De Roon silences the doubters as his impact already wins over Roma

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).

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 coach Palladino has said Artem Dovbyk is not yet fit enough to play a full 90 minutes, though the striker is available for selection. Palladino said: "We had a discussion and he tried to put my requests into practice. He doesn't have the condition to last ninety minutes but he is available." The striker has struggled to make an impact recently. Over the last two matches Dovbyk has watched from the bench, and across his last four appearances he has played just 14 minutes in total, a meagre return well below expectations. Palladino made clear the problem is not quality but fitness, stating that the Ukrainian is not yet able to guarantee minutes and reliability. There are signs of progress. Palladino admitted: "Artem pushed harder during the week." Roma face Monza today, and Dovbyk is hoping to earn a place in the starting line-up. Should things remain as they are, his return to Rome could come sooner than expected.

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's loan players had a busy week across the Champions League, the Bundesliga, the German Cup, La Liga, Serie C and the Europa Conference League. Neil El Aynaoui was involved in three matches for RB Leipzig, while Luigi Cherubini was back in the Benevento starting line-up and came close to scoring twice. Robinio Vaz has returned to action after a physical problem he suffered against Fulham, and Mohamed Seck helped Foggia to a win. El Aynaoui, a Moroccan midfielder on a loan deal with a buy option, started Leipzig's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, a 4-1 loss, and played until the 63rd minute. On Saturday he played the full 90 minutes of a 4-0 win over Elversberg. His most eventful match came on Tuesday against Rot-Weiss Essen in the German Cup last 16. He began on the bench, but came on at half-time with Leipzig trailing 1-0 and reduced to ten men after Seiwald was sent off in the 44th minute. Baumgartner scored twice, in the 78th and 82nd minutes, to complete the comeback and send Leipzig through 2-1. El Aynaoui was booked in the 76th minute and played 45 minutes without a goal or assist. The win came after heavy defeats to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Cherubini, a winger born in 2004, returned to the starting line-up on Saturday in a 3-0 win at Arezzo. He played 74 minutes and twice came close to scoring, first with a spectacular scissor kick that was saved by goalkeeper Nunziante, then with a shot that hit the post. He started again on Tuesday in a 1-1 home draw with Catanzaro. He won the decisive penalty early in the second half, which Salvemini converted in the 51st minute after Candela fouled him, a decision confirmed by VAR. He was substituted for Saio in the 86th minute. Buso equalised for Catanzaro in added time, in the 92nd minute. Cherubini did not score or assist, but BeneventoNews24 and CalcioBenevento both gave him a 6.5. Mattia Mannini, a midfielder born in 2006, was an unused substitute for both matches, with Floro Flores opting for other players during the second-half changes. Mannini had played for Italy's Under-20 side during the previous international break. Mohamed Seck started at centre-back in Auteri's three-man defence as Foggia beat Cavese 1-0 at the Zaccheria, ending two straight defeats to Potenza and Giugliano. Foggiacalciomania gave him a 6 for a solid performance, noting his willingness to move forward from the defensive line. Goalkeeper Saro saved a penalty from Orlando, and Ravasio scored the winner in the 87th minute. Federico Nardin, a defender born in 2007, started for Pescara in a 2-1 win at Perugia, playing all 90 minutes without a booking. Merola scored twice for Pescara, first from open play and then from a penalty, after Carriero had given Perugia a lead inside the first minute. Radoslaw Zelezny, the Polish goalkeeper for Perugia, played the full match but conceded both Pescara goals, with Merola scoring in the 47th and 51st minutes. Marash Kumbulla, an Albanian defender on loan with a buy option, started for Rayo Vallecano in a 3-2 extra-time win over Recreativo Huelva in the first round of the Copa del Rey. He played 80 minutes after being on the bench for the 3-0 home defeat to Elche. Alemão scored Rayo's equaliser from the penalty spot and then the winner in extra time, with De Frutos also scoring. Anass Salah-Eddine, a Moroccan left-back playing for Panathinaikos, was not used in the 5-1 Conference League win over Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Thursday. He started on Sunday in a 1-0 league win at Volos.

Roma's first team is running smoothly under Gian Piero Gasperini, with well-targeted signings, a recognisable style and young players developing well. The problem lies with the players out on loan in Serie A and abroad, who have struggled to establish themselves. Some were signed under the previous management of Massara, others under Ghisolfi, and some have been drifting between clubs since the Mourinho era. Many of them, if not all, could return to the club in June without having been redeemed, which the article calls a clear loss. Goalkeeper Zelezny is on loan at Serie C side Perugia. He has started every match, but his figures are less impressive: 17 goals conceded in 11 games for a side that was expected to be among the leaders. In defence, Angelino, Ziolkowski and Kumbulla are out on loan. Angelino, who has recently suffered serious health problems, returned to Deportivo La Coruña. He has made only one start, against Sevilla, and was sent off in the 59th minute. Kumbulla has not played a minute for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and has made just one appearance in the Copa del Rey. Ziolkowski has one appearance on record, due to a serious plantar fascia injury, and is expected back in November. In midfield, El Aynaoui is a regular starter for Leipzig, but his performances have been unexceptional, with a single assist. Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga and 29th in the Champions League. Setting aside Romano and Baldanzi, who both have an obligation to buy, Cherubini has made 7 appearances and scored one goal for Benevento. Salah Eddine, who moved to Panathinaikos in September, has four appearances in total, and it is still too early to judge him. Robinio Vaz's start at Hull City has been disappointing: no starts, only a few minutes late in matches, and no goals. The Frenchman cost 25 million in January and is not finding a place in the side as he did under Gasperini. Mannini, who has also moved to Benevento, has no starts. Dovbyk risks returning as early as January. Palladino never picks him, preferring Osteegard in the unusual role of centre-forward given Piccoli's absence. The Ukrainian has scored one goal in four matches, all under Tedesco while he was still in charge at Bologna.

Neil El Aynaoui has impressed at RB Leipzig, and a permanent move to the German club in June is looking increasingly likely. The midfielder had asked to leave Roma towards the end of the summer transfer window, having not fully convinced Gasperini to give him a leading role at the club. Player and coach spoke calmly with each other and found a solution in the final week of the window, which allowed the Moroccan to win a place in the Leipzig starting line-up. He has made 9 appearances this season, with one assist and three consecutive starts in the Champions League. According to the latest information from Germany, Leipzig are satisfied with the Moroccan's performances, and the obligation to buy is looking more and more probable in June. Leipzig have already paid 3 million plus 1 million in bonuses for his loan. They hold an option to buy for 25 million plus 3 million, up to a maximum of 28 million. Roma could therefore make a useful profit on a sale in June. The club also holds a 20% sell-on clause, which it could collect in the future should Leipzig increase his value further.

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.