Dybala and Malen partnership tears Fiorentina apart in Roma's opening triumph

Roma travel to Como for a Serie A sixth-round match that has taken on major significance early in the 2026-27 season. Gasperini's side sit top of the table on 13 points after drawing 2-2 with Inter, while Como have accumulated 10 points and are chasing ground. The two clubs are emerging as the only realistic challengers to Inter's dominance this season. Roma will be without Bryan Cristante and must reshuffle their midfield, with Marten de Roon stepping in alongside Manu Koné. Como, managed by Fabregas, are also dealing with an absence—Moise Kean is out, leaving Douvikas to lead their attack once again.

Rodrigo Mora has emerged as a contender for a starting berth on the attack ahead of Roma's visit to Como on 11 October at 12:30, with his recent overhead-kick goal for Portugal Under 21 catching the eye of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and supporters alike. The young midfielder from Porto is in sharp form and poses a direct threat to Matías Soulé's place in the side. Soulé is hampered by fatigue from a long journey back from Argentina and sparse training time, raising the prospect he may begin on the bench alongside Leonardo Balerdi to allow fresher legs into the line-up. Should Mora start, he would complete a front three alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Dybala remains fully available after Roma firmly blocked his departure for Argentina's farewell match for retiring Messi, keeping the forward at the club's Trigoria training ground to concentrate entirely on the league campaign and title contention. The midfielder picture is complicated by Bryan Cristante's knee injury, opening a contest between the experience of Marten de Roon and the attacking thrust of Niccolò Pisilli. De Roon appears favoured to provide defensive balance, though Pisilli offers running power and forward involvement.

Marten de Roon is set to make his Roma debut as a starter against Como in place of the absent Bryan Cristante, a substitution that will force head coach Gian Piero Gasperini to reshape how the club's midfield operates. While De Roon offers similar experience and balance to Cristante, he brings a fundamentally different skillset to the role alongside Manu Koné. Cristante has been a cornerstone of Gasperini's Roma, his influence extending beyond defence into ball progression and playmaking. He reads space in advance, helps the team build from the centre, and can create danger through insertions and set-piece involvement. De Roon, by contrast, is built for Gasperini's principles of aggressive man-marking, preventive coverage, and reading space left vacant by pressing teammates. He arrived at Roma after 445 official appearances for Atalanta, where he learned the tactical language Gasperini demands. The Dutch midfielder requires no adjustment to the system and already understands the timing required for pressing and the cover needed behind players moving forward. Rather than spectacular individual play, his impact will register in ground covered without the ball. The relationship with Koné will inevitably shift. Alongside Cristante, the French midfielder could alternate driving runs, acceleration and high pressure knowing he had a governor behind him. De Roon can provide similar equilibrium through different methods: stronger familiarity with Gasperini's oriented marking and a tendency to accompany play by aggressively following his assignment. If De Roon keeps the centre tidy, Koné gains freedom to use his best quality—breaking lines with the ball. Roma's gain will primarily be in pressing and ball recovery. The risk is losing Cristante's ability to manage phases of play with possession and quickly find a vertical pass after winning the ball back. Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, will attempt to build through possession and draw Roma's pressure to find space in behind the first line, a scenario where De Roon's understanding of Gasperini's defensive mechanics becomes particularly valuable. Gasperini brought De Roon to Roma in the final days of the transfer window—the operation took shape within 24–48 hours after the manager contacted Atalanta president Luca Percassi directly. The break has allowed De Roon to train with continuity and recover fitness after appearing in limited spells against Lecce, Torino and Fenerbahçe. Como–Roma will reveal more than a simple hierarchy between the two midfielders; it will show how much the squad can function without Cristante and how ready De Roon already is to become more than his replacement.

Rodrigo Mora has emerged as a contender for a starting berth on the attack ahead of Roma's visit to Como on 11 October at 12:30, with his recent overhead-kick goal for Portugal Under 21 catching the eye of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and supporters alike. The young midfielder from Porto is in sharp form and poses a direct threat to Matías Soulé's place in the side. Soulé is hampered by fatigue from a long journey back from Argentina and sparse training time, raising the prospect he may begin on the bench alongside Leonardo Balerdi to allow fresher legs into the line-up. Should Mora start, he would complete a front three alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Dybala remains fully available after Roma firmly blocked his departure for Argentina's farewell match for retiring Messi, keeping the forward at the club's Trigoria training ground to concentrate entirely on the league campaign and title contention. The midfielder picture is complicated by Bryan Cristante's knee injury, opening a contest between the experience of Marten de Roon and the attacking thrust of Niccolò Pisilli. De Roon appears favoured to provide defensive balance, though Pisilli offers running power and forward involvement.

Roma travel to Como on Saturday 10 October 2026 in a fixture that carries multiple subplots. The match will pit Wesley, Roma's Brazilian defender, against Como's Yan Couto, another Brazilian fullback operating as an attacking outlet. Both remain without a goal this season but have featured for Brazil's senior squad—Couto with 4 appearances and Wesley with 8. The encounter at the Sinigaglia will serve as a meaningful indicator ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's future selections for the national team. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini stands on the brink of a significant milestone: victory would deliver his 300th win in Serie A, a threshold previously crossed only by Trapattoni, Allegri, Spalletti and Rocco—all of whom won the Scudetto. Roma's record against Como in the last ten Serie A meetings offers encouragement: they have never drawn, winning seven times and losing three. The midfield and attacking line remain in flux, with Matías Soulé, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Rodrigo Mora competing for the attacking midfield role; Soulé has returned from international duty but remains in contention for the starting lineup. Paulo Dybala and Como's Nico Paz will showcase an Argentine dimension to the match. Dybala arrives with 4 assists but without a goal in the season so far, while Paz has scored once and supplied one assist. Forward Donyell Malen and Como's Christos Douvikas share a formative Dutch connection: Malen developed through PSV's academy and became the club's second-youngest player in history to score at least 10 goals in three consecutive seasons by age 22. Douvikas established himself at Utrecht with 32 goals in 77 matches before winning the Eredivisie's top-scorer award in 2022–23 with 19 goals.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October for a 12:30 kickoff where Paulo Dybala will face emergent talent Nico Paz in a meeting of two left-footed attackers bound by their connection to Lionel Messi's career and legacy. Both have been identified at different points as potential successors to Messi in the Argentina national team. For Dybala, born in 1993, the comparison has carried weight since 2017, when he scored a brace for Juventus against Messi's Barcelona in a Champions League quarter-final. Paz, 21 and born in 2004 as Messi debuted for Barcelona, has been recently acclaimed after scoring from an assist by Messi at the Monumental stadium, marking a symbolic generational handover. Dybala's role in Roma's title push is underlined by a strategic decision ahead of the fixture. Although invited to Messi's farewell gathering with the Argentina national team, Dybala was retained at Trigoria to prepare for Como alongside teammate Nahuel Molina. Roma prioritised ensuring the number 21 arrived at maximum freshness ahead of a crowded schedule spanning domestic and European competition. The match carries particular weight in Roma's season as they pursue their championship ambitions in Serie A.

Rodrigo Mora has emerged as a contender for a starting berth on the attack ahead of Roma's visit to Como on 11 October at 12:30, with his recent overhead-kick goal for Portugal Under 21 catching the eye of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and supporters alike. The young midfielder from Porto is in sharp form and poses a direct threat to Matías Soulé's place in the side. Soulé is hampered by fatigue from a long journey back from Argentina and sparse training time, raising the prospect he may begin on the bench alongside Leonardo Balerdi to allow fresher legs into the line-up. Should Mora start, he would complete a front three alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Dybala remains fully available after Roma firmly blocked his departure for Argentina's farewell match for retiring Messi, keeping the forward at the club's Trigoria training ground to concentrate entirely on the league campaign and title contention. The midfielder picture is complicated by Bryan Cristante's knee injury, opening a contest between the experience of Marten de Roon and the attacking thrust of Niccolò Pisilli. De Roon appears favoured to provide defensive balance, though Pisilli offers running power and forward involvement.

Roma travel to Como on Saturday 10 October 2026 in a fixture that carries multiple subplots. The match will pit Wesley, Roma's Brazilian defender, against Como's Yan Couto, another Brazilian fullback operating as an attacking outlet. Both remain without a goal this season but have featured for Brazil's senior squad—Couto with 4 appearances and Wesley with 8. The encounter at the Sinigaglia will serve as a meaningful indicator ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's future selections for the national team. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini stands on the brink of a significant milestone: victory would deliver his 300th win in Serie A, a threshold previously crossed only by Trapattoni, Allegri, Spalletti and Rocco—all of whom won the Scudetto. Roma's record against Como in the last ten Serie A meetings offers encouragement: they have never drawn, winning seven times and losing three. The midfield and attacking line remain in flux, with Matías Soulé, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Rodrigo Mora competing for the attacking midfield role; Soulé has returned from international duty but remains in contention for the starting lineup. Paulo Dybala and Como's Nico Paz will showcase an Argentine dimension to the match. Dybala arrives with 4 assists but without a goal in the season so far, while Paz has scored once and supplied one assist. Forward Donyell Malen and Como's Christos Douvikas share a formative Dutch connection: Malen developed through PSV's academy and became the club's second-youngest player in history to score at least 10 goals in three consecutive seasons by age 22. Douvikas established himself at Utrecht with 32 goals in 77 matches before winning the Eredivisie's top-scorer award in 2022–23 with 19 goals.

Gian Piero Gasperini faces a series of tactical decisions ahead of Roma's trip to Como, with the international break having left several squad members fatigued and the imminent Champions League fixture against Real Madrid looming large in his planning. In midfield, Marten De Roon is set to anchor the team, on course to reach 362 appearances under Gasperini's management, filling the void left by the absence of Bryan Cristante. The most significant selection puzzle centres on the attacking midfield position behind the strike pairing of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Matías Soulé returned to Roma only on Thursday morning after a lengthy journey from Argentina and has completed just one training session with the squad, making him vulnerable to dropping to the bench. That has opened the door for Rodrigo Mora, the young Portuguese midfielder who has impressed in Under-21 international football and has caught the eye in training at Trigoria. Lorenzo Pellegrini remains another option, having used the two-week break to focus on his fitness and condition. On the right flank, Nahuel Molina faces competition from young squad member Emanuele Lulli, who could be handed a starting role to give the Argentine a rest ahead of the European encounter. Wesley is expected to start at left-back after recovering from a muscle problem picked up before the international break. In defence, Evan N'Dicka looks favourites to complete the back three alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso, with Leonardo Balerdi likely to miss out due to staggered return times for the South American contingent. Roma will lean on the attacking quality of Dybala and Malen, with the Argentine chasing an important away goal and the Dutch forward looking to maintain his impressive goalscoring run in a Roma shirt. Defensive solidity, which saw the club concede only 34 goals in Serie A last season, will be critical as Roma test themselves against Cesc Fabregas's Como.

Rodrigo Mora has emerged as a contender for a starting berth on the attack ahead of Roma's visit to Como on 11 October at 12:30, with his recent overhead-kick goal for Portugal Under 21 catching the eye of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and supporters alike. The young midfielder from Porto is in sharp form and poses a direct threat to Matías Soulé's place in the side. Soulé is hampered by fatigue from a long journey back from Argentina and sparse training time, raising the prospect he may begin on the bench alongside Leonardo Balerdi to allow fresher legs into the line-up. Should Mora start, he would complete a front three alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Dybala remains fully available after Roma firmly blocked his departure for Argentina's farewell match for retiring Messi, keeping the forward at the club's Trigoria training ground to concentrate entirely on the league campaign and title contention. The midfielder picture is complicated by Bryan Cristante's knee injury, opening a contest between the experience of Marten de Roon and the attacking thrust of Niccolò Pisilli. De Roon appears favoured to provide defensive balance, though Pisilli offers running power and forward involvement.

Rodrigo Mora's overhead-kick goal for Portugal's Under 21 side has caught the attention of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who is considering handing the midfielder a starting place in attack for the trip to Como. Mora could leapfrog Matías Soulé for a spot in the forward line alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Soulé returned only two days ago from his debut with Argentina's senior side and, like the rest of the Argentine contingent, has logged minimal training sessions and faces the fatigue of a long journey; he and Leonardo Balerdi are likely to start on the bench. In defence, the settled trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso will continue at the back. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma's former captain, is also pushing for minutes after a six-month absence and is ready to feature in the squad. The midfield presents a deeper puzzle: with Bryan Cristante sidelined by a troublesome right knee, Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are competing for the role. De Roon could earn his first start of the season.

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.