Cristante sidelined for Como; Pisilli and De Roon in contention

Roma held a training session at Trigoria on Friday 2 October, with director of sport Vincenzo D'Amico present alongside head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club prepares for the resumption of Serie A action. Three players were absent from the session due to injury: Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley. Cristante's situation is the most concerning. The midfielder is suffering from knee inflammation, and his availability for the away fixture against Como on 11 October appears very unlikely. The injury threatens to affect his readiness for Roma's Champions League match against Real Madrid just three days after the Como game. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and are both working to build their fitness during the international break, aiming to increase their influence in Gasperini's plans for the Como match. Roma face a demanding run of matches after the domestic season resumes, and the medical staff will continue monitoring the injured players as they seek to have as many men available as possible for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Roma held their final training session of the week on 2 October with director of sport Tony D'Amico in attendance. Bryan Cristante will miss the trip to Como due to a knee problem and remains a doubt for the Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. Donyell Malen and Wesley underwent individual training today but are expected to return in the coming days and will be available for the Como match under manager Fabregas. Gasperini has granted the squad two days' rest over the weekend, with the group reconvening on Monday to prepare for the Serie A visit to Sinigaglia. Head coach Gasperini and chief executive Galantic will attend the Trento Sports Festival at 18:45.

Radio Roma commentators weighed in on Bryan Cristante's fitness and Roma's upcoming fixtures. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said Cristante has inflammation of the knee that he has been managing for several days and believes the midfielder will be carefully managed ahead of a demanding run of matches. Torri predicted Matías Soulé will play against Como, Rodrigo Mora will start in the Real Madrid fixture, and Lorenzo Pellegrini should begin to regain match sharpness after time out, adding that Como is a more important match than Real Madrid. Marco Valerio Rossomando, also of Manà Manà Sport, echoed the concern: if Cristante does not play against Como it will be because he is genuinely unwell. With matches coming in quick succession, there is a risk of him missing several games. Rossomando noted that throughout his career Cristante has never suffered a prolonged absence, describing him as "like a machine that has 300,000 kilometres on it". Alessandro Antinelli of Tele Radio Stereo commented separately on Roma's potential new stadium, saying the ground is a strong candidate to host matches at Euro 2032 if construction begins in spring, and praised the project for its potential to regenerate an area of Rome and create jobs.

Roma held a training session at Trigoria on Friday 2 October, with director of sport Vincenzo D'Amico present alongside head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club prepares for the resumption of Serie A action. Three players were absent from the session due to injury: Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley. Cristante's situation is the most concerning. The midfielder is suffering from knee inflammation, and his availability for the away fixture against Como on 11 October appears very unlikely. The injury threatens to affect his readiness for Roma's Champions League match against Real Madrid just three days after the Como game. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and are both working to build their fitness during the international break, aiming to increase their influence in Gasperini's plans for the Como match. Roma face a demanding run of matches after the domestic season resumes, and the medical staff will continue monitoring the injured players as they seek to have as many men available as possible for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Roma held their final training session of the week on 2 October with director of sport Tony D'Amico in attendance. Bryan Cristante will miss the trip to Como due to a knee problem and remains a doubt for the Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. Donyell Malen and Wesley underwent individual training today but are expected to return in the coming days and will be available for the Como match under manager Fabregas. Gasperini has granted the squad two days' rest over the weekend, with the group reconvening on Monday to prepare for the Serie A visit to Sinigaglia. Head coach Gasperini and chief executive Galantic will attend the Trento Sports Festival at 18:45.

Radio Roma commentators weighed in on Bryan Cristante's fitness and Roma's upcoming fixtures. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said Cristante has inflammation of the knee that he has been managing for several days and believes the midfielder will be carefully managed ahead of a demanding run of matches. Torri predicted Matías Soulé will play against Como, Rodrigo Mora will start in the Real Madrid fixture, and Lorenzo Pellegrini should begin to regain match sharpness after time out, adding that Como is a more important match than Real Madrid. Marco Valerio Rossomando, also of Manà Manà Sport, echoed the concern: if Cristante does not play against Como it will be because he is genuinely unwell. With matches coming in quick succession, there is a risk of him missing several games. Rossomando noted that throughout his career Cristante has never suffered a prolonged absence, describing him as "like a machine that has 300,000 kilometres on it". Alessandro Antinelli of Tele Radio Stereo commented separately on Roma's potential new stadium, saying the ground is a strong candidate to host matches at Euro 2032 if construction begins in spring, and praised the project for its potential to regenerate an area of Rome and create jobs.

Roma radio stations debated the club's immediate fixtures and stadium plans on 2 October, with key voices offering contrasting views on priorities and squad management ahead of a taxing schedule. David Rossi told Rete Sport that Roma's match against Real Madrid is the least important of the next three fixtures in his assessment. "Delle prossime tre partite, quella meno importante per me è Roma-Real Madrid," he said, though he acknowledged the risk that a strong performance against the Spanish club could have unforeseen consequences. "Però se prendi la super-sveglia contro il Real, poi rischi che possa lasciare il segno e allora non ti puoi allargare. Ma col Real rischi di perdere anche se ti giochi i resti, perchè loro sono comunque più forti." Rossi expected defensive rotation, anticipating Emanuele Lulli or Daniele Ghilardi against Genoa, and noted concerns about Wesley and Nahuel Molina potentially playing all three matches. Bryan Cristante's availability was downplayed as a minor concern given Marten de Roon's presence in the squad. Gianluca Piacentini drew stark contrasts between this season and last, saying: "La Roma dell'anno scorso e quella di quest'anno sono due squadre di due paesi diversi, manco due campionati diversi." He praised the overall squad output under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini but noted a paradox—low conversion despite high volume—even after two 4–0 victories. On points targets, Piacentini stated: "Se contro Como e Genoa dovessi fare 4 punti sarebbe tanta roba, ma pure se li facessi contro Real Madrid e Slovan Bratislava. Per due vittorie e due pareggi firmerei subito." Checco Oddo Casano highlighted Rodrigo Mora's directness as a tactical advantage, observing that Roma now shoots significantly more often at goal this season, though he questioned whether this reflected Donyell Malen's arrival or broader squad work. Stadium development dominated the latter portion of the discussion. Paolo Cosenza raised concerns about siting a new ground near a hospital, while Mario Corsi countered that ambulance delays are a city-wide problem affecting the Stadio Olimpico already. Alessandro Antinelli noted the proposed Roma stadium is a strong candidate for Euro 2032 should construction begin in spring, and would regenerate the area. Stefano Carina reported Mayor Gualtieri's two-and-a-half-year completion timeline and noted the Pietralata site is among Euro 2032 venues, though he expressed concern about ticket affordability in the new facility.

With a long international break giving Roma players downtime, the squad has been pursuing a diverse range of hobbies away from the pitch. Wesley has garnered attention for his collection of luxury cars stored in his garage, a sight that prompted teammate Soulé to make a quip about his fellow defender's automotive passion. The Brazilian is far from alone in his interests: Manu Koné, the French midfielder, describes himself as a homebody who loves spending his days resting at home, driven by an unconditional passion for French rap and trap music. His dancing and musical performances have become iconic within the group. Mario Hermoso prefers to listen to music by the pool and at the beach, his two great loves, and has recently become involved in the social ritual of mate preparation alongside Argentine players Dybala, Soulé, Balerdi, Castro and Molina. The traditional infusion travels everywhere with them, from long team bus journeys to sessions at Trigoria, serving not simply as a beverage but as a way to unwind and chat. Evan N'Dicka has revealed a strong attraction to architecture and art, appreciating Rome's historical richness during his leisure time and regularly reading history books at home. Marten de Roon curates his social media and seeks out food and wine experiences, while Mile Svilar dedicates considerable time to work with his mental coach before matches, regularly practising visualisation and breathing exercises to train self-control.

Marten de Roon is in line to replace Bryan Cristante in Roma's midfield after the captain suffered a knee inflammation. Cristante is expected to miss at least the fixture against Como, dealing a significant blow to Gasperini, who has used the Roma skipper more than any other outfield player in 2026. De Roon's readiness to deputise may soften the blow, however, given the exceptional understanding the Dutch midfielder shares with his coach. The bond between Gasperini and de Roon extends back a decade at Atalanta and has followed them both to Rome. It transcends mere tactical respect and represents what Gasperini has described as a complete symbiosis. De Roon has made 361 official appearances under Gasperini's management—the highest number for any player in the coach's entire career. That absolute loyalty, forged during Atalanta's best years and now transferred to the capital, underpins their working relationship. Gasperini has distilled it into a single clarifying phrase: "Marten reasons with my head, I reason with his." The partnership's depth reflects years of coordination at Bergamo, and the coach's deployment of de Roon stands as a testament to an unshakeable football understanding. As Roma navigate Cristante's absence, the midfielder's familiar role in Gasperini's system positions him as a natural and experienced solution to the midfield problem.

Niccolò Pisilli is increasingly central to Roma's plans. The midfielder has been a focal point for Italy Under-21 in recent days and has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. His playing time has transformed season on season: Pisilli has accumulated 154 minutes across Roma's first five league matches this season, compared to 42 minutes in the equivalent period of 2025-26. Already Pisilli has scored twice in the Serie A campaign to equal his tally from the whole of last season. That earlier campaign had seen him come close to a move to Genoa during the January transfer window. From the Italian national team's training camp, he expressed his ambitions openly. "I dream of winning the Serie A title at Trigoria and the World Cup with Italy," Pisilli said.

Bryan Cristante faces another setback just days before the Serie A resumption, with a mild knee inflammation now added to the lower back problem that ruled him out of the latest international break. His availability for Roma's trip to Como on Sunday, 11 October, remains in serious doubt pending medical evaluation in the coming hours. The Italian press is split on his prospects. Leggo reports optimism from Trigoria about recovery in time for Fabregas's side, while Corriere della Sera suggests he could be sidelined for up to three weeks—potentially missing matches against Real Madrid and Genoa as well. For head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, a Cristante absence would be significant; he has been the midfielder most used by the coach so far this season. If Cristante cannot play, Marten De Roon is ready to start alongside Manu Koné, having used the international break to build his fitness at Trigoria with encouraging results. Niccolò Pisilli remains an alternative option. Offensive selection poses a different dilemma—one of abundance rather than scarcity. Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala are certain starters, but the third attacking slot remains in contention. Rodrigo Mora arrives on the back of an excellent overhead kick scored for Portugal Under-21, Matías Soulé awaits his Argentina debut, and Lorenzo Pellegrini has completed a full mini-preparation during the break and is now back at 100 per cent. With more than a week remaining before the Como trip to the Sinigaglia, Gasperini has time to assess whether Cristante can be recovered and to evaluate the condition of returning internationals. Roma's opening shape is beginning to take form, with De Roon primed to seize his chance and three candidates competing for the final attacking berth.

Bryan Cristante is a doubt for Roma's trip to Como on 11 October, with kickoff at 12:30 on Sunday, after the midfielder withdrew from international duty with lower back pain and subsequently picked up a knee issue. The medical staff will assess Cristante in the coming days; if he is unavailable, Manu Koné is on standby, with either Niccolò Pisilli or Marten de Roon as alternatives. Roma resume their campaign after the October international break in what is billed as a significant fixture. The club has contingency options in midfield to cover a potential absence from a key player. Gasperini will make a final decision on Cristante's fitness ahead of the match. On transfer matters, the article notes several developments: Inter are reportedly considering a move for a midfielder, with Roma holding a 10 per cent sell-on clause from Cagliari on that player. Two other stories have emerged concerning Roma—Gasperini's involvement in Paulo Dybala's contract renewal, during which Dybala rejected approaches from both Juventus and Napoli, and a claim from Spanish sources that a deal for Real Madrid's Endrick to join Roma was agreed before being halted.