be completely focused and very reactive, because today the Dutchman is unmarked," Capello said. "He has everything: a sense of goal, speed in ball control, power. He is never still. He is also clever, knows how to exploit any ball. In the box he reminds me of Paolo Rossi, with a more powerful physique. Some movements could evoke Ronaldo the phenomenon, though he himself was far more powerful. Above all, Malen always shoots and from every position. Great job by Gasperini to transform him into a centre-forward. When Roma has the ball, he always puts the attackers in motion."

Roma drew 0–0 at Como in a match defined by defensive solidity and late controversy. The result left Gasperini visibly satisfied, celebrating what he saw as exemplary rearguard work in a tense final phase at the Sinigaglia. The fixture marked Roma's first outing without Svilar; Gollini stepped in to keep a clean sheet. Dybala operated as both ball-carrier and offensive organiser, helping Roma nullify Como's threat. The match turned when Donyell Malen was sent off after being pulled back by Como's Ramon; that dismissal fundamentally reshaped the contest. Referee Fabbri was forced off injured at the 80th minute and replaced by Sozza, with ten minutes plus seven minutes of added time remaining. Roma's capacity to grind out a result away from home reflects progress under Gasperini's charge. The squad showed it could suffer and settle for a draw when circumstances demanded it. Exiting Sinigaglia unscathed holds weight in the current campaign. In the standings, Roma remain in contention but have ceded top place to Inter, who are attempting to pull clear; Lazio continue to surprise and stay within reach. Aleksandro Angeloni, writing in Il Messaggero, noted that Roma became monolithic in the final twenty minutes, with Como offering their most threatening play only during that same spell. The opening forty minutes proved less eventful. Gasperini displayed what was described as a spontaneous and almost cathartic display of joy at the final whistle. Wesley's red card in the previous season—also under referee Fabbri—had similarly influenced match dynamics. The parallel underscored how refereeing decisions and personnel shape outcomes when margins are narrow.

Roma drew 0–0 at Como on 12 October 2026 in a match that saw Donyell Malen sent off after only nine minutes of the second half for a hard challenge on Kaiki. The dismissal shaped the entire contest, forcing Roma into a defensive second half as Como pressed under Cesc Fabregas's increasingly aggressive setup. Pierluigi Gollini made the decisive saves to earn the point. The result was unexpected—La Gazzetta dello Sport noted that two attacking-minded coaches, Fabregas and Gasperini, produced the championship's first goalless draw of the season. Gasperini raised his fists at the final whistle, treating the away point like a victory on a ground that had cost Roma three consecutive defeats in recent league visits. The draw leaves Roma without a first-place finish, with SS Lazio now two positions ahead at the top. Roma's squad absorbed difficult news before the match: Mile Svilar's injury meant Gollini stepped in as the primary keeper, with the backup now ready for the Real Madrid fixture. Gasperini also recalled captain Lorenzo Pellegrini from injury—he marked his 350th appearance with a shot that hit the post. Marten de Roon, given up for lost elsewhere, covered the most ground in the side, running 11.6 km in place of the injured Bryan Cristante. Paulo Dybala played the entire match, performing with both technical grace and defensive work rate. Malen's suspension will rule him out of the upcoming visit to Napoli, adding to Roma's challenge ahead.

Roma returned from Como without a win but with a draw that carried greater significance than the single point on the surface. The 0-0 at the Sinigaglia reflected a squad showing greater depth, maturity and resilience than it had displayed months earlier, particularly after playing nearly forty minutes with ten men. The first half saw both sides play at high tempo, with Roma creating the clearest chances. Paulo Dybala had the most obvious opening at the sixth minute, receiving the ball on his left inside the box, but his shot was weak and central, handed straight to the goalkeeper. Lorenzo Pellegrini struck the post shortly after, and Donyell Malen enjoyed another promising position following excellent control in depth. Roma had played an authoritative first half despite arriving without two key regulars, Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante. Their replacements proved decisive: Pierluigi Gollini, back as a Serie A starter after more than two years, showed security, personality and sharp reactions, particularly on an early save from Nico Paz. Marten de Roon, making his first start for Roma, delivered a performance of substance, attention and tactical intelligence, playing his own game rather than attempting to replicate Cristante's role. The display demonstrated that Roma was developing squad depth capable of absorbing significant absences without losing immediate structure and competitiveness. The match transformed completely at the fifty-third minute when Malen was sent off for his intervention on Kaiki, leaving Roma to defend in numerical inferiority for nearly forty minutes. The red card appeared harsh: Malen arrived uncontrolled and the contact was dangerous, but he also touched the ball with no apparent intent to strike the opponent, and the move began after a clash for which Roma had appealed for a foul not given by referee Michael Fabbri. With the game changed, Roma's objective shifted from victory to avoiding defeat. Como dominated possession and pressed constantly, yet rarely converted control into clean chances. Roma dropped its defensive line, closed gaps, defended the area and accepted the burden of suffering. The contrast with the previous season stood out starkly: at this same venue in March, Roma had lost 2-1 in a comeback after Wesley's red card at the sixty-fourth minute. This time, facing identical adversity, the squad reacted entirely differently—maintaining cohesion, preserving distances and denying Como the emotional momentum to overwhelm them. Gollini and a focused defensive line completed the work. Como attacked at length but repeatedly struck a wall. Fabbri was forced to leave the field around the sixty-seventh minute through injury and was replaced by fourth official Simone Sozza. At the final whistle, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini celebrated on the bench—not the exultation of acceptance but the recognition of difficulty in extracting a point away from home while playing against one of the league's most organized teams in such circumstances. Roma had regrets: the chance to play the full match at equal strength, Dybala's opening opportunity after six minutes, Pellegrini's strike against the post. Yet the balance remained positive. After three weeks without league football and on the eve of a fixture run that could define the season, Roma showed character, depth and identity.

Pierluigi Gollini delivered a composed first response to Mile Svilar's month-long absence at Como, removing much of the initial anxiety that gripped Roma when their first-choice goalkeeper suffered injury on the eve of a demanding fixture run. After Donyell Malen's red card complicated the match, Gollini proved the quality of his understudy role through work outside the box—four interventions rooted in tactical positioning and timing, hallmarks of Svilar's own play. He did not need to be Svilar; he needed to ensure Roma did not feel his absence too acutely. He achieved that. Gollini arrives at the hardest test without having erased Svilar from memory but having quietened the doubts that surfaced when the injury news broke and observers began scanning the calendar. He spent the summer months waiting, training, and preparing for moments exactly like Como. "The years pass and with strong goalkeepers it happens that you stay on the bench," he said. The match itself proved instructive: "During the game I felt good, I managed to enter an optimal state and felt fairly fluid. Of course, mental state makes the difference." His readiness now carries weight beyond a single fixture. Wednesday brings the definitive examination: Real Madrid visit the Olimpico. Gollini takes that platform having done what was required—held the line while Svilar recovers, and reminded Roma that some contingencies are well in place.

Roma drew 0–0 at Como in a match defined by defensive solidity and late controversy. The result left Gasperini visibly satisfied, celebrating what he saw as exemplary rearguard work in a tense final phase at the Sinigaglia. The fixture marked Roma's first outing without Svilar; Gollini stepped in to keep a clean sheet. Dybala operated as both ball-carrier and offensive organiser, helping Roma nullify Como's threat. The match turned when Donyell Malen was sent off after being pulled back by Como's Ramon; that dismissal fundamentally reshaped the contest. Referee Fabbri was forced off injured at the 80th minute and replaced by Sozza, with ten minutes plus seven minutes of added time remaining. Roma's capacity to grind out a result away from home reflects progress under Gasperini's charge. The squad showed it could suffer and settle for a draw when circumstances demanded it. Exiting Sinigaglia unscathed holds weight in the current campaign. In the standings, Roma remain in contention but have ceded top place to Inter, who are attempting to pull clear; Lazio continue to surprise and stay within reach. Aleksandro Angeloni, writing in Il Messaggero, noted that Roma became monolithic in the final twenty minutes, with Como offering their most threatening play only during that same spell. The opening forty minutes proved less eventful. Gasperini displayed what was described as a spontaneous and almost cathartic display of joy at the final whistle. Wesley's red card in the previous season—also under referee Fabbri—had similarly influenced match dynamics. The parallel underscored how refereeing decisions and personnel shape outcomes when margins are narrow.

Roma drew 0–0 with Como in a match that offered little evidence either side can challenge Inter this season. The result was the first goalless draw of the 2026–27 Serie A campaign, arriving at the 54th fixture of the year. Gasperini's side remained unbeaten but offered a defensive, cautious display that bore no resemblance to the attacking football both teams had shown earlier in the season. The match turned on the dismissal of Donyell Malen in the second half for a foul on Kaiki, leaving Roma to defend for long periods with ten men. Gasperini celebrated the final whistle, but his mood shifted afterward when discussing the sending-off. "If you freeze the frame it is evident," he said of Malen's challenge, "but this takes us back to what has been a damage to football in our years." Roma will face fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday's fixture against Genoa, managed by former Roma boss Daniele De Rossi. Mile Svilar is sidelined, and the club's main striker—for whom supporters fear a two-match ban—will also be unavailable. Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, visit the Olimpico on Wednesday. Arbitro Fabbri's management defined the contest. For half an hour he made no calls, missing contact between Wesley and Diao, before suddenly beginning to issue cards freely. Six yellow cards were shown in total—matching the combined number of shots on target both teams managed across the entire match. The draw benefited Lazio, who will have taken satisfaction from Como and Roma's failure to close the gap on the Serie A leaders.

Pierluigi Gollini marked his return to Serie A action after two years with a clean sheet, prompting a message on social media reflecting on the team's collective effort. In his post, Gollini wrote: "This match is the fruit of the work we put in every day, the sacrifices and the desire to be ready for the team. This is us, a group of real substance that knows how to play, suffer and fight. Because when your moment comes, everyone's work becomes your strength. Focus on Wednesday for another battle." The goalkeeper's performance drew immediate support from his Roma teammates. Rodrigo Mora commented "Well done," while Lorenzo Pellegrini wrote "Great Gollo." Mario Hermoso, Emanuele Lulli and Marten de Roon also joined in the praise, as did Konstantinos Koulierakis.

Como and Roma meet in a high-quality fixture on 11 October as both sides look to test their ambitions early in the season. Gasperini's Roma face significant absences: Bryan Cristante and Mile Svilar are unavailable, with Marten de Roon and Pierluigi Gollini stepping in. Como manager Cesc Fabregas is without Kean, his backup striker. Pellegrini returns to Roma's lineup after six months out, wearing the captain's armband on the trequarti alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. The fixture is early enough in the campaign to offer limited guidance on league position, but Gasperini will use it to gauge the squad's form and competitive level. Roma field a 3-4-2-1: Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, de Roon, Koné, Wesley; Dybala, Pellegrini; Malen. Substitutes: Vasquez, De Marzi, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Rensch, Lulli, Pisilli, Soulé, Castro, Mora. Como line up in 4-2-3-1: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Da Cunha, Perrone; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is the leading candidate to start in Roma's attacking midfield in today's fixture against Como, kick-off 12:30 at the Sinigaglia, according to the consensus of major Italian sports newspapers published this morning. Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Tuttosport all identify the number 7 as the favourite to complete Gian Piero Gasperini's attacking line-up. The selection is not yet settled. Rodrigo Mora remains the most credible alternative following positive performances during the international break and in recent training at Trigoria, while Matías Soulé remains in contention. Team news before the match had left the choice open among all three, but the morning's press output shifted noticeably toward Pellegrini. For the attacking midfielder it would represent a significant return to first-team action after an extended period rebuilding his match fitness and condition. During the international break Pellegrini worked continuously at Trigoria and reported himself fully available to Gasperini when training resumed. Team sheets remain a prediction until official confirmation arrives. The decision belongs to Gasperini, who may yet surprise with a different choice, potentially deploying Mora or Soulé instead. For now the consensus signal is clear: Pellegrini has overtaken his rivals in the pre-match predictions and stands as the principal favourite to start against Como.