Bove Reflects on Europa League Goal Against Bayer Leverkusen Three Years On

Roma have initiated contact with the representatives of Endrick, the Brazilian forward at Real Madrid, as they monitor him for potential recruitment in forthcoming transfer windows. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club are watching the player closely, particularly if his playing time at the Spanish club remains limited. A significant opportunity may arise on 14 October when Real Madrid visit the Olimpico to face Roma in the Champions League, a fixture that could allow the club's executives to meet directly and explore the forward's availability. Roma are believed to be interested in a temporary arrangement that would give Endrick greater consistency. The 22-year-old has been on Roma's radar as a player capable of adding depth to their attacking options. Club scouts are attempting to gauge whether concrete margins for a deal might open in the coming months, contingent on his situation at Madrid. The presence of Real Madrid's board members in the capital during the Champions League encounter presents a unique chance for direct negotiations between the two organisations, potentially accelerating discussions. However, Roma face competition for the Brazilian. AC Milan have also been tracking Endrick for several weeks, with club owner Gerry Cardinale reportedly monitoring the player. Milan had attempted to move for him during the most recent summer window before ultimately opting for the loan of Omari Hutchinson. Should Hutchinson fail to impress and Endrick continue to see limited minutes at Real Madrid, the Rossoneri may reignite their interest.

Roma have moved ahead of AC Milan in the pursuit of Real Madrid's Endrick, already opening discussions with the player's representative agency Roc Nation and positioning themselves for direct talks with Madrid's hierarchy during the Champions League match at the Olimpico on 14 October. The Brazilian winger has endured a difficult start at Madrid, limited to just four minutes of playing time due to a muscle injury and seeking rhythm through Brazil's friendlies against Australia and India. Madrid rejected approaches from Milan and Aston Villa in the summer, but that stance could shift in January if Endrick's minutes remain scarce through the congested autumn fixture schedule. Roma intends to exploit the Champions League encounter to speak directly with Madrid's board and press their case for either a loan or transfer move. Milan, for their part, rely on owner Cardinale's established partnership with Roc Nation, strengthened by joint investments in the United States. However, Madrid holds the final say: the club has previously loaned Endrick out—to Lyon without recall options—to aid his development. Should the player seek regular playing time midway through the season, Roma are ready to move decisively into the running.

Roma return to action after the international break with two crucial fixtures ahead: a Serie A visit to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30, followed by a Champions League match against Real Madrid. Marten de Roon is poised to seize a starting role in midfield after Bryan Cristante sustained a collateral ligament injury that will sideline him for approximately twenty days. The Dutch midfielder, who has joined Roma after several years at Bergamo, has impressed since his arrival and adapted well to the club's training environment at Trigoria. With Cristante sidelined, Gasperini's midfield setup has opened up significant space that de Roon is well-positioned to fill. The 33-year-old midfielder carries the tactical knowledge and versatility that suits the coach's system, making him a strong candidate for a starting berth in what will be a demanding double test across the domestic league and Europe's elite competition. Training resumes on Tuesday afternoon following a weekend rest period given to the squad after Friday's session. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Saturday before Roma's departure for Lombardy. The Real Madrid encounter follows immediately after the Como fixture, bringing the intensity of back-to-back high-stakes matches in rapid succession.

Gian Piero Gasperini is already planning Roma's January window despite the club sitting top of the table with a functioning attack led by Dybala and Malen. Between appearances at the Trento Festival and work at Trigoria, Roma are targeting reinforcements in the attacking department, focusing on players currently struggling for minutes at their clubs. A conversation between CEO Galantic and Gasperini at the festival underscores Roma's philosophy of planning winter moves in advance. Roma's priority remains a quality wide forward, with evaluation also ongoing into a more complete profile like Oosterwolde. Four players already tracked in the summer transfer window remain in the club's sights: Gittens, Leweling, Luiz Henrique and Endrick. The common thread linking them is a shortage of regular playing time. Gittens, a Gasperini favourite, has yet to debut in the Premier League. Leweling plays only sporadic minutes at Stuttgart and was excluded from the initial squad list under new national team coach Klopp. Luiz Henrique remains blocked in Russia by bureaucratic issues that have also cost him national team call-ups. Endrick's situation is the most delicate. Mourinho secured him at Real Madrid over the summer, but the Brazilian has virtually disappeared: just four minutes across La Liga and the Champions League combined. That picture of underuse could shift as soon as November, when UEFA will make decisions on the Settlement Agreement, opening new scenarios potentially favourable to Roma heading into the winter market.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, hosted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, reflecting on his time at Roma. In an exchange on the club's social media channels, he was asked about defining moments from the previous season and fielded questions on several topics. When asked which match had moved him most since taking charge, Gasperini said: "I would say the last league match against Verona, because there was the feeling of having reached an important milestone and with great satisfaction from the supporters." On the season's most difficult encounter, Gasperini pointed to Roma's trip to Milan to face Inter last season as the period when the club's form dipped most severely. "However, the last match we played was on another level entirely," he added. The coach was also quizzed on which player had surprised him most. He highlighted Donyell Malen's goal tally as unexpected: "The number of goals from Malen was something no one could have imagined. For the rest, they have all been very positive surprises." When asked which player he had always wanted to manage but never had the chance to, Gasperini responded with humour to a question about Lionel Messi, laughing at the suggestion. The remarks came amid reports that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina had declined to travel to Messi's farewell international event.

Radio pundit Piero Torri has voiced concern that Bryan Cristante's injury could be more serious than initially thought, and has outlined how he would approach Roma's upcoming fixtures if the midfielder is unavailable. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà Sport Roma (90.9), Torri said: "I'm afraid Cristante's injury may not be a short one. If he's not fit, I wouldn't risk trying to get him back for Real Madrid. I would play de Roon at Como and Pisilli against Real Madrid." Torri also reflected on head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's handling of Paulo Dybala's minutes, saying the manager's approach has shifted his perspective. "What Gasperini said about Dybala struck me—it erased my previous beliefs about his playing time and management. And so far he's been proved right," Torri noted. He suggested Roma should begin discussions about Gasperini's contract intentions, given that the coach's deal will expire at the end of the season. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino (104.5), praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's importance to the team: "Svilar is a world-class goalkeeper for Roma, I have no doubt about it. If there's a normal goalkeeper, it's easy to lose 3–1. But with him it's different."