Capello on Malen: unmarked, a mix of Rossi and Ronaldo

Marten de Roon will make his first Roma start in midfield alongside Manu Koné in today's match at Como, with Bryan Cristante unavailable. The Dutch midfielder, signed from Atalanta, spoke to DAZN before kickoff about the opportunity and his readiness after the international break. De Roon acknowledged the challenge of regaining match fitness but stressed that only playing would help him find his rhythm. He said: "It is always nice, especially to play as a starter for Roma. We prepared very well, the break was long but we trained well. I have regained condition to play, it won't be easy to find rhythm at first but the only way to do it is by playing. I will try to prove I am still a footballer and that Roma can also win against Como." On goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, who is also making his Roma debut, De Roon offered reassurance: "I saw him calm, goalkeepers prepare alone. He knows the environment, has played many matches and is an experienced guy. In my opinion he will be very ready."

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.

Pietro Vierchowod, a double ex of Como and Roma, gave an interview ahead of today's fixture between the two clubs at the Sinigaglia. The former defender, who spent five seasons at Como and won the 1982–83 Scudetto in a single season at Roma, reflected on his career and offered his prediction for the match. Vierchowod recalled his year at Roma under Alfredo Liedholm with vivid detail. "I played the defence alone," he said. "Roma was the first Italian team to play a zonal system. The other defenders moved up; I stayed back with the goalkeeper. If I crossed the halfway line, Liedholm would shout at me: 'Pietro, go back!' I scored 20 goals in Serie A, but none at Roma. I wasn't even allowed to try." He also described an early embarrassment: before his debut he put on his match shirt, and Liedholm became furious because the manager was superstitious and distributed kits himself. "He said to me: 'What have you done? Let's hope nothing happens to you'," Vierchowod recalled. Asked which Como attacker he would like to mark, Vierchowod named Donyell Malen: "That would be a fine challenge. Quick players like him don't let it slip away from me—Romario, Careca." On Como's rise to the Champions League, he said: "I followed the whole journey, even in the dark years among the amateurs. It was thrilling. But last year surprised me. The city went mad." He praised the Roma squad of his era, singling out Roberto Pruzzo as "exceptional in the air and acrobatics", Bruno Conti for his dribbling, and Falcao for his sudden appearances in the box. On his prediction for today's match, Vierchowod said: "I hope for a draw, I can't choose. And I want few goals, because watching defences flutter around causes me too much pain. I'd like a 1–1. A 4–4 isn't football; it's just a pile of mistakes."

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 will start for Roma in the Serie A match against Como on 11 October, marking his first time in the team's opening formation for six months. Gian Piero Gasperini's side travel to the Giuseppe Sinigaglia for the sixth-round lunch kick-off, where they face Cesc Fabregas's Como side. The appointment comes during the international break window and presents Roma with a challenging away fixture. Gasperini must manage two significant absences: Mile Svilar is sidelined by a fracture to the fifth digit of his hand, and Bryan Cristante is unavailable. Pierluigi Gollini takes the goalkeeping role in Svilar's place. Wesley and Donyell Malen have recovered from their previous issues and are available. Marten de Roon is set to partner Manu Koné in midfield following Cristante's absence. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Koné, Wesley; Dybala, Pellegrini; Malen. The referee is Fabbri from Ravenna, with Imperiale and Baccini as assistants, Sozza as fourth official, Gariglio on VAR and Abisso as assistant VAR. Como deploy a 4-2-3-1: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Milla, Da Cunha; Diao, Nico Paz, Baturina; Douvikas, under manager Fabregas.

Roma prepare for Sunday's trip to Como with praise from two respected voices on their shape and attacking talent. Pietro Vierchowod, who played for both clubs and was part of Roma's Scudetto-winning side in 1982–83, highlighted the equilibrium Gasperini has established: "I was surprised, the whole squad defends and the whole squad attacks." When asked which opponent he would have wanted to mark, Vierchowod chose Donyell Malen, saying "That would be a fine challenge. I never let quick players like him escape." He also reflected on his time at Roma with affection: "The stadium is magical. I still love it now." Fabio Capello echoed the praise for Malen's form, calling him unmarked in the current moment: "Today he is not markable. He has everything: a sense of goal, speed in possession, power." Capello compared aspects of Malen's play to Paolo Rossi and even Ronaldo the Phenomenon, before crediting Gasperini's work in reshaping him into the centre-forward role: "Great at transforming him into a striker." The depth of Roma's attacking options remains a key strength as Gasperini's side prepare for the fixture. In the summer transfer market, Gianluca Scamacca could have returned to work under Gasperini at Roma as a backup to Malen but remained at Atalanta instead. The Bergamo club are now preparing to tie Scamacca down with a new contract extending to 2030.