De Rossi prepares Genoa for Roma showdown: 'They're an incredibly strong side'

Roma aim to bounce back from a 4–3 defeat to Real Madrid when they travel to Genoa on Saturday evening. The match kicks off at 20:45 as the Giallorossi look to recover from the dramatic comeback they conceded against the Spanish side. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference tomorrow at 13:30 from Trigoria. The Giallorossi boss will assess the fitness of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala before finalising his team selection for the Serie A encounter. Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante remain unavailable for the trip.

Roma must quickly put behind the disappointment of conceding a late comeback against Real Madrid, who scored twice in the final minutes to win 4–3. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will address the media tomorrow at 13:30 ahead of the Genoa fixture. Gasperini will be without five players for the match. Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen, Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala are all unavailable. Koné and Dybala will undergo instrumental tests tomorrow to establish their recovery timescale.

Daniele De Rossi, Genoa's head coach, addressed the media two days before his side faces Roma at the Olimpico, acknowledging the improvement in his former club's quality. De Rossi said: "The value of Roma has grown compared to the one from December last year. It is an incredibly strong squad and yesterday they still gave a demonstration of it." De Rossi has now faced Roma twice as Genoa manager and drew a comparison between the two encounters. He explained that his first preparation was weaker than his second, though he remains focused on the tactical approach rather than the emotional dimension of playing his former club. Last season, when Genoa struggled in the table, the team benefited from set-piece situations; Roma, however, are performing well and possess both aerial threats and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. On Roma's defeat to Real Madrid, De Rossi noted that 30 per cent of goals typically arrive from set plays across football generally, making it not solely a Roma issue. He described Roma's overall performance as "truly frightening" despite the result. De Rossi also addressed earlier reports of his sacking before Genoa's victory over Parma, saying: "I voluntarily withdrew myself. I voluntarily slapped my hands when I wanted to touch social media because I know that is where most of the criticism comes from. Instead I walked around the city and never perceived negativity, anger or resentment—only words of support and encouragement, and I will remember that forever."

Daniele De Rossi, Genoa's head coach, addressed the media two days before his side faces Roma at the Olimpico, acknowledging the improvement in his former club's quality. De Rossi said: "The value of Roma has grown compared to the one from December last year. It is an incredibly strong squad and yesterday they still gave a demonstration of it." De Rossi has now faced Roma twice as Genoa manager and drew a comparison between the two encounters. He explained that his first preparation was weaker than his second, though he remains focused on the tactical approach rather than the emotional dimension of playing his former club. Last season, when Genoa struggled in the table, the team benefited from set-piece situations; Roma, however, are performing well and possess both aerial threats and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. On Roma's defeat to Real Madrid, De Rossi noted that 30 per cent of goals typically arrive from set plays across football generally, making it not solely a Roma issue. He described Roma's overall performance as "truly frightening" despite the result. De Rossi also addressed earlier reports of his sacking before Genoa's victory over Parma, saying: "I voluntarily withdrew myself. I voluntarily slapped my hands when I wanted to touch social media because I know that is where most of the criticism comes from. Instead I walked around the city and never perceived negativity, anger or resentment—only words of support and encouragement, and I will remember that forever."

Daniele De Rossi, Genoa's manager ahead of Roma's visit, assessed Roma's performance in their recent Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at his pre-match press conference. De Rossi reflected on his own experience facing Roma: "I've prepared this match like all the others, focused on the game. Having already played against Roma can help me be calmer, but the real difference is that I prepared the first leg worse than the return." De Rossi was notably impressed by Roma's display in their European contest. He highlighted their set-piece threat, noting that "there are statistics showing that 30% of goals come from set plays, so it's not just a Roma issue." He added: "They're well organised, have good jumpers and a goalkeeper like Gollini. Beyond the set pieces I saw a truly frightening team."

Roma face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 17 October at 20:45 in Serie A matchday seven, aiming to return to winning ways after a 4–3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. The Giallorossi drew 0–0 against Como and 0–0 against Inter before the Real Madrid loss; they have not won since facing Torino. Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi, won their first match of the season last time out, beating Fiorentina 2–1. Gasperini will make changes to his squad following injuries sustained against Real Madrid. Manu Koné left the pitch in the first half with a muscle problem, while Paulo Dybala was substituted at half-time with a muscular strain; both remain under assessment as of 15 October, with recovery timings unclear. Mile Svilar is out with a fractured toe, Bryan Cristante with a knee problem, and Donyell Malen suspended following his red card against Como. Roma last won on matchday six against Torino. In Gasperini's 3–4–2–1 formation, Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in the three-man defence. Emanuele Lulli and Wesley are set for the full-back positions, with Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli in midfield. Santiago Castro will lead the attack in place of the suspended Malen, Matías Soulé will play behind him, and Rodrigo Mora is favoured to complete the attacking line if Dybala cannot recover; Lorenzo Pellegrini is an alternative. De Rossi's Genoa are likely to line up in a 4–4–1–1 with goalkeeper Bijlow, but a 3–5–2 with Vitinha alongside the striker remains possible. Roma hold a dominant record at the Olimpico against Genoa: across 65 official matches played in the capital, the Giallorossi have won 48, Genoa 9, with 8 draws. Most recently Roma won 3–1 on 29 December 2025; before that, on 17 January 1990, Genoa last won at the Olimpico, prevailing 1–0. The official lineups will be confirmed before kickoff. The match will be broadcast on DAZN and Sky Sport, with streaming available through NOW and Sky Go according to subscription level.