Dybala and Wesley set for Bologna return; Koné also hopeful

Roma Femminile start their league campaign tomorrow, 27 September, against Sassuolo. Manager Piovani addressed the intensity of the fixture schedule, saying: "We have many close matches that will be difficult to manage. Some players are not at their best and we will need to assess individual situations." Roma will face Sassuolo for the third time in less than a month. Piovani emphasised the need to replicate the team's previous victory against them, describing the away fixture as a challenging one. "We know their best qualities, particularly their combativeness. We will have to fight for every ball, but at the same time we must also be good at managing our forces. We will certainly change some players to give minutes to those who have played less and rest those who have played more so far," Piovani said.

Roma players scattered across international fixtures during the latest international break produced mixed results, with midfielder Manu Koné earning praise from France coach Zidane after a strong display in a 1–0 loss to France. Koné operated in a new midfield role that drew positive signals from Zidane, who was encouraged by his performance. Evan N'Dicka started for Ivory Coast in a win over Ghana, while Konstantinos Koulierakis remained on the bench as Greece lost to Serbia. Daniele Ghilardi did not feature in Italy's 2–0 defeat to Belgium. Gianluca Mancini started for Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in a poor display but now risks losing his place for Monday's match against Turkey. Rodrigo Mora contributed an assist for Portugal U21. Argentina's players remain on different timelines: Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are set to face Bolivia in four days, while Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend Argentina's celebration for Messi on 6 October.

Roma's Serie A fixture at Bologna on 4 December could be played without Roma supporters in attendance. The match clashes with a Virtus Bologna basketball fixture against Partizan Belgrade in the EuroLeague on the same evening, and authorities are concerned about public order given the rivalry between the two clubs' fanbases. Officials are considering a ban on Roma fans traveling to the Stadio Dall'Ara. In the transfer market, Roma are preparing concrete moves for the January window. Giorgi Kvernadze, a Georgian winger, fits the club's criteria for young signings and has emerged as a potential target. Roma's management would be willing to move toward the €25 million asking price set by Frosinone to accelerate negotiations, though Hull City and Borussia Dortmund have also registered interest in the player. Manu Koné continued his strong form with France in a 1–0 Nations League victory over Turkey, deployed as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation—a different role from his usual position. Zinedine Zidane praised the Roma midfielder after the match, saying: "Manu is not used to playing in that position, I wanted to see this side of him and he was very good in terms of balance." Two analysts also discussed Roma midfielder Nico Pisilli, with one noting his five appearances have included good performances but a normal pattern of variation, while the other highlighted errors in his latest outing despite generally strong displays.

Roma players scattered across international fixtures during the latest international break produced mixed results, with midfielder Manu Koné earning praise from France coach Zidane after a strong display in a 1–0 loss to France. Koné operated in a new midfield role that drew positive signals from Zidane, who was encouraged by his performance. Evan N'Dicka started for Ivory Coast in a win over Ghana, while Konstantinos Koulierakis remained on the bench as Greece lost to Serbia. Daniele Ghilardi did not feature in Italy's 2–0 defeat to Belgium. Gianluca Mancini started for Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in a poor display but now risks losing his place for Monday's match against Turkey. Rodrigo Mora contributed an assist for Portugal U21. Argentina's players remain on different timelines: Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are set to face Bolivia in four days, while Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend Argentina's celebration for Messi on 6 October.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's final international match, despite receiving invitations to attend. The Roma club and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini have jointly decided against the intercontinental trip that would have seen the pair reach Buenos Aires on 6 October. The decision allows Gasperini to maintain the full availability of both players throughout the international break and into the resumption of the league campaign.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's final international match, a decision made jointly by AS Roma and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Both players had been invited to the event honouring Messi and wanted to attend given its symbolic importance, but the scale of the journey — over 20,000 kilometres combined, many hours of flying, and the double time zone to recover from just before the league resumes — made it impractical. The cautious approach prevails. Gasperini will have both players available for training at Trigoria during the international break, reinforcing the squad for the stretch ahead. The timing is critical: Roma's next fixture is a trip to Como, which the club views as a pivotal match to build on a strong start to the season. According to Angelo Mangiante's report on Manà Manà Sport, the decision closed a debate that had dominated discussion in recent days. Dybala and Molina wanted to be present but ultimately the logistics and recovery period made their absence the prudent choice, one endorsed by both Roma management and Gasperini.

Emanuele Lulli is set to enter substantive negotiations over a contract extension with Roma in the coming days, with talks scheduled at the club's Trigoria training ground. The 19-year-old defender, who has emerged as a key option for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini this season after an eventful summer transfer window, will put pen to paper on a new deal that both player and club are keen to conclude. His current contract expires in June. Lulli's rise has come amid Roma's struggles to secure reinforcements on the flanks. The club pursued multiple targets to provide cover and competition at full-back—initially to replace Zeki Çelik, before Nahuel Molina arrived, and then to offer an alternative to Wesley—but settled instead on promoting the academy product into senior football. Gasperini's faith in the youngster has vindicated that decision. During the current international break, Lulli is on duty with Italy's under-21 squad under head coach Baldini. His agent and Roma's sporting director D'Amico have already begun preliminary discussions on the renewal, but the substantive negotiation phase will begin only in the coming days when the parties meet at Trigoria. A positive outcome is not in doubt, with both sides aligned on extending the relationship.

Wesley and Malen, two key players in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma setup, enjoyed an evening together at a Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking the Colosseum. Both players were absent from their respective national team selections due to physical issues and are working to regain full fitness ahead of the resumption of Serie A. With Gasperini having granted the squad four days of rest, the two Roma players made use of the break to unwind together. The meal was documented and shared by ARoma Restaurant on Instagram.

Wesley and Malen made the most of a rest day granted by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, enjoying an evening at L'AROMA, a Michelin-starred restaurant with a terrace facing the Colosseum. The pair took advantage of a cancelled training session to share a luxury dinner, with the Roman landmark providing a striking backdrop at night. They posed for a photograph with the restaurant staff, part of what the article describes as an evening marked by relaxation before returning to serious preparation. The outing reflects the strong camaraderie within Roma's squad, both on and off the pitch. Group harmony and positive morale are cited as key ingredients for optimal team performance. Training resumes on Tuesday, when both players will return to Gasperini's orders with a clear objective: to sustain what the article describes as an as-yet-unspoken dream.