Cristante sidelined by lower-back pain; Wesley to remain at Trigoria during international break

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after sustaining a lower back problem in Roma's Serie A match against Inter. The Italian Football Federation confirmed his withdrawal and called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. Roma identified the issue as lumbalgia, keeping the midfielder sidelined from international duty. Cristante's absence leaves two Roma players in the squad: Gianluca Mancini and Daniele Ghilardi, both of whom remain available for selection. The Italian national team will gather this evening at the Coverciano Technical Centre to begin preparations for the opening four matches of the UEFA Nations League group phase, with the first training session scheduled for tomorrow. The full Italia squad sees goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus); a 11-player defence line including the two Roma representatives; midfielders Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Ricci, Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham); and ten forwards led by Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) and Moise Kean (Como).

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after being ruled out by lower back pain. The Roma midfielder has been withdrawn from coach Roberto Mancini's squad, with Como's Samuele Ricci called up as his replacement and expected to link up with the group in the coming days. Cristante will remain available to AS Roma during the international break, though his condition must be assessed by the club's medical staff. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will monitor his recovery closely given the midfielder's importance to Roma's squad rotation in the early stages of the season.

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out of Italy's upcoming international fixtures after sustaining a muscle fatigue injury in Roma's match against Inter on 19 September. The Italy national team has called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. The national federation confirmed in a statement: "Following the league match against Inter played yesterday, Roma's midfielder Bryan Cristante is unavailable due to a physical problem and will be unable to respond to the call-up. The Ct Roberto Mancini has consequently arranged the call-up of Como midfielder Samuele Ricci, who will join the group in the coming hours." Cristante joins Wesley among Roma players sidelined during the international break. The midfielder will remain in Rome during the break and undergo instrumental examinations in the coming hours to assess the extent of the injury.

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after sustaining a lower back problem in Roma's Serie A match against Inter. The Italian Football Federation confirmed his withdrawal and called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. Roma identified the issue as lumbalgia, keeping the midfielder sidelined from international duty. Cristante's absence leaves two Roma players in the squad: Gianluca Mancini and Daniele Ghilardi, both of whom remain available for selection. The Italian national team will gather this evening at the Coverciano Technical Centre to begin preparations for the opening four matches of the UEFA Nations League group phase, with the first training session scheduled for tomorrow. The full Italia squad sees goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus); a 11-player defence line including the two Roma representatives; midfielders Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Ricci, Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham); and ten forwards led by Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) and Moise Kean (Como).

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after being ruled out by lower back pain. The Roma midfielder has been withdrawn from coach Roberto Mancini's squad, with Como's Samuele Ricci called up as his replacement and expected to link up with the group in the coming days. Cristante will remain available to AS Roma during the international break, though his condition must be assessed by the club's medical staff. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will monitor his recovery closely given the midfielder's importance to Roma's squad rotation in the early stages of the season.

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out of Italy's upcoming international fixtures after sustaining a muscle fatigue injury in Roma's match against Inter on 19 September. The Italy national team has called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. The national federation confirmed in a statement: "Following the league match against Inter played yesterday, Roma's midfielder Bryan Cristante is unavailable due to a physical problem and will be unable to respond to the call-up. The Ct Roberto Mancini has consequently arranged the call-up of Como midfielder Samuele Ricci, who will join the group in the coming hours." Cristante joins Wesley among Roma players sidelined during the international break. The midfielder will remain in Rome during the break and undergo instrumental examinations in the coming hours to assess the extent of the injury.

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after sustaining a lower back problem in Roma's Serie A match against Inter. The Italian Football Federation confirmed his withdrawal and called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. Roma identified the issue as lumbalgia, keeping the midfielder sidelined from international duty. Cristante's absence leaves two Roma players in the squad: Gianluca Mancini and Daniele Ghilardi, both of whom remain available for selection. The Italian national team will gather this evening at the Coverciano Technical Centre to begin preparations for the opening four matches of the UEFA Nations League group phase, with the first training session scheduled for tomorrow. The full Italia squad sees goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus); a 11-player defence line including the two Roma representatives; midfielders Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Ricci, Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham); and ten forwards led by Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) and Moise Kean (Como).

Bryan Cristante will not join Italy's national team camp after being ruled out by lower back pain. The Roma midfielder has been withdrawn from coach Roberto Mancini's squad, with Como's Samuele Ricci called up as his replacement and expected to link up with the group in the coming days. Cristante will remain available to AS Roma during the international break, though his condition must be assessed by the club's medical staff. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will monitor his recovery closely given the midfielder's importance to Roma's squad rotation in the early stages of the season.

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out of Italy's upcoming international fixtures after sustaining a muscle fatigue injury in Roma's match against Inter on 19 September. The Italy national team has called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. The national federation confirmed in a statement: "Following the league match against Inter played yesterday, Roma's midfielder Bryan Cristante is unavailable due to a physical problem and will be unable to respond to the call-up. The Ct Roberto Mancini has consequently arranged the call-up of Como midfielder Samuele Ricci, who will join the group in the coming hours." Cristante joins Wesley among Roma players sidelined during the international break. The midfielder will remain in Rome during the break and undergo instrumental examinations in the coming hours to assess the extent of the injury.

Roma left the Olimpico with mixed feelings after squandering a dominant first-half performance against Inter, leading 2–0 before conceding a late equaliser through Lautaro Martinez. Gasperini rallied the team after the disappointment in the dressing room yesterday, though the overall display remained of high standard, defined by Manu Koné's exceptional form. The midfielder answered long-standing criticism about his lack of cutting edge in front of goal with a two-goal masterclass that sent the Olimpico into raptures and silenced Inter for 75 minutes. Koné had been dogged by questions over his decisiveness in the final third—a significant weakness for a complete midfielder who could do everything except deliver the crucial pass or shot when it mattered most. Against Inter, Koné responded in the most eloquent way possible with two brilliant finishes. Wesley will miss the forthcoming friendlies against Brazil due to injury.

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out of Italy's upcoming international fixtures after sustaining a muscle fatigue injury in Roma's match against Inter on 19 September. The Italy national team has called up Samuele Ricci of Como as his replacement. The national federation confirmed in a statement: "Following the league match against Inter played yesterday, Roma's midfielder Bryan Cristante is unavailable due to a physical problem and will be unable to respond to the call-up. The Ct Roberto Mancini has consequently arranged the call-up of Como midfielder Samuele Ricci, who will join the group in the coming hours." Cristante joins Wesley among Roma players sidelined during the international break. The midfielder will remain in Rome during the break and undergo instrumental examinations in the coming hours to assess the extent of the injury.

Roma's wing positions are now secure. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini no longer faces the tactical problem that troubled him last season: the absence of a quick, technical player on the opposite flank from Wesley. Last year, with Wesley as one of Serie A's strongest defenders on one side, Gasperini had to adapt by repositioning Zeki Çelik elsewhere. That constraint has lifted. Emanuele Lulli, young and rapid, is already providing assurances and proves ready for this campaign. But Roma have also landed another signing that drew less attention yet showed its value yesterday: Nahuel Molina. The Argentine is rising in fitness; the residual effects of the World Cup are passing. In the match against Inter, he was perfect. He contained Diouf, supported the attack, and was decisive in the final third with an assist for Manu Koné's first-half goal. Molina's skillset is there; consistency is the next step. He does not yet have 90 minutes in his legs, but the flanks now have valid masters. Wesley leads them, followed by the former Udinese player and Lulli. Gasperini can rely on all three without losing quality. The improvement from last season is enormous. The Piedmont-born coach plays through the flanks, favouring attacking football with pushing players who can contribute in front of goal. Now he has them on both sides. Molina is a top-level player. Lulli will be. The flanks have an owner on each side, and Gasperini can only be pleased.