Cristante doubtful for Como clash with knee concern

Roma's three-week international break offers Gian Piero Gasperini time to recover Wesley and resolve a tactical question about how to deploy him when Serie A resumes. Wesley arrives at the break after an intense campaign last season, during which he made 69 appearances and played effectively on the left wing alongside his natural right-flank position. His progress was interrupted by a serious injury against Egypt ahead of the World Cup, and more recently a right-thigh strain cost him a Brazil call-up. Despite the setback, Wesley showed promise in the first half against Inter, operating on his natural right side in sync with Dybala and causing problems for Dimarco. Roma, sitting top of the league and relying on the consistency of players like Dybala, Malen, Svilar and Koné, recognise that Wesley's full recovery is essential to achieving the next level. The break comes at a critical moment: after months without a pause, his body has demanded rest and restoration to full fitness. Upon the resumption of the season, Gasperini faces a key tactical decision. Wesley may remain on the right with Molina shifted to the left, or he could return to the left wing to open up rotations with other wide options. Gasperini is taking time to reflect on the choice during the international break.

Wesley holds the key to Roma's next leap forward. The Brazilian left-back, already one of Serie A's standout performers last season alongside Dimarco and Palestra despite playing out of position, has been sidelined by injury setbacks that have disrupted his momentum. In a pre-World Cup friendly against Egypt, Wesley suffered an injury that derailed his plans heading into September. Just as he returned to action with Roma, a right thigh muscle strain forced him back to the sidelines when called up by Brazil again. Last season Wesley played in a role not naturally his own, yet his performances were so effective that he climbed the hierarchy of the Brazilian national team. His durability was remarkable—he reached 69 appearances in a single season before the injury against Egypt halted his run. His absence has been felt as Roma, currently top of the league with Paulo Dybala in fine form and Donyell Malen consistently finding the net, have otherwise tightened their defence with Mile Svilar's assured keeping and the emerging quality of Manu Koné, who is now earning recognition at international level with France. Wesley finally stopped after an exhausting campaign of constant availability. He now has three weeks to recover fully, reconnect his physical condition and rediscover his best self. The timing of his return could be crucial: Roma remain just one player away from their ideal setup, and Wesley represents that final piece of the puzzle.

Evan N'Dicka has recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in the derby against Lazio and has now re-established himself as a key player for Ivory Coast's defence. The Roma defender missed all four matches of his country's World Cup campaign but has since featured in two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, recording outstanding individual displays in victories over Ghana and Somalia, both ending 2–0. N'Dicka was sidelined by injury for Roma's match against Torino but came on as a substitute in the club's last fixture before the international break, the meeting with Inter. At Trigoria, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is monitoring the defender's progress as he manages competition for places in the Roma defence. Leonardo Balerdi, a recent arrival, has already won over the Roma fanbase, but Gasperini has repeatedly stated that there is no formal hierarchy in defence—selection depends on form and match fitness. Against Ghana six days ago, N'Dicka made 99 touches, functioning almost as a midfielder. He recorded four defensive blocks, one interception, one blocked shot and seven recoveries, with 91% passing accuracy across 78 successful passes from 86 attempts (per SofaScore) and one key pass that went unconverted. Against Somalia, the 1999-born player asserted his physical dominance, winning 100% of his aerial duels—six from six. He made five recoveries and two interceptions with a crucial defensive clearance, maintaining 97% passing accuracy with only three errors across 90 attempts.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Pes reported that Manu Koné was honest about external interest in him during the transfer window, saying: "Koné was sincere, he didn't hide. He could have said '0-0', but he told the truth. Someone was interested in him, more or less. On the last day there was a Chelsea bid, which Roma rejected. The Blues' interest was significant: between 31 August and 1 September Roma had some hesitation, but then didn't flinch." Chelsea's attempt came late in the window but was turned down. Pes added that Gasperini considers Koné very important to his plans, and that Roma would not have let him depart in the final days of the market had he been surplus to requirements. On UEFA matters, Pes indicated that Trigoria is not deeply worried about potential sanctions, with Roma's expectation being no major penalties. He assessed that the club has reduced costs and that a heavy fine is the most likely outcome. Radio commentators discussed rotation in the squad ahead of upcoming fixtures, with Torri noting that Roma have more quality this season compared to the previous year: "There's no one you'd say doesn't play. Everyone can rotate, and I think Gasperini will have them all play in these next matches." Valdarchi and Rossomando both highlighted Marten de Roon as a tactical asset for upcoming games. Valdarchi stated: "De Roon is useful both as a starter and as a substitute: there's no one like him for tactical intelligence in Gasperini's concepts." Rossomando suggested De Roon could start against Como, saying: "For me this time against Como Mora can start. Watch out also for De Roon: that way you have an extra midfielder. I see De Roon against Como. For one reason or another, against Como the others aren't at 100%: Pellegrini, Soulé and Mora. That's why I see De Roon, and then you push Cristante forward." Rossomando noted that Soulé will have limited training time before the Como match.

Roma's training ground atmosphere remained positive on 30 September, with Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina among the smiling faces in footage released by the club. The pair had been withdrawn the previous day from an event organised in Argentina to mark Lionel Messi's retirement, a decision that appeared to cause no ill feeling based on the images distributed by the club. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini maintains a calm environment despite ongoing absences. Wesley, Donyell Malen and Bryan Cristante have not yet returned to full group training and continue their recovery programmes, while international players remain away on duty with their national teams. Lorenzo Pellegrini is working hard to regain peak condition during the extended break and may feature in a friendly against the Primavera to build match fitness ahead of competitive action. Roma face Como in eleven days, providing Gasperini with adequate time to prepare for the Sinigaglia fixture and monitor the recovery of unavailable players. The objective is to have the largest possible squad available when the league campaign resumes.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.

Manu Koné addressed speculation about a potential move away from Roma during a France national team press conference ahead of their match against Italy on Friday 2 October at 20:45. The midfielder acknowledged the late summer transfer window interest but reaffirmed his commitment to the club. "Things happened… I'm at Roma, I'm focused, we have objectives. I'm a Roma player and I'll give 100% for this club," Koné said. Roma are preparing to mark their centenary year, which begins in 2027. The club will launch the celebrations at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 2 January when they face Frosinone. In a significant gesture, Roma will wear a special one-off commemorative shirt for that fixture—a kit designed exclusively to honour the club's hundred years since foundation and distinct from the kits that will be used throughout the 2027–28 season. Midfielder Nicolò Pisilli spoke separately about a recurring date in his career. "10 October is my date—it's a day bringing me luck in recent years," he told Vivo Azzurro TV in the Generazione Azzurra format. "In 2024 I made my senior Italy debut at the Olimpico, my club's stadium and my home city. In 2025 I scored my first Under-21 double." Pisilli added that his ambitions include winning a Serie A title with Roma and a World Cup with Italy.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Pes reported that Manu Koné was honest about external interest in him during the transfer window, saying: "Koné was sincere, he didn't hide. He could have said '0-0', but he told the truth. Someone was interested in him, more or less. On the last day there was a Chelsea bid, which Roma rejected. The Blues' interest was significant: between 31 August and 1 September Roma had some hesitation, but then didn't flinch." Chelsea's attempt came late in the window but was turned down. Pes added that Gasperini considers Koné very important to his plans, and that Roma would not have let him depart in the final days of the market had he been surplus to requirements. On UEFA matters, Pes indicated that Trigoria is not deeply worried about potential sanctions, with Roma's expectation being no major penalties. He assessed that the club has reduced costs and that a heavy fine is the most likely outcome. Radio commentators discussed rotation in the squad ahead of upcoming fixtures, with Torri noting that Roma have more quality this season compared to the previous year: "There's no one you'd say doesn't play. Everyone can rotate, and I think Gasperini will have them all play in these next matches." Valdarchi and Rossomando both highlighted Marten de Roon as a tactical asset for upcoming games. Valdarchi stated: "De Roon is useful both as a starter and as a substitute: there's no one like him for tactical intelligence in Gasperini's concepts." Rossomando suggested De Roon could start against Como, saying: "For me this time against Como Mora can start. Watch out also for De Roon: that way you have an extra midfielder. I see De Roon against Como. For one reason or another, against Como the others aren't at 100%: Pellegrini, Soulé and Mora. That's why I see De Roon, and then you push Cristante forward." Rossomando noted that Soulé will have limited training time before the Como match.

Roma's radio stations aired a wide-ranging discussion on the club's direction under owner Dan Friedkin, the recent signing of midfielder Marten de Roon and the decision to prevent Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina from joining Argentina's national team during the international break. David Rossi from Rete Sport criticised Friedkin's limited public engagement, saying: "The boss made quite an illuminating statement: 'Between the stadium and first place, it's really a beautiful period…' incredible, eh! I hadn't thought of it, but now that the lieutenant Dan has told me. It doesn't seem to me that he's made statements that have broadened our minds. Now everything is fine, we're top of the table, but that doesn't make us forget that at corporate level there have been other moves—the man in question likes to go to the ECA to play the big shot as Roma's president, but he hasn't set foot here for a year and a half now." Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended the ownership, contrasting them with previous regimes: "Those before were a bunch of con artists, the Friedkins aren't con artists. These ones are building a stadium, they're putting money in, and it will be a beautiful stadium. This one doesn't take bribes, he doesn't take Roman rubbish. Galactic is a gentleman, speaks perfect Italian, and he's in love with Roma." Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo noted a change in direction: "It seems that, fortunately, the course at Roma has changed. From Gasperini's arrival onward, the choices made on Ranieri, on the sporting director, on the stadium question, and also this strong stance on Dybala and Molina—the Friedkins have suddenly shown they've learned something. They're more present, more attentive, or maybe they have someone advising them better than they did a few years ago." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio praised the De Roon signing: "In a midfield department where you're short on numbers, De Roon is important because otherwise you'd be thin. At Bergamo they even burned his shirt over his departure. It seems there was a technical evaluation that led Roma to make an operation like this." Francesca Ferrazza stressed the need to maintain critical thinking: "We joke and play with predictions, but the Friedkins are serious people. We like the stadium, but critical spirit should never be set aside—it should always be maintained. Many newspapers have completely lost that critical spirit from other years. Critical spirit is constructive; if you say 'But are there car parks?', that doesn't mean you don't want the stadium, but you ask the question."