Pellegrini set for Como return after 184 days out, poised to offer Roma a new dimension in midfield

Roma's international break will conclude this weekend, with the Serie A campaign resuming on Sunday 11 October at Como (12:30 CET, Stadio Sinigaglia). The Giallorossi arrive on the back of a 2–2 draw against Inter, a result that underlined their strong start to the season and their ability to compete with title contenders. The timing of the break is awkward—Roma must immediately shift mental gears for a relentless schedule that will see them play nine times in 27 days, a fixture run that will define their seasonal ambitions under Gasperini. The stretch begins at Como and continues without respite. Three days after the Lombard trip, on Wednesday 14 October, the Champions League returns to the Olimpico after seven years; Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, are the visitors. Saturday 17 brings Genoa to Rome, followed by Slovan Bratislava at home on Tuesday 20 in the Champions League league phase. Roma then travel to Napoli on Saturday 24 October, a fixture described as capable of revealing much about the Giallorossi's capacity to compete. There is no time to celebrate or recover: Tuesday 27 sees Cagliari at home in a midweek fixture. Saturday 31 brings a trip to Udinese, followed by a journey to England on 3 November to face Manchester United. The run concludes on 7 November with Sassuolo at home, the ninth and final match of the month-long cycle before the second international break of the season. The injury to Bryan Cristante is poorly timed, depriving the midfield of one of its key equilibrating figures at the start of this critical period. However, his absence opens a tactical opportunity: Marten de Roon is primed to take over the midfield and make his Roma debut from the start, likely already at Como. De Roon brings his customary aggression, solidity and experience. Niccolò Pisilli will offer freshness and enthusiasm, though he is more likely to deputise for Manu Koné than for Cristante. Lorenzo Pellegrini's return, even in a different role—more attacking midfielder than central midfielder in a two-man midfield—is the best possible news for Gasperini. The coach has made clear that there are no hierarchies at Trigoria: "those who are in better form play, for Roma's benefit." Roma's squad training resumes on Tuesday afternoon before the Como trip. The fixture list over the next month presents no respite and no room for fluctuation, with injury risk a constant concern as the team aims to navigate this pivotal stretch.

Roma radio commentators have praised Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar as central to the club's prospects under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season. Carina told Radio Radio that Dybala represents Gasperini's main gamble and is succeeding in it. "The big difference compared to the past is exactly Dybala," Carina said. "If he continues like this, at these high levels, I would sign off on it. It's clear that at Roma it can change important targets. Gasperini is right: Dybala doesn't miss a training session, he has found the key to extend Dybala's career, who is a champion of Italian football." Carina also noted that Bryan Cristante has a knee inflammation that, while not serious, is a concern. Roberto Pruzzo backed goalkeeper Svilar without reservation. "Svilar is world-class for Roma, I have no doubt," Pruzzo said on Radio Radio. "If there is a normal goalkeeper, it is easy then to lose 3–1." Orsi, also speaking on Radio Radio, observed that goalkeepers in Italy are not generally regarded as world-class figures.

Roma's travelling support snapped up approximately 1,000 tickets for the away fixture at Como in a matter of hours on 2 October, ending a nine-month absence from away matches. The Como club website was overwhelmed by the volume of traffic as Roma fans rushed to secure their allocation, with some complaints on social media about technical issues on the platform, though the high number of concurrent users at 15:00 generated the problems. Roma supporters have been unable to travel for Serie A away matches since the bans imposed for the Lecce and Torino fixtures. This fixture marks their first opportunity to follow the team away from the Stadio Olimpico in the current campaign. The last time Roma fans travelled was for the match against Torino on 18 January, a date that also coincided with Paulo Dybala's most recent goal.

Roma's international break will conclude this weekend, with the Serie A campaign resuming on Sunday 11 October at Como (12:30 CET, Stadio Sinigaglia). The Giallorossi arrive on the back of a 2–2 draw against Inter, a result that underlined their strong start to the season and their ability to compete with title contenders. The timing of the break is awkward—Roma must immediately shift mental gears for a relentless schedule that will see them play nine times in 27 days, a fixture run that will define their seasonal ambitions under Gasperini. The stretch begins at Como and continues without respite. Three days after the Lombard trip, on Wednesday 14 October, the Champions League returns to the Olimpico after seven years; Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, are the visitors. Saturday 17 brings Genoa to Rome, followed by Slovan Bratislava at home on Tuesday 20 in the Champions League league phase. Roma then travel to Napoli on Saturday 24 October, a fixture described as capable of revealing much about the Giallorossi's capacity to compete. There is no time to celebrate or recover: Tuesday 27 sees Cagliari at home in a midweek fixture. Saturday 31 brings a trip to Udinese, followed by a journey to England on 3 November to face Manchester United. The run concludes on 7 November with Sassuolo at home, the ninth and final match of the month-long cycle before the second international break of the season. The injury to Bryan Cristante is poorly timed, depriving the midfield of one of its key equilibrating figures at the start of this critical period. However, his absence opens a tactical opportunity: Marten de Roon is primed to take over the midfield and make his Roma debut from the start, likely already at Como. De Roon brings his customary aggression, solidity and experience. Niccolò Pisilli will offer freshness and enthusiasm, though he is more likely to deputise for Manu Koné than for Cristante. Lorenzo Pellegrini's return, even in a different role—more attacking midfielder than central midfielder in a two-man midfield—is the best possible news for Gasperini. The coach has made clear that there are no hierarchies at Trigoria: "those who are in better form play, for Roma's benefit." Roma's squad training resumes on Tuesday afternoon before the Como trip. The fixture list over the next month presents no respite and no room for fluctuation, with injury risk a constant concern as the team aims to navigate this pivotal stretch.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to reclaim a leading role at Roma after 184 days out. The midfielder has recovered from a long injury, signed a contract renewal on 8 August, and is now pushing for a starting place when Roma face Como. He returns with leadership, technical quality and work completed during the international break at Trigoria. A social media post — "True happiness is being at peace with the people around you" — reflects the calm with which he approaches his comeback after a previous season that yielded seven goals and four assists. Pellegrini's injury began on 10 April. Despite Gasperini assigning the captaincy based on appearances, Pellegrini remains the natural reference point in the dressing room, confirmed by his contract extension and his choice to stay despite several offers from Italian and foreign clubs. His lengthy absence and dedicated rehabilitation put him in fresher condition than squad-mates returning from international duty, including Soulé and Mora. In Gasperini's 3–4–1–2 system, Pellegrini can operate on the attacking midfield line behind Dybala and Malen, providing quality in the final third and pressing intensity. Gasperini is seriously considering starting him, with Pellegrini estimated to have an autonomy of around sixty minutes but ready to begin the match and definitively reclaim his place.

Giuseppe Giannini, Roma's legendary captain, has reflected on what it means to represent the club and reflected on the greatest number 10s in its history. Speaking in an interview, Giannini ranked Francesco Totti as the greatest, followed by Agostino Di Bartolomei and De Sisti, with himself in fourth place and Paulo Dybala fifth—despite Dybala wearing number 21. Giannini praised Dybala's ability to play with simplicity and escape pressure, saying: "The fact that he plays with great simplicity. He always manages to get out of every game situation, even the most complicated one. Even when surrounded by two or three opponents he is able to manage somehow and come out with the ball at his feet. He is a player who has fantasy, strokes of genius. And you can see that when he plays, he enjoys himself. When a champion manages to play while enjoying himself, he also drags the fans along, who identify with him." Giannini also shared a memory of sharing a hotel room with Totti during an away trip early in the young player's Roma career, when a teammate fell ill and Totti was drafted in as a replacement. With no single rooms available, Giannini offered his bed to the teenager: "My father had brought Totti from Lodigiani to Roma, so I had no problem letting him sleep with me. I didn't make him feel the weight of my role as captain, but he watched me without speaking. He was shy." Totti later told Giannini that he did not sleep that night, though Giannini himself rested well. Giannini discussed the character required to wear the captain's armband and the number 10, saying it demands "a special character and personality. Very strong. The character and personality that have been demonstrated by the various Di Bartolomei, Bruno Conti, De Rossi, Totti, and that I see again today in Cristante and Pellegrini." He traced his own leadership back to childhood, explaining: "Even as a boy I understood I had something more than others, because I took on responsibilities that perhaps didn't belong to me, like taking a penalty kick in place of a teammate who didn't feel up to it." Asked what he would steal from Dybala and what he would give in return, Giannini replied: "I would steal his left foot, but I would give him my right one." His childhood idol was Argentine forward Mario Kempes, whose playing style and long hair inspired him—Giannini wore his own hair in the same way. After Kempes, Di Bartolomei became his model. The most difficult moment wearing the giallorosso came when, as captain, he was tasked with laying flowers on president Dino Viola's chair at the Olimpico following Viola's death, during the first match at the stadium without him. Conversely, Giannini felt greatest pride after a match on 20 March 1994 against Foggia, when Roma came from behind: "We were coming off a series of negative results and we had Zeman's Foggia against us, which was going at 200 an hour. We went down by a goal, I scored the equalizer. The 1-1 final gave us confidence, we put together four straight wins and at the end of the season we came within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup."

Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri appeared on Radio Radio in recent days to discuss the new Roma stadium planned for Pietralata, taking part in a social media game ranking legendary players from the club's history. Gualtieri built his pyramid of greats starting with Falcao, placed in the second tier despite acknowledging how difficult it was to rank him below the top. Roberto Pruzzo followed, with Gualtieri initially wanting to put all legends in top position before reorganising: Falcao and Bruno Conti placed slightly above Pruzzo, with Daniele De Rossi at the same level. Paulo Dybala earned a place in the third tier but, Gualtieri suggested, could rise higher still. Francesco Totti claimed the top spot uncontestably. "The captain goes first—that's beyond discussion. He wins it; he's unique," Gualtieri said. On naming the new stadium after Totti, Gualtieri was clear: "The club will decide that. At the moment it appears to be written 'Roma 1927'," he added with a laugh.

Giuseppe Giannini, Roma legend and former captain, has ranked Francesco Totti as the greatest number 10 in the club's history by statistical measure, followed by Agostino Di Bartolomei and De Sisti. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport's SportWeek supplement, Giannini placed himself fourth on merit of his Roman identity, and positioned Paulo Dybala fifth among the club's greatest number 10s—despite Dybala wearing the number 21 on his back. Giannini praised Dybala's playing style and artistry at length. "The fact that he plays with great simplicity," Giannini said. "He always manages to escape from every game situation, even the most complicated ones. Even when surrounded by two or three opponents he's able to manage somehow and come out of it with the ball at his feet. He's a player who has fantasy, moments of genius. And you can see that when he plays, he enjoys himself. When a champion can play while enjoying it, he also carries the fans with him, who identify with him. I would steal his left foot, but I'd give him my right one." Giannini reflected on his early encounters with Totti, whom his own father brought from Lodigiani to Roma. Before an away match, an unwell teammate was withdrawn from the squad list at the last moment and Totti was called up instead. With no single rooms available at the hotel, Giannini offered to share his double room with the young player. "I didn't make him feel the weight of my captain's role, but he watched me without speaking. He was shy," Giannini recalled. "We played cards and went to sleep. He told me later that night he didn't sleep a wink, but I couldn't swear to it because I slept peacefully." On his own career highlights, Giannini identified 20 March 1994 at Foggia as his proudest moment wearing the giallorosso. Roma had arrived on the back of poor results against Zeman's Foggia side. "We went down by a goal, I scored the equaliser. The 1–1 final gave us confidence, we put together four wins in a row and by the end of the season we came within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup," he said. His most difficult moment as captain came when president Dino Viola passed away and Giannini was tasked with laying flowers on his empty seat at the Olimpico before the first match held without him.

Roma radio commentators have praised Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar as central to the club's prospects under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season. Carina told Radio Radio that Dybala represents Gasperini's main gamble and is succeeding in it. "The big difference compared to the past is exactly Dybala," Carina said. "If he continues like this, at these high levels, I would sign off on it. It's clear that at Roma it can change important targets. Gasperini is right: Dybala doesn't miss a training session, he has found the key to extend Dybala's career, who is a champion of Italian football." Carina also noted that Bryan Cristante has a knee inflammation that, while not serious, is a concern. Roberto Pruzzo backed goalkeeper Svilar without reservation. "Svilar is world-class for Roma, I have no doubt," Pruzzo said on Radio Radio. "If there is a normal goalkeeper, it is easy then to lose 3–1." Orsi, also speaking on Radio Radio, observed that goalkeepers in Italy are not generally regarded as world-class figures.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to reclaim a leading role at Roma after 184 days out. The midfielder has recovered from a long injury, signed a contract renewal on 8 August, and is now pushing for a starting place when Roma face Como. He returns with leadership, technical quality and work completed during the international break at Trigoria. A social media post — "True happiness is being at peace with the people around you" — reflects the calm with which he approaches his comeback after a previous season that yielded seven goals and four assists. Pellegrini's injury began on 10 April. Despite Gasperini assigning the captaincy based on appearances, Pellegrini remains the natural reference point in the dressing room, confirmed by his contract extension and his choice to stay despite several offers from Italian and foreign clubs. His lengthy absence and dedicated rehabilitation put him in fresher condition than squad-mates returning from international duty, including Soulé and Mora. In Gasperini's 3–4–1–2 system, Pellegrini can operate on the attacking midfield line behind Dybala and Malen, providing quality in the final third and pressing intensity. Gasperini is seriously considering starting him, with Pellegrini estimated to have an autonomy of around sixty minutes but ready to begin the match and definitively reclaim his place.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has disclosed the key to Paulo Dybala's strong early season, attributing the turnaround to the resolution of a previously undiagnosed fitness issue. Speaking at the Festival Dello Sport, Gasperini explained that Dybala's muscles had held him back in earlier years, a problem the coach initially suspected was rooted in training methods. Gasperini discovered that Dybala has a unique fiber structure requiring specifically tailored training to optimise his fitness. The adjustment has proven transformative, allowing the 32-year-old to return to full capability. "Everyone told me he had silky muscles, but I discovered he has a unique fiber structure, and with the right training, he's proven to be a healthy and capable player. Proof of what I always say: training is crucial. And now he's back to sprinting, beating opponents, and soon we'll see him back to shooting from outside like in the old days," Gasperini said. Dybala has recorded four assists in Serie A this season, marking his strongest statistical start to a campaign in his career. His partnership with teammate Donyell Malen has been particularly effective, with Malen's ability to run in behind the defence complementing Dybala's playmaking well. Roma have made a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign, and Dybala's form will be crucial to their chances of challenging for the title.

Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the Gazzetta dello Sport's Festival dello Sport in Trento, reflecting on his arrival at Roma and the squad's early development under his management. He described his first message to the players as the creation of something new from the ground up. "It's like when you do a new construction: you must lay new and different foundations straight away," Gasperini said. "We never spoke about my previous years. We had to build something new immediately, founded on concepts different from what many players were used to, but also what they expected from me and asked of me. Football can be played in many ways, but the first concept was to win the ball back from the opponent and not wait for him to make a mistake." Gasperini singled out the defensive group for particular praise, naming Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso as standout performers but extending credit to goalkeeper Mile Svilar and Evan N'Dicka, who he said had been among Europe's best defenders for months. On Mancini, he revealed his approach: "I knew him when I was his opponent and I would think 'why is he so disagreeable?' and I immediately tried to tell him 'look, this penalises you, for many years you didn't go to the national team because of these attitudes.' That was the first thing I worked on." Mancini had "a fantastic season" and has since returned to the Italy squad. Hermoso, despite a difficult previous year, brought experience from Atlético Madrid's defensive discipline alongside Spanish quality and tactical knowledge. On Bryan Cristante, Gasperini explained his confidence in the midfielder despite early doubts. "I knew him as a young player. Very often in players you don't look at the 'control room'—personality, the way of playing for the squad and putting teammates' needs first—and that's something I've always considered," he said. "When I was at Atalanta we sold Gagliardini to Inter and he couldn't stand out. Sartori gave me his name, I met the young Beppe Riso and got to know this guy. He couldn't have lost his technical qualities. I spoke to him a lot and he convinced me. I was facing the right person, with motivation, and I hoped that footballistically he would come out and he did." Cristante has suffered a knee injury but should recover quickly. Gasperini acknowledged that "playing many matches, if you're out two weeks you risk missing five matches. He'll miss the first matches but will recover soon." On Paulo Dybala's remarkable early form this season, Gasperini said: "He's started the way it hasn't happened to him for years. I knew him in Palermo when he was very young. As with all great players, he still has enthusiasm and strength. When he's on the pitch he's well and wants to play." Regarding Romano, a young academy graduate, Gasperini was critical of circumstances beyond football: "The fact that Romano was sold is down to needs for capital gains and balance-sheet requirements. This is not something good for our football—you need the chance to let your best gems grow, but when there are these needs they become the first to be cut." Gasperini also discussed Donyell Malen's unexpected summer arrival. "Sometimes the planets align and things happen that you weren't thinking about days before," he said. "Malen was a known player; in summer we'd seen his characteristics, which were already known. Then things happen during the market where you think you've planned everything and then maybe something unforeseen comes up—sometimes bad, in this case good. In a moment when we were looking for a striker, this opportunity with Malen came up, exiting Aston Villa for a tactical reason. He wanted to play centre-forward and I've always seen centre-forward characteristics in him."