Bianchi: Gasperini no surprise, Roma can aim for the maximum

Pierluigi Gollini returns to Old Trafford twelve years after leaving Manchester United, the club he joined as a teenager and the place where he first made his name. The Roma goalkeeper is coming back in a key moment of his time in Rome. Gollini left Fiorentina's youth sector in 2012, aged 16, to move to England. The decision angered sporting director Corvino. After two seasons in the Academy, he moved into the Under-21 side, alongside Macheda, and began training regularly with the first team. In 2013/14 he played three Youth League matches but never made a first-team debut for the Red Devils. A few months later he returned to Italy, signing for Verona. He went back to the Premier League two years later with Aston Villa, and again with Tottenham in 2021. Looking back on his time in Manchester, Gollini has spoken of how the experience shaped him deeply, both as a person and as a player, exposing him to a completely different culture and reality. He recalled how his father first raised the idea: "My dad at one point asked me: 'Would you feel up to going to play abroad?' We went out to dinner at a restaurant and at a certain point my dad pulled a little card out and placed it in front of me: it was the business card of Manchester United. I was incredulous, I couldn't believe it." He also said: "Manchester was fundamental for my development. In England there is a different mentality, much more open and functional. Looking at how a club is run, what surprises you most is the level of the youth sectors, where they immediately work on physicality. In Italy a young player coming from the Primavera can't establish himself because of his physique, while in England the gap between the Under-23s and the first team is not so pronounced." The return comes at a particular moment in his Roma career. A stress fracture to the foot suffered by Svilar gave Gollini the starting berth. The former Atalanta keeper seized the opportunity, making his seventh consecutive appearance of the season in Udine. An important test now lies ahead before the gloves are handed back to Svilar.

Roma are now the bookmakers' second favourites to win the Serie A title, behind Inter, according to odds analysed by agipronews. Inter remain overwhelming favourites at 1.70, while Roma are priced at 5.00. The title race could therefore extend beyond two teams this season. Como are third at 9.00, level with AC Milan, while Lazio have drifted out to 10.00, having been at double that price previously. Juventus are further back at 30.00, and Napoli are priced at 66.00.

Roma's first-half-of-the-second-half problem is becoming impossible to ignore: with Edin Zaniolo's goal, the club have now conceded five goals in the first five minutes of the second half since the start of the season. The Gian Piero Gasperini side win, score and rarely lose, but the pattern has become increasingly evident. Last season, Roma conceded just four such goals across the entire campaign, so something has clearly changed. Roma now press more, have a clear identity and appear comfortable at every stage of a match. Those opening five minutes after the break, however, remain a weak point, and the problem points above all to the team's mental resilience. The issue is far from accidental. In Udine, there was some mitigation in the four-goal cushion, with a drop in tension that is understandable. But that does not erase the problem. Gasperini's machine works beautifully, yet one cog still needs fixing.

Roma thrashed Udinese 5-0 and continued their remarkable scoring run, with 28 goals in the first ten rounds of the season, an average of 2.8 per match. The Corriere della Sera reports that it is the club's best return in a single-group league format, a record matched only in 1928-29, and Roma now boast the best attack in the division. The side have kept their attacking identity despite a long injury list. Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala have all been sidelined, while Cristante has just returned from injury. Roma have not altered the way they play, and the team keeps pressing for goals even when the tempo drops. The goals have been spread across the squad rather than resting on one man. Malen is among the scorers, but the output is not down to him alone: 11 different players have scored in Serie A, rising to 14 once Champions League goals are included. Gasperini has highlighted that many of the goals come after well-constructed, attractive moves. The report places this side in a long Roman tradition of attacking football, from Liedholm's web-like passing and Eriksson's vertical play with Pruzzo, through Spalletti's team with Totti and Dzeko, to Zeman's offensive sides. The article argues that Gasperini's Roma now belongs in that gallery of teams that have made Roma fans dream.

Roma travel to Old Trafford for tomorrow evening's Champions League clash against Manchester United, a fixture that could shape their route towards the play-offs. Il Messaggero reports that Roma have struggled at this ground, losing all four previous visits, some by heavy margins. This time, though, the picture is different: Manchester United are third from bottom in the Premier League and going through a difficult spell, and English fans on social media fear another heavy defeat. Gian Piero Gasperini is not underestimating the opponent, however, and has to deal with several injuries. Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar will all miss the match. Dybala and Koné will try to recover for the Sassuolo fixture, while Svilar will not return until after the international break. Gollini is expected to continue in goal, having previously worn the Manchester United shirt. In defence, Evan N'Dicka, the returning Gianluca Mancini and one of Leonardo Balerdi or Mario Hermoso are set to start. Cristante and De Roon will form the midfield pairing. Wesley, closely watched by English scouts, is set to operate on the left, while the right-hand position remains an open contest. Without Dybala, Malen leads the attack: he has three goals and two assists in three European matches, and is eager to perform at a stadium where he previously played a few minutes for Aston Villa. Soulé will partner him, while the final place in the front three is between Mora, who is improving, and Pisilli, who wants to win back his place after resting in Udine. Roma finished their previous match in Udine strongly, and the squad now travels to England to prepare for the Champions League tie against Manchester United. The Old Trafford game is the first of the two visits, and the result is expected to weigh heavily on Roma's chances of reaching the play-offs.

Como's 4-1 win over Manchester United on 21 October at the Sinigaglia offers Roma a blueprint for Tuesday's clash at Old Trafford, two weeks later. The match exposed where Michael Carrick's side are vulnerable, and Nico Paz was the standout, scoring twice and providing an assist. Paz's first goal came after just two minutes. He received the ball at the edge of the box, found space between United's midfield and defence, took his time to control the ball and shot. Maguire dropped back instead of stepping out decisively to challenge him. A similar pattern appeared for the second goal: at 49', Paz had room to play a pass in behind for Douvikas, who beat Lammens. The third goal came from an error by Baleba, whom Paz pressed, before Paz recovered the ball and raced towards goal. Three different goals, but one common problem: United could not protect the central zone and could not reorganise when they lost possession. Como finished with 55% of the possession and a clear edge in the quality of their chances. Bruno Fernandes acknowledged the problems. After the heavy defeat, the captain questioned the team's tactical approach, telling TNT Sports: “It was a choice by the staff not to press man-to-man. But when you give too much space to teams like that, you allow them to gain confidence.” He added: “Sometimes we have to be braver, take the risk of a higher press and put the opponents under pressure.” Carrick offered a different reading, pointing out that the pressing attempts in the second half also created new problems. That is the fault line: when United wait, they give up space between the lines, and when they press without proper coordination, they leave gaps behind their midfield. Roma can exploit this. Gasperini has players suited to these areas. Soulé and Rodrigo Mora, moving behind Malen, can occupy the zones where Paz made the difference, Soulé with his ability to drift inside and create overloads, and Mora with his quick thinking, technique and runs into the box. Malen, in front of them, can attack the depth as soon as a gap opens between the defenders. Roma have 28 goals in their first ten league matches, a source of confidence, and the win at Udine, with Soulé, Mora and Malen all involved, showed the team can find different routes to goal. Roma also met Como on 11 October, ten days before the United result. That match ended 0-0, with Roma holding out for almost all of the second half with ten men after Malen was sent off at 53'. Gasperini had to give up his attacking ambitions to protect the result, and he still limited Paz. The two games were very different, but they say something about both sides: Como dominated a fragile United, while Roma showed they can change their approach without losing their shape. On Tuesday, though, Roma will need their attacking version. The article warns against assuming an easy win. United's crisis and Carrick's increasingly precarious position do not erase the quality of Bruno Fernandes, Mbeumo and Cunha, who are most dangerous when they can break in open space. Gasperini will need to find the right balance between aggression and cover. If Roma can get Soulé and Mora into the spaces left by United's midfielders, forcing the visitors' defence to choose between pressing out and protecting Malen, they could cause serious problems. The fault line has been identified; now Gasperini must widen it.

Roma radio pundits split on whether Gian Piero Gasperini should keep Gianluca Mancini in the back three or give the starting role to Daniele Ghilardi, while also discussing Manchester United's slump ahead of the Champions League meeting. David Rossi of Rete Sport argued that Ghilardi should play, saying: "Ghilardi deve giocare, non Mancini, sia per un discorso difensivo che offensivo." He pointed to Ghilardi's recent form, with two goals in the last two matches, one of them disallowed, and a decisive assist against Cagliari, adding that he had been the best player on the pitch at Lecce. Rossi said Mancini's continued selection was a dressing-room decision, noting that Gasperini had asked for new contracts for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala. The debate sits against a strong run for the club. Roma have six matches in a row behind them and have reached the seventh game of a run of nine, which Lorenzo Pes noted with a squad stretched thin. Pes also pointed out that against the same opponents as last season, Roma have seven more points this year. Fabio Petruzzi of Rete Sport said the team was showing strong attitude and that Roma were clearly superior to recent years, adding: "non bisogna aver timore di pensare alla vittoria del titolo." Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo argued that either Roma or Inter would win the Scudetto, and that a stadium project and a Scudetto would make the Friedkins historic. On team selection, Gianluca Piacentini expected some rotation, with Marten de Roon expected to start because he is due at the press conference, and Niccolò Pisilli seen taking Rodrigo Mora's place. Piacentini said Wesley would not play if Gasperini had seen his social media activity. Pes saw Leonardo Balerdi starting in place of Mario Hermoso, with Devyne Rensch as a card the fans underestimate, and expected the three midfielders to return with Mora coming on during the game. Corsi also argued that Bryan Cristante had become more important than Manu Koné. On Manchester United, Roberto Pruzzo said: "Lo United ha staccato la spina", describing them as weakened and unable to motivate anyone under former player Carrick, and calling it an opportunity to exploit. Nando Orsi warned that Old Trafford is always difficult, saying: "Non so se è sicura la vittoria della Roma." Mario Mattioli added that the team must take the game seriously, that entering Old Trafford is intimidating, and that Roma should avoid thinking only of avenging the seven goals conceded. Piero Torri said a win at Manchester would put Roma three-quarters of the way towards a play-off place, while noting that Inter depend heavily on Lautaro Martínez. The programme also covered refereeing controversies, including a revoked penalty in Como-Venezia that Alessio Nardo called inexplicable, and a player struck in the face in Lazio-Cagliari. Roma's next match is the trip to Manchester United in the Champions League.

Gian Piero Gasperini has reworked Roma's schedule around their Champions League clash at Manchester, with the club's return journey from the away game changed as well. Roma are playing their eighth match in 24 days and have had to do much of that without Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala, Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante, leaving the squad stretched. A win in Manchester would all but seal a play-off place, but Roma must also break their Old Trafford hoodoo and cope with fatigue. After Tuesday's match against Cagliari, Gasperini gave the players a day off, with training resuming on Thursday. The squad leave for Udine on Friday, play on Saturday, and then stay in Friuli rather than returning to Rome. Roma have been in Manchester since yesterday, and the return plan differs from previous away trips. There will be no overnight journey after the match; instead, the team depart at 10.45 the following morning. The squad are due back at Trigoria on Wednesday afternoon, and from Thursday the focus shifts to Sassuolo. The lighter schedule is meant to help the players recover quickly before Saturday evening's fixture against the Neroverdi at the Stadio Olimpico. The move is designed to reduce physical and mental strain on a squad short of options, with Gasperini studying a plan to manage the team's energy levels across the run of games.

Stefano Pioli has revealed that Roma considered him before choosing Gian Piero Gasperini as head coach. Speaking to Sky Sport, Pioli said: "There were moments when everyone called me. Roma too, but I had just received the contract from Al Nassr and I could not fail to honour my word." The club's interest came after Claudio Ranieri's departure, and Pioli was among the profiles the Giallorossi weighed up before settling on Gasperini. Bryan Cristante is set to be the only player on the pitch tomorrow who was also involved in Roma's last meeting at Old Trafford, the first leg of a Europa League semi-final they lost to Manchester United. Cristante arrives in excellent form after his goal and outstanding performance in Udine, and Gasperini still regards him as indispensable. He is expected to lead the midfield again, probably alongside De Roon, with Pisilli playing further forward. There is no fitness boost for Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné, who are both expected to miss out against Sassuolo, which takes place tomorrow, 3 November 2026. The update came in Il Tempo's round-up of Roma news, which also included the Pioli revelation and the midfield plans for the coming match.

Radio Radio pundits have offered their views on Roma's upcoming clash with Manchester United, with several saying the moment is favourable for the Giallorossi. Matera said Gasperini had expressed hope of a result, but that it would not be easy, as nobody had yet joined in that optimism. He argued that Roma face a Manchester side in evident difficulty, giving the team an opportunity to pick up points where they might not have seemed likely to before. He said that whoever comes into the side is making a contribution, and that with the players available the team cannot change much more than it already has. Matera said he did not know whether Lulli would get the chance to make his debut against Manchester at Old Trafford. He described the squad as short, noting that Mora had played against Udinese, and added: "I expect a De Roon–Cristante partnership with Pisilli." Carina said: "It is the best moment to face Manchester." She pointed out that Roma have lost all four previous meetings, including the heavy 7-1 defeat, and said those defeats had hurt, so now there is a chance to do well. She described Roma as a pleasure to watch, a side that always wants to score more goals and can trouble any team in the world for as long as their legs hold up. On Dybala, she recalled that the first diagnosis said it was nothing, then it became fatigue, then a hardening, before becoming a tear. She said that what was initially a muscular strain had cost him seven matches. Carina added that she felt the club were navigating from one game to the next, listing Cagliari, Udinese and Manchester, and said Dybala would probably be seen again after the international break. Pruzzo said: "Manchester look like a second-tier side. Against Como they did very badly; it is a team that has switched off. It is an opportunity to seize, without thinking we are much stronger than our opponents. The squad is in full health and I think there are prospects to keep doing well." Orsi said: "It is the best moment to face Manchester, but I don't know... they can find the right day and not lose. This is the best moment, but you always play against United at Old Trafford: you must not take it lightly, you must always produce a great match. On the win I don't know if you can be sure: Manchester are in crisis, so Roma must win for certain."

Nine months after their last visit to Udine, Roma are a different side: authoritative, overwhelming and capable of playing at relentless tempo with an intensity that eventually overwhelms their opponents. Much of the transformation comes from the work done on the training ground, even though the squad, enriched in quality, is still missing a couple of key pieces. Gian Piero Gasperini has managed to deepen the squad over recent weeks, shaping and developing several players despite a run of injuries to Svilar, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini that would have halted any club in Serie A. Today, anyone who takes the pitch, writes Stefano Carina in Il Messaggero, does not leave fans longing for those on the bench. From Lulli to Ghilardi, passing through Mora, Rensch, Castro and Balerdi, each player who gets his chance is able to take a leading role in turn. The acceleration has come without Dybala, who was the team's guiding light before a calf problem sidelined him. That setback has allowed Soulé to shine again. Soulé is a paradox in himself. Over the summer, every effort was made to sell him. Today, alongside the "monster" Malen, who has scored 22 goals in 2026, the most of any striker in Europe this year, ahead of Yamal, Mbappé, Haaland, Raphinha and Ballon d'Or winner Kane, he is the extra man, the player capable of carrying the team on his shoulders. A leader, something he was long accused of not being. Another piece of Gasperini magic.

Roma have left Udine and travelled to Manchester, where they face Manchester United at Old Trafford, and the squad is preparing for the trip. The side will train in the hotel gym in the morning before a pre-match training session at Old Trafford at 19:00 Italian time. Roma have a poor record at the ground, having lost all four previous meetings, including heavy defeats of 7-1 and 6-2. The Red Devils are less intimidating than in the past, and some England fans on social media reportedly fear a 7-1 scoreline is possible, although United sit third from bottom in the Premier League. Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to make some changes at the back. Gianluca Mancini returns to the starting line-up from the first minute on the centre-left after a rest, with N'Dicka alongside him and either Balerdi or Hermoso on the other side. Niccolò Pisilli, who rested during the Bluenergy Stadium game, is pushing for a start and dreams of another big European night. In midfield, Cristante and de Roon are expected to pair up. On the right, Lulli, Molina and Rensch are in a contest for the spot. Gasperini will decide the team on matchday, as is his habit. It is the last push before the international break, and the coach will again try to manage his players' energy levels. The report, published by Il Messaggero, describes the Old Trafford venue as the Theatre of Dreams, which for Roma has been a theatre of nightmares in past years. Mancini and his teammates will be aiming to end that run in the coming game.