Cristante Waits for Gasperini's Call at Como as Back Issues Keep Him Out

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.

Real Madrid have been dealt another injury setback with defender Raúl Asencio requiring surgery on a stress fracture to his right tibia. The 2003-born defender, who has not played a single official minute this season, will undergo surgery tomorrow and is expected to be sidelined for approximately three months, with a return anticipated in 2027. José Mourinho will be without Asencio for Real Madrid's fixture against Roma on 14 October at the Olimpico, adding to injury concerns that already include Konaté and Valverde. Asencio had initially been hopeful that conservative treatment following the tibia fracture would suffice, particularly with an expectation that Konaté's injury could have created opportunities for playing time. However, the approach proved insufficient, forcing the surgical intervention. Real Madrid confirmed in a statement: "Our player Raúl Asencio will undergo surgery tomorrow due to a stress fracture to the tibia of his right leg."

Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio will undergo surgery in the coming 24 hours to treat a stress fracture of the tibia in his right leg, the club confirmed on 30 September. The operation means Asencio will miss Madrid's Champions League fixture against Roma on 14 October at the Stadio Olimpico, with recovery expected to take between two and four months, ruling him out until 2027. Roma are set to host José Mourinho's Madrid side in the second matchday of the Champions League after facing Como away in Serie A on 11 October, following the international break which ends on 6 October. Madrid arrive depleted, with Valverde, Konaté and Mbappé already doubtful through injury before Asencio's situation emerged. The Real Madrid statement read: "Our player Raúl Asencio will undergo surgery tomorrow due to a stress fracture of the tibia of his right leg." Asencio had been dealing with discomfort in his right tibia, prompting Real Madrid to convene a summit at Valdebebas between the player, Mourinho and the medical staff to determine whether conservative treatment or surgical intervention was necessary. The decision to operate removes another defender from Mourinho's squad for the fixture at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

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.

Manu Koné addressed speculation over his Roma future while on international duty with France ahead of a Nations League match against Italy on Friday 2 October at 20:45. Speaking in a press conference before training, the midfielder acknowledged transfer interest during the summer window but confirmed his commitment to the club. "For me some things happened, but I am at Roma, I am focused," Koné said. "What happened has happened. I give 100% for this club, I will give everything to meet expectations, and that is all." Koné joined Roma on loan with an obligation to buy from Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2024. The midfielder has become a regular fixture in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad this season and reflected on his development since arriving in Italian football at age 23. "Coming to Italy brought maturity to my playing style," he explained. "I became more focused. Tactically I did not have the abilities I have now. I also improved energy management, which made me the player I am today. I was going through a difficult period at Borussia Mönchengladbach (where I played from 2021 to 2024) and Roma sought me out; I am very grateful to them." Koné also discussed his recent performance at defensive midfield for France against Turkey. "A midfielder must be able to play anywhere," he said. "I have already played in that position, several times at my previous clubs, but also at Roma. It is not something that changes much for me; I enjoyed it. It was a fairly complicated match, with different demands, especially in terms of duels, so I think I tried to be up to the situation. I manage my matches based on the squad and I was asked to contribute to a certain style of play. I try to give my best and I am very proud of myself." Teammates Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante, both Roma players, have told him that Friday's match against Italy will be important, and Koné expects France to focus on their own performance rather than their opponents' current difficulties.

Gian Piero Gasperini has changed his approach to Roma's three-week break between the Inter match and the Como fixture on 11 October. The coach had previously indicated he wanted to arrange two friendlies at Trigoria to keep the squad sharp during the layoff, telling reporters: "We would like to do two." However, Gasperini has now opted instead to organize only an internal match against the Primavera. The decision stems from a shortage of available players. Several squad members are away on international duty, while Bryan Cristante, Wesley and Donyell Malen are dealing with injury problems. Rather than attempting to arrange competitive warm-up matches under these circumstances, Gasperini judged a single training fixture against Roma's youth team the more practical solution.