Benitez says Gasperini's style, not his absences, will decide Roma's Champions League clash with Slovan

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the 2026-27 competition. Bryan Cristante is back in the group. The defenders selected are Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders named are Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma have named their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, and Bryan Cristante is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini. The club confirmed the list in an official statement published on its website. Cristante returns after a knee problem that forced him to miss around 20 days. Cristante's availability is good news for Gasperini ahead of a European night in Rome. Alessandro Di Nunzio is also included in the squad. Having made his Serie A debut, he now gets a fresh opportunity to show what he can do in European competition. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Former Roma striker Antonio Cassano has criticised the quality of Serie A and singled out Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in his latest appearance on Viva el Futbol. Cassano said: "With this Serie A, if I lose two kilos and play in flip-flops I make the difference. And if Nicola Ventola and I played up front together, we would do better than everyone else." He went on to back his own talent, saying: "I was a phenomenon. I played with ten kilos of excess weight, I didn't train, I decided what I wanted to do with my life." Cassano also turned his attention to two current Roma forwards. He said: "Dybala goes to a cylinder and falls over, Malen after eight years on the bench between Dortmund and Aston Villa is the top scorer." The comments are likely to stir debate among Roma supporters, given the contrast Cassano drew between the two attackers. José Mourinho was among the sharpest targets of his criticism, a week after his Real Madrid side beat Gasperini's Roma 4-3 at the Olimpico. Cassano said: "He is finished, he is washed up. He should stop coaching. It has been like this for more than ten years." On the Portuguese's style of play, he added: "A team of phenomena and he makes them play in an unworthy way, outside all logic. I would be ashamed in his place." He continued: "Old football, old football, without ideas. All he has left is the chatter." Cassano also suggested that Mourinho's continued prominence at the top of international football is helped by his relationship with agent Jorge Mendes: "He has the luck of having the best agent in the world, who if he wants will find him a place even on the Moon." In contrast, Cassano praised Gian Piero Gasperini, distinguishing the Roma head coach's work from that of the managers he criticised. The praise fits with his repeated call for proactive, attacking football.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma have named their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, and Bryan Cristante is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini. The club confirmed the list in an official statement published on its website. Cristante returns after a knee problem that forced him to miss around 20 days. Cristante's availability is good news for Gasperini ahead of a European night in Rome. Alessandro Di Nunzio is also included in the squad. Having made his Serie A debut, he now gets a fresh opportunity to show what he can do in European competition. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.