Castro targets first Roma goal against Torino as rotation with Malen looms

Donyell Malen knows the way to the net against Torino. The Dutch forward scored twice on his Roma debut against Torino on 18 January at the Stadio Olimpico–Grande Torino, though one was ruled out for a marginal offside by VAR. After opening the season with a hat-trick against Fiorentina and a double against Lecce, Malen has gone without a goal in his last two matches against Atalanta and Fenerbahce but will have a chance to rediscover his scoring touch tomorrow evening. A goal in that fixture would make him the third player in Roma's history to score more than five goals after the first four league matches of a season. The other two are club legends: Pedro Manfredini, who scored 7 in 1960-61, and Francesco Totti, who scored 6 in 2001-02. Malen wears number 14 and will be looking to add his name to that elite list at the Olimpico tomorrow.

Emanuele Lulli was ruled out of training on 12 September due to influenza ahead of Roma's Serie A fixture against Turin on 14 September, a fourth-round match kicking off at 18:30 at Stadio Olimpico-Grande Torino. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will hold a pre-match press conference at Trigoria on 13 September at 13:30. Lulli, a 19-year-old defender, hopes to recover in time to face the Turin squad and impress in front of Italy national team coach Mancini, who is expected to attend. The final training session will be decisive for his fitness alongside two other key players. Gasperini faces a demanding schedule with three matches in just over a week. Beyond Turin, Roma must travel to face Fenerbahce in the Champions League before hosting Inter at home the following Saturday. The manager is expected to rotate the squad intelligently for the Turin fixture, balancing his resources across this congested fixture list. Koné, the French midfielder, is carrying a knee problem that does not cause alarm but will not be risked; he trained separately on 12 September, and Niccolò Pisilli is expected to partner Bryan Cristante in midfield for the match. Lorenzo Pellegrini, the club captain, is hoping to earn his first squad selection of the season after missing Roma's opening weeks.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rest Paulo Dybala for Roma's trip to Torino, with the forward having started four consecutive matches and played the full 90 minutes against Fenerbahce in Istanbul despite suffering cramps. Dybala remains one of Roma's most important players, but the proximity of the match to the Fenerbahce fixture and the more significant Inter clash at the Olimpico that follows has prompted Gasperini to consider bringing him off the bench instead. The rotation could coincide with a tactical shift. Against Torino's three-man defence, Gasperini plans to abandon the central attacking midfielder role used in recent outings and revert to a more traditional setup: two wide players behind the striker. Rodrigo Mora is expected to play on the left, while Matías Soulé should start on the right. Mora will look to bounce back from a below-par display in Istanbul that Gasperini judged to fall short of expectations, while Soulé pursues a third consecutive Serie A goal. Donyell Malen is favoured to lead the line, with Santiago Castro ready to come off the bench. Gasperini could manage the match through the five available substitutions without overhauling his starting eleven, leaving Dybala available to deploy as an in-game weapon. Mora, Soulé and Malen possess qualities that can flourish against a three-man defence.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rest Paulo Dybala for Roma's trip to Torino, with the forward having started four consecutive matches and played the full 90 minutes against Fenerbahce in Istanbul despite suffering cramps. Dybala remains one of Roma's most important players, but the proximity of the match to the Fenerbahce fixture and the more significant Inter clash at the Olimpico that follows has prompted Gasperini to consider bringing him off the bench instead. The rotation could coincide with a tactical shift. Against Torino's three-man defence, Gasperini plans to abandon the central attacking midfielder role used in recent outings and revert to a more traditional setup: two wide players behind the striker. Rodrigo Mora is expected to play on the left, while Matías Soulé should start on the right. Mora will look to bounce back from a below-par display in Istanbul that Gasperini judged to fall short of expectations, while Soulé pursues a third consecutive Serie A goal. Donyell Malen is favoured to lead the line, with Santiago Castro ready to come off the bench. Gasperini could manage the match through the five available substitutions without overhauling his starting eleven, leaving Dybala available to deploy as an in-game weapon. Mora, Soulé and Malen possess qualities that can flourish against a three-man defence.

Donyell Malen faces Torino on familiar ground on 15 September, the same stadium where his Roma career truly began in January when he scored within days of arriving in the capital. The Dutch forward has already netted five goals in Roma's first three league matches and can enter rare historical territory if he scores again: he would become only the third player in Roma's history to score more than five goals after the opening four Serie A fixtures, following Pedro Manfredini (seven in 1960–61) and Francesco Totti (six in 2001–02). Gasperini is expected to start Malen again, knowing the striker thrives when served in depth and attacking space behind the defensive line. The possible absence of Paulo Dybala from the opening lineup could shift Roma's approach, with Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé tasked with finding Malen in the final third. Behind him, Santiago Castro is pressing for opportunity after remaining on the bench throughout Roma's Champions League match against Fenerbahce. The Argentine, nicknamed "Torito", impressed against Atalanta with two shots that struck the woodwork but could not deliver his first Roma goal. Torino presents a chance for both attackers to make their mark in different ways. Malen seeks his first goal in two matches, while Castro chases his maiden Roma strike. Gasperini now has the luxury of rotating two centre-forwards with contrasting qualities, offering tactical flexibility as the season unfolds.

Gian Piero Gasperini is considering tactical adjustments for Roma's visit to Torino before the international break, with particular focus on his attacking setup. Paulo Dybala finished Roma's Istanbul fixture visibly exhausted and suffering from cramps after playing five consecutive matches as a starter, averaging 85 minutes per outing. The risk of fielding him from the start at Torino looms large, especially with the forthcoming derby against Inter at the Olimpico in mind. Matías Soulé is the only forward certain of a starting place, with Rodrigo Mora likely to feature from the opening minute to complete the forward line. A substitution swap between Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro is probable during the match, with Castro having rested during the Champions League game in Istanbul. The Torino fixture arrives at an opportune moment for Roma to restore the attacking potency displayed across their first three Serie A matches. In the league so far, Roma have scored 10 goals from 71 total shots—an average of 23.6 attempts per match. That output stands in sharp contrast to their Champions League performance in Istanbul, where they managed only one goal from eight shots. Gasperini's use of the five-substitution rule offers tactical flexibility both in the starting XI and during play, allowing the coach to manage load and seize attacking chances as the match develops.

Donyell Malen knows the way to the net against Torino. The Dutch forward scored twice on his Roma debut against Torino on 18 January at the Stadio Olimpico–Grande Torino, though one was ruled out for a marginal offside by VAR. After opening the season with a hat-trick against Fiorentina and a double against Lecce, Malen has gone without a goal in his last two matches against Atalanta and Fenerbahce but will have a chance to rediscover his scoring touch tomorrow evening. A goal in that fixture would make him the third player in Roma's history to score more than five goals after the first four league matches of a season. The other two are club legends: Pedro Manfredini, who scored 7 in 1960-61, and Francesco Totti, who scored 6 in 2001-02. Malen wears number 14 and will be looking to add his name to that elite list at the Olimpico tomorrow.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rest Paulo Dybala for Roma's trip to Torino, with the forward having started four consecutive matches and played the full 90 minutes against Fenerbahce in Istanbul despite suffering cramps. Dybala remains one of Roma's most important players, but the proximity of the match to the Fenerbahce fixture and the more significant Inter clash at the Olimpico that follows has prompted Gasperini to consider bringing him off the bench instead. The rotation could coincide with a tactical shift. Against Torino's three-man defence, Gasperini plans to abandon the central attacking midfielder role used in recent outings and revert to a more traditional setup: two wide players behind the striker. Rodrigo Mora is expected to play on the left, while Matías Soulé should start on the right. Mora will look to bounce back from a below-par display in Istanbul that Gasperini judged to fall short of expectations, while Soulé pursues a third consecutive Serie A goal. Donyell Malen is favoured to lead the line, with Santiago Castro ready to come off the bench. Gasperini could manage the match through the five available substitutions without overhauling his starting eleven, leaving Dybala available to deploy as an in-game weapon. Mora, Soulé and Malen possess qualities that can flourish against a three-man defence.

Donyell Malen faces Torino on familiar ground on 15 September, the same stadium where his Roma career truly began in January when he scored within days of arriving in the capital. The Dutch forward has already netted five goals in Roma's first three league matches and can enter rare historical territory if he scores again: he would become only the third player in Roma's history to score more than five goals after the opening four Serie A fixtures, following Pedro Manfredini (seven in 1960–61) and Francesco Totti (six in 2001–02). Gasperini is expected to start Malen again, knowing the striker thrives when served in depth and attacking space behind the defensive line. The possible absence of Paulo Dybala from the opening lineup could shift Roma's approach, with Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé tasked with finding Malen in the final third. Behind him, Santiago Castro is pressing for opportunity after remaining on the bench throughout Roma's Champions League match against Fenerbahce. The Argentine, nicknamed "Torito", impressed against Atalanta with two shots that struck the woodwork but could not deliver his first Roma goal. Torino presents a chance for both attackers to make their mark in different ways. Malen seeks his first goal in two matches, while Castro chases his maiden Roma strike. Gasperini now has the luxury of rotating two centre-forwards with contrasting qualities, offering tactical flexibility as the season unfolds.