De Rossi praises Di Francesco as influential mentor ahead of Lecce clash

Rodrigo Mora has been called back into the Portugal senior squad for the first time in over a year, and will be available to head coach Jesus for Portugal's two Nations League matches. Jesus spoke about the Roma midfielder at a press conference. Jesus praised Mora's attacking contribution at Roma, saying the player had been very involved in the attacking phase, scoring goals and providing assists. The coach added that Mora fits perfectly into his plans for the two games. Jesus also discussed the possibility of deploying Mora as a centre-forward alongside João Félix. "They have the characteristics to play that position very well," he said. He added: "Rodrigo can also play as a centre-forward."

Gian Piero Gasperini has put his Roma players in front of the screen to work on their collapses, projecting full-screen replays of the match against Manchester, mistakes included, in intense study sessions. Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico, and the front three is confirmed as Mora, Malen and Soulé. The focus on the Manchester game reflects a wider concern at the club over losing leads and conceding late. Gasperini is using video analysis to show his players exactly where the errors came from, aiming to cure what the headline calls Roma's problem with comebacks against them before the home fixture.

Gian Piero Gasperini surprised his Roma players in the Old Trafford dressing room after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, choosing reassurance over a angry tirade despite Roma having let a two-goal lead slip. According to journalist Andrea Pugliese, speaking on Radio Radio, Gasperini avoided any hunt for culprits and instead highlighted the quality of Roma's performance in the first half of the match. Pugliese reported that Gasperini told his players after the final whistle: "We dominated," urging them not to forget how much good they had built against a high-level opponent. The message aimed to turn the disappointment into motivation. It was a significant choice, especially after Roma suffered their second comeback in the Champions League, coming just weeks after the one against Real Madrid. The approach matches what Gasperini said publicly after the game. He said: "This team perhaps needs to take off the pressure of the result at all costs. This match matters to us more than the others." Gasperini appears keen to protect his players' confidence without ignoring the mistakes that were made. The real test now comes on the pitch, with the trip to face Sassuolo the first chance to show whether the coach's words have helped Roma move on from the disappointment of Manchester.