Roma's Lineup Decisions Against Verona: Soulé to Start, Midfield Uncertainty Over Pisilli

Hellas Verona manager Paolo Sammarco will not hold a press conference ahead of tomorrow's final-day Serie A match against Roma at the Bentegodi. The Verona club has opted to skip the media briefing entirely, with only a closed-door training session scheduled for the afternoon at Sporting Center Paradiso in Castelnuovo del Garda. The fixture carries significant importance for Roma, who are chasing a return to the Champions League after seven years away. A victory would secure their place in European football's premier club competition. Verona, by contrast, have already been relegated from Serie A and are playing out the remainder of the season with their fate already determined. The decision to avoid a press conference is unusual and marks Sammarco's continued silence with the media surrounding this match. Roma's pursuit of a Champions League spot on the final day represents a critical moment in their season, making tomorrow's trip to Verona pivotal for their continental ambitions.

Gian Piero Gasperini held a press conference on 23 May ahead of Roma's final Serie A match against Hellas Verona. The fixture, scheduled for 24 May at 20:45 at the Bentegodi stadium, is crucial for Roma's Champions League qualification hopes. The match represents the last day of the Serie A season and carries significant weight in determining Roma's European football prospects for the coming campaign. Gasperini addressed the media in the customary pre-match briefing to discuss tactical preparations and squad matters ahead of the encounter. During the conference, Gasperini commented on Paulo Dybala's contract renewal, stating: "Positive that entrambe le parti abbiano la stessa idea" (it is positive that both parties share the same vision). The manager's remarks indicated alignment between the club and the player regarding a potential extension, though details of any agreement remain unclear.

Mile Svilar has been awarded Serie A's best goalkeeper for the 2025–26 season, a recognition described as well-deserved for the Roma shot-stopper. The honour reflects Svilar's strong defensive performance throughout the campaign. Details of his standout statistics and contributions remain unclear from the available information, though the award underscores his importance as a key player in Roma's defence this season.

Roma's first-team players Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi attended the Primavera playoff match at the Tre Fontane stadium on Sunday to support the club's youth side. The Roma youth team faced Bologna in a single-leg first-round playoff match for the Scudetto, with the young giallorossi needing one of two results to advance to the semi-finals. Pisilli and Ghilardi were present in the stands, demonstrating unity within the club ahead of their own crucial match later that evening. Both players were due to travel to Verona on Sunday night with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's first team to face Hellas Verona in a decisive fixture. The Primavera competition remains a key focus for Roma's development pathway, and the visible support from established squad members underscores the club's commitment to nurturing young talent. The gesture highlights the interconnected nature of Roma's structure, where senior professionals maintain ties to the academy system.

AS Roma face mounting injury and suspension concerns ahead of their match at Verona. Ndicka has suffered a second-degree right hamstring injury with a recovery timeline of approximately one month, ruling him out of the Verona fixture and raising doubts about his participation in the World Cup. Wesley is suspended and risks a two-match ban following the derby, forcing head coach Gasperini to restructure the defence. Celik will cover the right flank while Rensch operates on the opposite side, with Ghilardi—recently returned from a season at Hellas Verona—competing to replace Ndicka alongside Mancini and Hermoso. The injury toll extends further into Roma's midfield. Koné missed the derby due to a muscular problem and trained separately as the squad resumed work, with low odds of starting at Bentegodi. Pellegrini remained sidelined from the derby because of inflammation around his biceps scar and is listed as doubtful, though he is determined to feature given World Cup considerations. Venturino also carries injury risk with knee inflammation. Paulo Dybala is confirmed to lead the attack alongside Malen, with Bryan Cristante and Niccolò Pisilli providing midfield stability. If Koné cannot feature, either El Aynaoui or Matías Soulé will step into the lineup.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed optimism about Paulo Dybala's contract renewal talks with Roma, stating that both the club and player share the same vision. Gasperini emphasized Roma's appetite for victory ahead of the derby against Lazio, saying the team is motivated enough to play at any time. He highlighted the importance of Friedkin Group ownership's active involvement at the club, noting: "It is fundamental when the ownership is present — everything works better: there is less gossip and more opportunity for direct relationships without intermediaries. I hope we can now accelerate negotiations with the agents." The coach acknowledged this applies particularly to Dybala's representatives. Roma's preparation for the derby has been complicated by a muscle problem sustained by midfielder Koné, who will be assessed before the match. If Koné is unavailable, Gasperini may deploy three midfielders together, with El Aynaoui and Pisilli in central midfield alongside Cristante operating between centre-midfielder and attacking midfielder roles. Despite already securing European League football, Gasperini stressed the importance of maintaining hunger and ambition. The team will continue to rely on the attacking partnership between Dybala and Donyell Malen.