Dybala and Molina's Argentina trip in doubt: Gasperini reportedly approves, but Friedkin resists

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for their fixture against Turkey, with national team coach Roberto Mancini deciding to leave ten players at the Coverciano training centre to continue work there. Mancini joins Ahanor, Barella, Coppola, Inacio, Kouadio, Maldini, Pessina, Ricci and Zoma in staying behind. The decision reflects uncertainty over Mancini's starting place in Italy's defensive line. Coach Roberto Mancini is considering substantial changes to the back four following matches against Belgium, Turkey and France, with Di Lorenzo, Mancini and Coppola potentially replaced by Kayode, Scalvini and Bastoni, the latter returning from suspension. Back at Roma, the fixture list after the international break presents a demanding challenge: seven matches in 23 days beginning with the away trip to Como, followed by Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari and Udinese. This run will test both Roma's ambitions and the depth of Gasperini's squad. Roma's trip to Bologna on 4 December is under observation by the ONMS owing to a Virtus Bologna Euroliga match against Partizan Belgrade scheduled the same day; the proximity of the basketball arena and the Dall'Ara stadium, just over 2 kilometres apart, raises concerns about contact between supporter groups, though a final decision will come later. The trip to Como faces no such issues.

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for tomorrow's Nations League match against Turkey in Bursa, as coach Roberto Mancini has excluded ten players from the squad to avoid the costly journey. The fixture kicks off at 20:45 CET at the Atatürk Spor Kompleksi and follows Italy's defeat to Belgium at the Olimpico on Friday. Roma defender Gianluca Mancini is among those held back, though fellow Roma squad member Daniele Ghilardi has been included in the travelling party. The ten excluded players will undertake a tailored training programme at the Italian Football Federation's technical centre in Coverciano instead. Italy's next fixture after Turkey is a match in Paris against France, before the sides meet again in Bologna. The decision reflects Roberto Mancini's desire to manage preparation carefully and spare the full squad an arduous trip to Turkey. The FIGC issued an official statement explaining the arrangement: "With the objective of managing preparation best ahead of matches against France in Paris and Turkey again in Bologna, and not subjecting the whole squad to a demanding transfer to Turkey, coach Roberto Mancini has decided to organise a specific training programme at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano for Honest Ahanor, Nicolò Barella, Diego Coppola, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Daniel Maldini, Gianluca Mancini, Massimo Pessina, Samuele Ricci and Mohamed Alì Zoma, providing them with part of the technical and performance staff (Massimo Maccarone, Cristiano Lupatelli, Giulio Nuciari and Luca Bossi), as well as medical and physiotherapy support."

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Roma have decided to deny Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina permission to travel to Buenos Aires for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental stadium, organised by the Argentine Football Association to mark Lionel Messi's farewell from the national team. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—particularly for Dybala, who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi—the club has rejected the request. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was decisive in his opposition, viewing the intercontinental round trip to South America as excessively demanding at a critical point in the season, just five days before Roma's Serie A match at Como on 11 October. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a rapid visit, but no authorisation came from the club's Trigoria training ground. The club's rigid stance reflects broader concerns among Italian sides about the match's timing and short notice. Both Inter and Fiorentina have formally registered their disapproval with the AFA over the scheduling, which they regard as poorly timed during the European campaign. Gasperini's firmness was the decisive factor, with the club unwilling to release two key players for an unofficial fixture. The decision marks a firm boundary as Roma prepare for the resumption of their season.

Roma have refused to release Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina for Argentina's friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, where Lionel Messi will play his final international match. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—Dybala shared the World Cup victory in Qatar with Messi—the club's hierarchy at Trigoria has rejected the request. The intercontinental travel was deemed too demanding and poorly timed ahead of the Serie A restart. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini opposed the release, and Roma is not alone in its stance: Inter and Fiorentina have also raised objections with the Argentine Football Association over the fixture's tight scheduling. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a brief visit, but clearance was not forthcoming from the club.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Roma have decided to deny Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina permission to travel to Buenos Aires for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental stadium, organised by the Argentine Football Association to mark Lionel Messi's farewell from the national team. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—particularly for Dybala, who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi—the club has rejected the request. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was decisive in his opposition, viewing the intercontinental round trip to South America as excessively demanding at a critical point in the season, just five days before Roma's Serie A match at Como on 11 October. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a rapid visit, but no authorisation came from the club's Trigoria training ground. The club's rigid stance reflects broader concerns among Italian sides about the match's timing and short notice. Both Inter and Fiorentina have formally registered their disapproval with the AFA over the scheduling, which they regard as poorly timed during the European campaign. Gasperini's firmness was the decisive factor, with the club unwilling to release two key players for an unofficial fixture. The decision marks a firm boundary as Roma prepare for the resumption of their season.

Roma have refused to release Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina for Argentina's friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, where Lionel Messi will play his final international match. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—Dybala shared the World Cup victory in Qatar with Messi—the club's hierarchy at Trigoria has rejected the request. The intercontinental travel was deemed too demanding and poorly timed ahead of the Serie A restart. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini opposed the release, and Roma is not alone in its stance: Inter and Fiorentina have also raised objections with the Argentine Football Association over the fixture's tight scheduling. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a brief visit, but clearance was not forthcoming from the club.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Santiago Castro arrived at Roma as the club's primary summer signing and most expensive acquisition, with the Friedkin Group paying Bologna €36 million plus 10% of any future sale. However, the Argentine forward has struggled to establish himself in the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season, accumulating just 105 minutes in Serie A and zero appearances in the Champions League, while Dutch striker Donyell Malen has taken control of the attacking role with six goals in the first five league matches. Castro knew when he joined that he would have to compete for the centre-forward position against a player in exceptional form. Gasperini keeps all contests open in team selection, but the 2004-born forward has spent most of the early campaign on the sidelines. He was also unlucky in the recent match against Atalanta, striking the woodwork twice. Despite the slow start, Castro's credentials are strengthened by the endorsement of Francesco Totti, Roma's former captain and legend. In his new book *Oltre*, Totti revealed a noteworthy exchange from a dinner with Gasperini in March. Totti said: "I advised him about an attacker who was Santiago Castro, a winger and a midfielder, all foreigners. He thought for a moment, then said: 'The winger costs a lot, I hadn't thought about the midfielder and he wouldn't be bad, I really like the attacker. I think we see football the same way, like you did years ago.' It's not about taste, boss. I based it on the philosophy of your squads, particularly how you had Atalanta play for so many years." The convergence of vision between Totti and Gasperini underscores Castro's tactical fit within Roma's system. Castro has been called up to the Argentina national team under Scaloni. With the fixture schedule becoming increasingly congested after the international break, his playing time is expected to increase considerably.

Santiago Castro is searching for his breakthrough at Roma after a subdued start to the 2026-27 season. The Argentina forward, signed this summer from Bologna for €36 million plus 10 per cent of any future resale, has managed just 105 minutes in Serie A and none in cup competition, with zero goals to his name. Donyell Malen, his rival for the forward position, has already scored six times in five league matches and has started every game in both Serie A and the Champions League. Castro knew when he agreed to join Roma that he would compete for a starting place against an elite talent. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has shown no interest in discussing a pecking order, but Malen has consistently been handed the opening lineup slot. Fortune has not favoured Castro either: he struck the woodwork twice in the match against Atalanta. His limited playing time has made it difficult to build momentum, though Gasperini and the club expect his opportunities to increase when the international break ends. Francesco Totti, the Roma legend, has publicly backed Castro and revealed a behind-the-scenes connection to the signing. In his book *Oltre*, Totti recounted a dinner meeting with Gasperini in March and explained his recommendation: "I suggested to him an attacker who was Santiago Castro, a winger and a midfielder, all foreigners. He thought for a moment, then said: 'The winger costs a lot, I hadn't thought about the midfielder and he wouldn't be bad, I really like the attacker. I think we see football the same way, as you did then.' I said: 'It's not about taste, boss. I based it on the philosophy of your teams, especially how you got Atalanta to play for so many years.'"