De Roon set for first Roma start at Como after pre-match fine-tuning

Gian Piero Gasperini will name his side to face Como within 24 hours, with the Giallorossi boss still weighing final selection calls before Sunday's Serie A fixture. The Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon is a certainty in the center of the park, replacing the injured Bryan Cristante; his appearance on Sunday will take him to 362 career games. Niccolò Pisilli, who returned to group training yesterday following a minor flu, remains behind in the hierarchy. The forward line will feature Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen as regulars. Since joining Roma, the Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances—a tally that outpaces both Kane and Raphinha, who stand at 18 each. Malen also holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in Serie A during the three-points era, averaging one goal every 91 minutes, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo. The main puzzle surrounds the third member of the attacking trio. Matías Soulé has completed only one full training session since returning to the capital on Thursday morning but remains in contention, though Rodrigo Mora currently holds the advantage. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who stayed at Trigoria throughout the international break, is also an option but has not featured for six months. On the right flank, both Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli were tested yesterday; whoever plays Sunday could rest in the Champions League. Wesley will operate on the left. Evan N'Dicka leads Leonardo Balerdi for a centre-back place alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso rounding out the defence. Gasperini must also account for Roma's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid when making his selections.

Roma trained on Wednesday afternoon as Gasperini's squad prepared for Sunday's midday kickoff at Como. The coach was reunited with Argentine trio Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on Tuesday morning after international duty. The session included running, small-sided matches and drills in rainy conditions as the squad readies itself for a demanding October fixture list starting with the Sinigaglia away trip. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Thursday, with Real Madrid's visit to the Olimpico following on Wednesday as the next major challenge. Away from the pitch, the Friedkin Group has announced the sale of Everton, a decision that has sparked optimism among sections of Roma's support who have long urged the ownership to concentrate fully on the Serie A club. The move has prompted contrasting reactions, with English Everton supporters responding differently to the announcement.

Roma held a training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on the afternoon of 8 October as preparation ramped up ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture at Como, which kicks off at 12:30. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere mixing athletic work, running and tactical drills, saw the final reunion of the South American contingent with the rest of the squad. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October, completed the entire session and put themselves at the disposal of the coaching staff. CEO John Galantic attended the training to show the board's proximity during this phase of preparation. Former Roma legend Antonio Tempestilli, who celebrated his 67th birthday, reflected on the approaching match in an interview. He spent 12 seasons at Roma between 1981 and 1993, split evenly with Como. Tempestilli highlighted the risks of the long international break, saying: "A break that long can cause some problems with many players away on international duty: you have to see if there has been fatigue, hope everyone has returned fit. But that applies to everyone, starting with Como. Now you have to switch back on the mentality that Roma showed before the break. Gasperini is a guarantee in that sense." Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference at Trigoria tomorrow at 13:30. Elsewhere, Vincenzo Montella's tenure as Turkey's head coach has officially ended. The Turkish Football Federation announced today that its board formally removed him from his position following a series of four consecutive defeats in the recent UEFA Nations League cycle. Montella, an ex-Roma player and former manager of the club, had held the role since September 2023.

Gian Piero Gasperini will name his side to face Como within 24 hours, with the Giallorossi boss still weighing final selection calls before Sunday's Serie A fixture. The Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon is a certainty in the center of the park, replacing the injured Bryan Cristante; his appearance on Sunday will take him to 362 career games. Niccolò Pisilli, who returned to group training yesterday following a minor flu, remains behind in the hierarchy. The forward line will feature Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen as regulars. Since joining Roma, the Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances—a tally that outpaces both Kane and Raphinha, who stand at 18 each. Malen also holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in Serie A during the three-points era, averaging one goal every 91 minutes, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo. The main puzzle surrounds the third member of the attacking trio. Matías Soulé has completed only one full training session since returning to the capital on Thursday morning but remains in contention, though Rodrigo Mora currently holds the advantage. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who stayed at Trigoria throughout the international break, is also an option but has not featured for six months. On the right flank, both Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli were tested yesterday; whoever plays Sunday could rest in the Champions League. Wesley will operate on the left. Evan N'Dicka leads Leonardo Balerdi for a centre-back place alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso rounding out the defence. Gasperini must also account for Roma's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid when making his selections.

Roma's squad completed an afternoon training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on 8 October, stepping up their intensity ahead of the imminent resumption of the Serie A campaign. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere of athletic work, running and tactical small-sided games, saw the final reunion of the South American internationals with the rest of the group. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October and took part in the full session, putting themselves at the disposal of Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching staff. Roma's chief executive John Galantic was present on the touchline to witness the preparations. Bryan Cristante remains the only absentee, sidelined by a knee problem that will keep him out of the squad for the forthcoming trip to Como. Gasperini will deploy Marten de Roon to cover Cristante's absence in midfield, with the experienced Dutch midfielder starting alongside Manu Koné to provide defensive cover, midfield control and physical presence in Roma's play. The Como fixture marks the beginning of a demanding fixture list in October, with Gasperini using this session to refine final tactical details and prepare the group for the weeks ahead.

Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi have returned to full training with Roma ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture against Como, scheduled for 12:30 at the Sinigaglia stadium on 11 October. The three Argentine internationals had completed only a recovery session the previous day after their national team commitments but trained normally with the squad on 9 October. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini now has nearly his entire roster available, with Bryan Cristante remaining the sole absentee and set to miss the Como match. Cristante's absence creates an opening in midfield, where Marten de Roon is increasingly favoured to start alongside Manu Koné. Two selection decisions remain unresolved. On the attacking midfield line, competition continues among Rodrigo Mora, Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini, with Mora currently holding a slight edge. At the back, Evan N'Dicka appears to have the advantage over Balerdi, partly because the Ivorian has been able to train consistently at Trigoria during the international break. Roma CEO John Galanic was present at the training session on 9 October. Gasperini will conduct the final preparation session on 10 October before making his final team selection ahead of the journey to Como. The club is now nearly at full strength following the extended international window.

Gian Piero Gasperini will name his side to face Como within 24 hours, with the Giallorossi boss still weighing final selection calls before Sunday's Serie A fixture. The Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon is a certainty in the center of the park, replacing the injured Bryan Cristante; his appearance on Sunday will take him to 362 career games. Niccolò Pisilli, who returned to group training yesterday following a minor flu, remains behind in the hierarchy. The forward line will feature Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen as regulars. Since joining Roma, the Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances—a tally that outpaces both Kane and Raphinha, who stand at 18 each. Malen also holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in Serie A during the three-points era, averaging one goal every 91 minutes, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo. The main puzzle surrounds the third member of the attacking trio. Matías Soulé has completed only one full training session since returning to the capital on Thursday morning but remains in contention, though Rodrigo Mora currently holds the advantage. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who stayed at Trigoria throughout the international break, is also an option but has not featured for six months. On the right flank, both Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli were tested yesterday; whoever plays Sunday could rest in the Champions League. Wesley will operate on the left. Evan N'Dicka leads Leonardo Balerdi for a centre-back place alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso rounding out the defence. Gasperini must also account for Roma's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid when making his selections.

Roma's squad completed an afternoon training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on 8 October, stepping up their intensity ahead of the imminent resumption of the Serie A campaign. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere of athletic work, running and tactical small-sided games, saw the final reunion of the South American internationals with the rest of the group. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October and took part in the full session, putting themselves at the disposal of Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching staff. Roma's chief executive John Galantic was present on the touchline to witness the preparations. Bryan Cristante remains the only absentee, sidelined by a knee problem that will keep him out of the squad for the forthcoming trip to Como. Gasperini will deploy Marten de Roon to cover Cristante's absence in midfield, with the experienced Dutch midfielder starting alongside Manu Koné to provide defensive cover, midfield control and physical presence in Roma's play. The Como fixture marks the beginning of a demanding fixture list in October, with Gasperini using this session to refine final tactical details and prepare the group for the weeks ahead.

Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi have returned to full training with Roma ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture against Como, scheduled for 12:30 at the Sinigaglia stadium on 11 October. The three Argentine internationals had completed only a recovery session the previous day after their national team commitments but trained normally with the squad on 9 October. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini now has nearly his entire roster available, with Bryan Cristante remaining the sole absentee and set to miss the Como match. Cristante's absence creates an opening in midfield, where Marten de Roon is increasingly favoured to start alongside Manu Koné. Two selection decisions remain unresolved. On the attacking midfield line, competition continues among Rodrigo Mora, Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini, with Mora currently holding a slight edge. At the back, Evan N'Dicka appears to have the advantage over Balerdi, partly because the Ivorian has been able to train consistently at Trigoria during the international break. Roma CEO John Galanic was present at the training session on 9 October. Gasperini will conduct the final preparation session on 10 October before making his final team selection ahead of the journey to Como. The club is now nearly at full strength following the extended international window.

Gian Piero Gasperini will name his side to face Como within 24 hours, with the Giallorossi boss still weighing final selection calls before Sunday's Serie A fixture. The Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon is a certainty in the center of the park, replacing the injured Bryan Cristante; his appearance on Sunday will take him to 362 career games. Niccolò Pisilli, who returned to group training yesterday following a minor flu, remains behind in the hierarchy. The forward line will feature Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen as regulars. Since joining Roma, the Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances—a tally that outpaces both Kane and Raphinha, who stand at 18 each. Malen also holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in Serie A during the three-points era, averaging one goal every 91 minutes, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo. The main puzzle surrounds the third member of the attacking trio. Matías Soulé has completed only one full training session since returning to the capital on Thursday morning but remains in contention, though Rodrigo Mora currently holds the advantage. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who stayed at Trigoria throughout the international break, is also an option but has not featured for six months. On the right flank, both Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli were tested yesterday; whoever plays Sunday could rest in the Champions League. Wesley will operate on the left. Evan N'Dicka leads Leonardo Balerdi for a centre-back place alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso rounding out the defence. Gasperini must also account for Roma's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid when making his selections.

Antonio Tempestilli, the former Roma and Como player who spent twelve seasons equally divided between the two clubs from 1981 to 1993, has assessed the tactical battle ahead between the two sides as Roma prepare for their fixture at Como. Speaking on the eve of the match, Tempestilli weighed the strengths of both coaches: "Entrambi. Credo che si rispettino e si remano a vicenda: sono due che amano attaccare, giocare a viso aperto; fanno un gran calcio seppure con principi diversi; proprio per questo mi aspetto una gran partita" — both Fabregas and Gasperini respect each other and love to attack and play openly, making great football with different principles, which is why he expects a great match. On Roma's form, Tempestilli stressed the challenge of the international break: "Ti può dare qualche problemino con tanti giocatori fuori, in giro con le nazionali: bisogna vedere se c'è stato affaticamento, sperare che siano tornati tutti a posto…però vale per tutti, a cominciare dal Como. Ora bisogna riaccendere il tasto della mentalità che la Roma ha mostrato fino alla sosta. Gasperini in questo senso è una garanzia." The long pause poses risks with players scattered across nations, but the same applies to Como. Roma must reignite the mentality Gasperini has instilled before the break. On Leonardo Balerdi's emergence as a regular, Tempestilli noted: "Direi che come definizione ci può stare, viste le caratteristiche; quando Gasperini lo ha paragonato a Baresi chiaramente voleva intendere questo. È migliorabile sotto alcuni aspetti e con il lavoro a Trigoria lo sta già facendo, ma la tempra e il piglio battagliero mi piacciono molto." He described Balerdi as having an 1980s-style defender's character, and said having multiple centre-back options is a fortune for Gasperini given the high number of matches ahead. Regarding Gianluca Mancini's slow start, Tempestilli insisted the midfielder possesses the right mentality and experience to rediscover his leadership. On Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential involvement, Tempestilli said: "Gasperini sa valutare ogni particolare, a cominciare da condizione e motivazioni. Una cosa è certa: Pellegrini è un valore aggiunto, resta da porsi una domanda: che minutaggio ha nelle gambe?" Pellegrini is valuable added value, but his match fitness remains to be established. Looking ahead, Tempestilli cautioned against reading too much into any single result: "Troppo presto. Piedi per terra, perché il campionato è lungo. Al tempo stesso, una cosa possiamo permetterci di dirla: sognare è lecito." It is too early to identify an Inter challenger, he said, but dreaming is allowed.

Gian Piero Gasperini has described Roma's defence as "a defence of gladiators", praising the unit built around Gianluca Mancini, Mario Hermoso and goalkeeper Mile Svilar. Over the last two seasons since Gasperini's arrival, Roma have conceded the fewest goals in Serie A—just 34—one fewer than Como, who have already shipped 6 goals in their opening five matches of the 2026-27 season compared to their tighter record last year. When the comparison expands to Europe's top five leagues over the same two-season span, only Arsenal have kept a cleaner sheet record. The Premier League side, managed by Mikel Arteta, have conceded 31 goals across that period and won the league title before reaching the final against PSG. The Arsenal benchmark carries particular weight given Roma's own improvement in attack this season: the Giallorossi have already scored 14 goals in their first five matches, a stark contrast to last season when they managed just 5 goals across the same point in the campaign.