De Roon silences the doubters as Gasperini's familiar ally makes instant impact

Roma sporting director D'Amico is looking beyond the next window, with an eye on young players who could become stars. One name on his list is Oliver Mansson, a 17-year-old Swedish midfielder born in 2009 who is already regarded in Sweden as a possible 'crack'. According to Swedish newspaper Expressen, Roma sent scouts to watch him in the most recent match between his current club Göteborg and Djurgården. He is not the only target: United, Chelsea and Arsenal are also reportedly interested. The report places Mansson within a wider strategy. D'Amico is studying both ready-made profiles and the youth market, the area that has been serving Roma so well this season. Alongside young prospects, his notebook reportedly contains bigger names, including Lisandro Martinez and Endrick. Roma are watching closely while the competition for Mansson grows. The Italian coverage describes D'Amico as clear about how he intends to operate in the coming sessions, balancing established targets with players who are outside the ordinary and could develop into the stars of tomorrow.

Roma are reportedly among the clubs interested in Lecce defender Tiago Gabriel, who has attracted attention from several sides after a strong season and a good start to the current campaign. According to CaughtOffside, the Giallorossi are in the race for the Portuguese centre-back, and the report comes as the club's defence is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe. Lecce, however, are asking a high price. The request to sell the player is reportedly in the region of 25-30 million. Alongside Roma, AC Milan and Fiorentina are interested in Italy, while in England Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have already made enquiries. The feeling is that Tiago Gabriel and Lecce could part ways in June, and Roma are waiting in the wings. The Roma defence is a wall and also capable of scoring, and the numbers and the start to the season back that up. Still, the sense is that the club can always improve, and sporting director D'Amico is constantly looking for opportunities, with his list of names growing all the time.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named a 22-man squad for Roma's trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Stadium, in Serie A matchday 10. Paulo Dybala will miss the match, as the coach had already indicated, while young players Di Nunzio and Camara are included. The goalkeepers are Vasquez, De Marzi and Gollini. The defenders are Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora, and the forwards are Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The kit colours have also been confirmed. Roma will play in their traditional red first shirt, while the goalkeeper will wear yellow. The Giallorossi players on the bench will wear blue bibs. The match in Friuli is Roma's last league fixture before the European trip against Manchester United, scheduled for 3 November. Former Roma and Udinese midfielder Stefano Desideri spoke to Romanews on the eve of the match, analysing Roma's current form and their prospects for the rest of the season. Desideri does not fully share the criticism linked to fatigue after the win over Cagliari. He said: "With all the rotations and the adjustments, Roma have held up more than well," recalling the many closely spaced matches and injuries. He also praised Cristante, whom he considers "more and more of a leader" and a reference point for the younger players, and De Roon, whose impact he described as "impressive". In the table, Desideri places Roma and Inter ahead of their rivals, while acknowledging the surprising results of Lazio and the work of Como, who could remain at a high level until the end. On Udinese, he admits he did not expect such a difficult start: "They must pull themselves out by any means" to avoid getting drawn into the relegation battle. Looking ahead to the winter window, Desideri said he does not expect big deals: "I don't believe much in it." Nonetheless, he feels Gasperini's side could need "another midfielder" and "a winger", provided there are concrete and convenient opportunities. Roma are also weighing possible reinforcements for the winter window. Among the names linked with the club is Lisandro Martínez, the Argentine defender at Manchester United, whose contract expires on 30 June. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have set their sights on the player. In Italy, Inter and Como are reportedly also evaluating the centre-back's profile, alongside Roma, to strengthen their defensive department.

Former Roma director Walter Sabatini has continued to praise Gian Piero Gasperini's side, focusing on the spirit within the group. Sabatini said: "The spiritual cohesion is a superior factor. Roma are going through this collective state of mind." He added: "Gasperini teaches the orthodoxy of winning, he is a coach who makes you take giant strides." On the 3-3 draw in Naples, Sabatini said: "It is a tonic for Italian football. Both sides played very well." Roma open their final week before the international break in Udine, and the fixture will be followed by matches against Manchester United and Sassuolo. Gasperini does not plan to rotate and wants to field the best possible Roma side in Udine. Gollini will be confirmed in goal, while Ghilardi is named by all the newspapers among the starters in defence. The other two central defensive places remain a contest between Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Lulli and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, while Cristante, De Roon and Pisilli rotate in midfield. Up front, Soulé and Malen are certain to start, with Pisilli and Mora in contention to complete the attack. Roma have 21 points after nine matches, the same total as after nine matchdays last season, but they have collected four more points than in the same fixtures last year. Gasperini is close to his 30th Serie A win as Roma coach and could reach it in his 48th game in charge, ahead of Spalletti (54), Capello (55) and Mourinho (59).

Radio pundits across Rome's airwaves have made Roma's home clash with Udinese a must-win fixture, with several arguing that a victory would allow the club to push on in a manageable run of fixtures. Carina, speaking on Radio Radio, said: "On paper it is a round that should help the two Roman clubs. I am convinced Milan can win this derby. Udinese are a big unknown: last year Roma played a bad game, and if Udinese manage to produce a match like that, Roma can run into difficulties. Malen is incredible: he scores a goal a game. Roma were "Svilar-dependent", this year that is not the case, they score a lot. It is a more "Gasperinian" side than last year's and it is bearing fruit. What surprises me is not so much the play as the number of injuries. It would surprise me to see De Roon start, because against Cagliari he seemed tired to me. It seems to me a game to play with two behind Malen. This is a game Roma must win: if they win today, they have an affordable schedule and can push on emphatically." Sabatini, also on Radio Radio, said Udinese are going through a negative period. "Seeing them rack up five or six defeats seems an anomaly to me for a side that is not destined for last place. Roma have every chance of winning, but beware: Udinese can wake up." Pruzzo, on the same station, said Roma's game is within reach and could help them move closer to the top, noting that Inter have not won the derby in seven matches. He added that Pisilli adapts to anything and must play, and that the team seems capable of a less physical game: "If you get into a physical battle with them it can become complicated. You have to focus on technique and quality." Orsi, also on Radio Radio, said: "Udinese come off five defeats, and they lost them deservedly: this is the worst Udinese of recent years. Roma must take advantage. I am sorry, because Udinese are a tough side, but Roma cannot waste this match."

Roma travel to Udine this evening, Halloween, for a 6pm kickoff against an Udinese side in deep crisis, with Gian Piero Gasperini's team looking to close the gap at the top of Serie A. The match comes in the middle of a demanding run that sees Roma head to Manchester on Tuesday for the Champions League. Udinese have collected just five points from their first nine matches, the club's worst start in the three-points-for-a-win era, and coach Kosta Runjaic's position is under growing pressure. On paper Roma are clear favourites, but the article warns not to underestimate a side desperate for results. Inter and Lazio lead the table, four points ahead of the Giallorossi, and Milan's derby is also being played tonight. A win in Udine would put pressure on the leaders and extend a run that, in Serie A, has yet to suffer a defeat. Udinese's home record is poor, particularly at the Bluenergy Stadium: one point from five home games, two goals scored and nine conceded. Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Parma did at least end a run of six consecutive defeats. Runjaic's side still have weapons that could trouble Roma, starting with their physicality, intensity in duels and ability to win second balls. The last meeting in Friuli, won 1-0 by the Bianconeri with a goal from Ekkelenkamp, is a warning Gasperini knows well. Roma's recent win over Cagliari was tougher than it should have been, with tiredness and some defensive lapses nearly costing them, before Lulli and Mora's contributions secured the points. Gasperini will again be without Svilar, Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso are pushing for selection in defence. De Roon may be rested, with Cristante and Pisilli favoured in midfield. Up front, Mora is aiming for a starting place alongside Soulé, behind Malen. Around 5,000 Roma fans are expected to travel to Friuli. The article notes that the temptation to rest players for Old Trafford exists, but Gasperini cannot afford to drop points in Serie A while thinking about Europe. The match is presented as a test of a side that wants to stay among the top places in the table. Against the big teams motivation comes almost naturally, the article says, while against teams fighting relegation concentration, patience and the ability to impose themselves when energy runs low are required. As the article puts it, Manchester can wait; first comes Udine.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese today, the last match before the international break, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side aiming to keep their winning run going despite a heavy injury list. Roma then fly to Manchester for their Champions League clash at Old Trafford and close the cycle at the Olimpico against Sassuolo. According to Corriere della Sera, Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala are all absent, yet Gasperini's team approach the fixture with confidence. Roma have already collected four more points than at this stage last season against the same opponents, and the side are showing clear progress. Around 5,000 fans will travel to Friuli to back the team. Gasperini can also reach a notable landmark: becoming the fastest coach in Roma history to reach 30 Serie A wins, ahead of Spalletti, Capello and Mourinho. The coach is expected to rely on his core players and rotate the squad. Ghilardi and Hermoso are set to start either side of N'Dicka, with Wesley on the flanks and Soulé and Mora operating behind Donyell Malen, the team's main focal point up front.

Roma head to Udinese today, 31 October, at the Bluenergy Stadium with Gian Piero Gasperini relying on a front three of Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora. The fixture comes before Roma's Champions League trip to Manchester and their match against Sassuolo, and the squad faces the run without its most important players returning from injury. As La Repubblica reports, while the team is in Friuli fighting to hold its place in the top positions of the table, the group left in Trigoria is reduced by a long list of injuries. The medical staff has chosen caution. Paulo Dybala, who stayed in Rome for a personalised programme, is targeting the trip to Old Trafford, but a calf problem demands care. A return from the bench against Sassuolo, or directly after the international break, is considered more realistic, a situation similar to that of goalkeeper Mile Svilar. Without its most experienced men but with a solid squad, Gasperini has entrusted the attack to the trio of Malen, Soulé and Mora, who are charged with leading Roma through this delicate stage of the season. The match is one of several close-together fixtures in a demanding run, with the club continuing to juggle its selection while the infirmary remains full.

Roma travel to Udine this evening, Halloween, for a 6pm kickoff against an Udinese side in deep crisis, with Gian Piero Gasperini's team looking to close the gap at the top of Serie A. The match comes in the middle of a demanding run that sees Roma head to Manchester on Tuesday for the Champions League. Udinese have collected just five points from their first nine matches, the club's worst start in the three-points-for-a-win era, and coach Kosta Runjaic's position is under growing pressure. On paper Roma are clear favourites, but the article warns not to underestimate a side desperate for results. Inter and Lazio lead the table, four points ahead of the Giallorossi, and Milan's derby is also being played tonight. A win in Udine would put pressure on the leaders and extend a run that, in Serie A, has yet to suffer a defeat. Udinese's home record is poor, particularly at the Bluenergy Stadium: one point from five home games, two goals scored and nine conceded. Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Parma did at least end a run of six consecutive defeats. Runjaic's side still have weapons that could trouble Roma, starting with their physicality, intensity in duels and ability to win second balls. The last meeting in Friuli, won 1-0 by the Bianconeri with a goal from Ekkelenkamp, is a warning Gasperini knows well. Roma's recent win over Cagliari was tougher than it should have been, with tiredness and some defensive lapses nearly costing them, before Lulli and Mora's contributions secured the points. Gasperini will again be without Svilar, Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso are pushing for selection in defence. De Roon may be rested, with Cristante and Pisilli favoured in midfield. Up front, Mora is aiming for a starting place alongside Soulé, behind Malen. Around 5,000 Roma fans are expected to travel to Friuli. The article notes that the temptation to rest players for Old Trafford exists, but Gasperini cannot afford to drop points in Serie A while thinking about Europe. The match is presented as a test of a side that wants to stay among the top places in the table. Against the big teams motivation comes almost naturally, the article says, while against teams fighting relegation concentration, patience and the ability to impose themselves when energy runs low are required. As the article puts it, Manchester can wait; first comes Udine.

Roma have been urged to take full advantage of Udinese's poor form, with Radio Radio Mattino pundits Roberto Pruzzo and Nando Orsi both backing the Giallorossi to seize the moment. Pruzzo said Roma could also move a little closer to the summit, as Inter have not won a derby in seven matches. Udinese arrive on the back of five consecutive defeats. Orsi said they had lost them deservedly, adding: "This is the worst Udinese of recent years. Roma must take advantage of it." He said he was sorry, because Udinese are a tough side, but insisted Roma cannot waste this match. Pruzzo also offered tactical advice, saying: "Roma must take advantage of Udinese's moment. The team seems to me to be in a condition to play a match that is not too physical. If you get into a physical battle with them, it can become complicated. You have to rely on technique and quality." He added: "I would play the Pisilli card: he adapts to everything, he must play."

Former Roma director Walter Sabatini has continued to praise Gian Piero Gasperini's side, focusing on the spirit within the group. Sabatini said: "The spiritual cohesion is a superior factor. Roma are going through this collective state of mind." He added: "Gasperini teaches the orthodoxy of winning, he is a coach who makes you take giant strides." On the 3-3 draw in Naples, Sabatini said: "It is a tonic for Italian football. Both sides played very well." Roma open their final week before the international break in Udine, and the fixture will be followed by matches against Manchester United and Sassuolo. Gasperini does not plan to rotate and wants to field the best possible Roma side in Udine. Gollini will be confirmed in goal, while Ghilardi is named by all the newspapers among the starters in defence. The other two central defensive places remain a contest between Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Lulli and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, while Cristante, De Roon and Pisilli rotate in midfield. Up front, Soulé and Malen are certain to start, with Pisilli and Mora in contention to complete the attack. Roma have 21 points after nine matches, the same total as after nine matchdays last season, but they have collected four more points than in the same fixtures last year. Gasperini is close to his 30th Serie A win as Roma coach and could reach it in his 48th game in charge, ahead of Spalletti (54), Capello (55) and Mourinho (59).

Radio pundits across Rome's airwaves have made Roma's home clash with Udinese a must-win fixture, with several arguing that a victory would allow the club to push on in a manageable run of fixtures. Carina, speaking on Radio Radio, said: "On paper it is a round that should help the two Roman clubs. I am convinced Milan can win this derby. Udinese are a big unknown: last year Roma played a bad game, and if Udinese manage to produce a match like that, Roma can run into difficulties. Malen is incredible: he scores a goal a game. Roma were "Svilar-dependent", this year that is not the case, they score a lot. It is a more "Gasperinian" side than last year's and it is bearing fruit. What surprises me is not so much the play as the number of injuries. It would surprise me to see De Roon start, because against Cagliari he seemed tired to me. It seems to me a game to play with two behind Malen. This is a game Roma must win: if they win today, they have an affordable schedule and can push on emphatically." Sabatini, also on Radio Radio, said Udinese are going through a negative period. "Seeing them rack up five or six defeats seems an anomaly to me for a side that is not destined for last place. Roma have every chance of winning, but beware: Udinese can wake up." Pruzzo, on the same station, said Roma's game is within reach and could help them move closer to the top, noting that Inter have not won the derby in seven matches. He added that Pisilli adapts to anything and must play, and that the team seems capable of a less physical game: "If you get into a physical battle with them it can become complicated. You have to focus on technique and quality." Orsi, also on Radio Radio, said: "Udinese come off five defeats, and they lost them deservedly: this is the worst Udinese of recent years. Roma must take advantage. I am sorry, because Udinese are a tough side, but Roma cannot waste this match."