Candela says Roma are not yet ready to match Europe's elite and backs Gasperini for the Scudetto

Radio Manà Manà pundit Filippo Biafora has questioned whether Endrick would play every match under Gian Piero Gasperini. Biafora said: "The question for Endrick is only one: he must play a lot. I wonder whether with Gasperini he would play every match. I'm not sure. He would certainly get more game time than he does today at Real Madrid. I believe the coach from Grugliasco would see him on the centre-right." Biafora's view came in a round of opinions from Rome's radio stations. Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà (90.9) said: "We need to ask a series of questions about Endrick. I consider him a striker. In my opinion he is not the player Roma are looking for in terms of characteristics." Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo (92.7) turned the focus to Paulo Dybala's deployment. Pes said: "The way Dybala is being managed intrigues me. The best setup could be the one seen against Real Madrid, with Soulé on the right and Paulo on the left. With Dybala, Malen performs at his best, but the attacking output has not decreased." He added: "The best player at the start of this season is Hermoso."

Former Roma defender Vincent Candela believes Gian Piero Gasperini can lead the club to the Scudetto, saying the coach is "special" and that the side can go all the way in the title race against Inter. Speaking to La Repubblica, Candela backed Roma's ambitions at a time when Gasperini has made clear the club is not content with second place, stating: "La Roma non firma per il secondo posto in campionato" ("Roma do not settle for second place in the league"). Candela said Gasperini "is a special coach" and that he is convinced the Giallorossi can bring the Scudetto back to Trigoria, adding that the title race with Inter will be fought out until the end. He acknowledged that Inter remain a stronger and better-balanced side than Roma. On Roma's struggles in Europe, and their recurring problems with late collapses, Candela pointed to the need to widen the squad, in line with what the coach himself has said. He considers it natural that Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United, and believes the club is not yet ready to face Europe's elite on equal terms. Asked which current player stirs memories of his own playing days, Candela named Paulo Dybala without hesitation: "Ogni volta che Dybala tocca il pallone mi batte il cuore e ringiovanisco. Paulo andrebbe proclamato patrimonio mondiale del calcio" ("Every time Dybala touches the ball my heart beats faster and I feel younger. Paulo should be proclaimed a world football treasure"). Candela's comments capture Roma's dual position: competitive enough to chase the Scudetto, yet still needing greater depth to match Europe's major powers.

Gian Piero Gasperini regards Paulo Dybala as Roma's strongest player, saying: "Paulo è la chiave per puntare più in alto" — Paulo is the key to aiming higher. The coach added that at 32 the Argentine is in the prime of his maturity and is among the very best, if not the best, in Serie A today. Yet Dybala's involvement has been shrinking. He has made 6 Serie A appearances out of 11 this season, against 22 last season and 24 two seasons ago. The minutes tell the same story. Dybala played 1,417 Serie A minutes in 2024-25 (the equivalent of 15.7 matches), 1,354 minutes last season (15 matches), and 492 minutes so far this season (5.4 matches). Writing in Il Messaggero, Stefano Carina notes that for the first time in four years Roma no longer depend on the Joya in attack. Without Paulo, the team have scored 23 goals in 7 matches, including cup games, against 16 in 8 with him. Dybala's last goal came on 18 January. The absence has given more room to Rodrigo Mora. The Portuguese plays regularly on the left, with Matías Soulé on the right. He first came on as a substitute against Real and Genoa, and has now started against Manchester and Sassuolo. He already has 4 Serie A goals. Carina says the comparison with Dybala is both unfair and unavoidable, but the numbers can cut both ways. In just six matches Dybala has become the league's top player for expected assists (3.42), second for big chances created (8) and third for key passes (4).

Radio Manà Manà pundit Filippo Biafora has questioned whether Endrick would play every match under Gian Piero Gasperini. Biafora said: "The question for Endrick is only one: he must play a lot. I wonder whether with Gasperini he would play every match. I'm not sure. He would certainly get more game time than he does today at Real Madrid. I believe the coach from Grugliasco would see him on the centre-right." Biafora's view came in a round of opinions from Rome's radio stations. Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà (90.9) said: "We need to ask a series of questions about Endrick. I consider him a striker. In my opinion he is not the player Roma are looking for in terms of characteristics." Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo (92.7) turned the focus to Paulo Dybala's deployment. Pes said: "The way Dybala is being managed intrigues me. The best setup could be the one seen against Real Madrid, with Soulé on the right and Paulo on the left. With Dybala, Malen performs at his best, but the attacking output has not decreased." He added: "The best player at the start of this season is Hermoso."

Former Roma defender Vincent Candela believes Gian Piero Gasperini can lead the club to the Scudetto, saying the coach is "special" and that the side can go all the way in the title race against Inter. Speaking to La Repubblica, Candela backed Roma's ambitions at a time when Gasperini has made clear the club is not content with second place, stating: "La Roma non firma per il secondo posto in campionato" ("Roma do not settle for second place in the league"). Candela said Gasperini "is a special coach" and that he is convinced the Giallorossi can bring the Scudetto back to Trigoria, adding that the title race with Inter will be fought out until the end. He acknowledged that Inter remain a stronger and better-balanced side than Roma. On Roma's struggles in Europe, and their recurring problems with late collapses, Candela pointed to the need to widen the squad, in line with what the coach himself has said. He considers it natural that Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United, and believes the club is not yet ready to face Europe's elite on equal terms. Asked which current player stirs memories of his own playing days, Candela named Paulo Dybala without hesitation: "Ogni volta che Dybala tocca il pallone mi batte il cuore e ringiovanisco. Paulo andrebbe proclamato patrimonio mondiale del calcio" ("Every time Dybala touches the ball my heart beats faster and I feel younger. Paulo should be proclaimed a world football treasure"). Candela's comments capture Roma's dual position: competitive enough to chase the Scudetto, yet still needing greater depth to match Europe's major powers.

Paulo Dybala remains Gasperini's strongest player at Roma, but the numbers show a side that is becoming less dependent on the Argentine. Without Dybala, Roma scored 23 goals in 7 matches, while with him they have scored 16 in 8. His absence has helped the rise of Matías Soulé, who has become a technical reference point, and of Rodrigo Mora, who already has 4 Serie A goals. With Dybala back, rotations will now be used to preserve him without slowing the progress of the two young players. According to Corriere dello Sport, a plane could be ready to leave Houston for Rome carrying either Ryan Friedkin or his brother Corbin. The November break is seen as the ideal moment for a transfer meeting with D'Amico and Gasperini, who are tasked with planning moves for January. Roma want to complete a squad still considered short, and they are still searching above all for the attacking winger requested by the coach. Roma return to training at Trigoria this afternoon, with attention focused on Dybala and Svilar. Dybala has overcome a calf injury and is targeting the match against Parma, although his return to group training will be gradual. Svilar will undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear him to return to action. Mancini is also moving towards recovery, while Rensch still has to shake off an adductor injury. Pellegrini faces a longer layoff and is expected only at the start of 2027. Il Guardian has devoted considerable space to Roma and the two Capital clubs, both still unbeaten after eleven matchdays. The English paper highlights the figures of Gasperini's side, who have scored 31 goals in 11 matches, and praises Rodrigo Mora, who has scored in three consecutive matches and has now been called up to the national team. The open question concerns Dybala's next return, with Mora and Soulé finding more and more room alongside Malen.