Dybala chases first European away goal in 1196 days as Roma return to Champions League

Roma scouts were among those watching Porto against PSV Eindhoven at the Estádio do Dragão in the Champions League, as the club keeps working ahead of the January transfer window to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. Sporting director D'Amico is looking for talent to complete the attack and the wide areas, where a left-sided midfield winger is still missing. Scouts from Everton, Manchester United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest were also present, according to English outlet Sport Witness. Many talents featured for PSV as well as for Porto, who are coached by Farioli. Among the possible targets Roma are monitoring is Sven Mijnans, an attacking midfielder born in 2000 who had already been followed in the summer. Also on the list is Bajraktarević, a Bosnian left-sided winger born in 2005. Roma will keep working on these ideas in the coming weeks, as a side that has made a top start still needs reinforcements. Porto's young standouts also drew attention. Oscar Pietuszewski, a right-footed winger born in 2008, is very young. Alberto Costa, a 23-year-old full-back, was close to joining Roma in January 2025.

Roma's defence has been named in the Sofascore Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, with Mario Hermoso, Leonardo Balerdi and Daniele Ghilardi all selected and dominating the back line of the ideal side. The trio's performance earned the recognition after they kept a clean sheet against Slovan Bratislava, the club's first clean sheet in Europe this season, and gave nothing away to Yaya Touré's side. The spotlight on the defence comes as Roma prepare for a big match against Napoli, with the squad continuing its work at Trigoria. The back line has been one of the strengths of the start to the campaign, conceding just three goals in the first seven Serie A matches. The Italian report adds that the award reflects the solid form of a unit that has been central to Roma's strong start, with the three defenders combining for a shutout that underlined the club's improved resilience at the back. Roma are next in action against Napoli, with the squad focused on maintaining that defensive record.

Roma's central defenders Hermoso, Balerdi and Ghilardi have been named in Sofascore's Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, after a performance that kept Slovan Bratislava out completely. The three Roma defenders gave away nothing to the side coached by Yaya Touré. Roma have conceded only three goals in their first seven Serie A matches, a record built on a back line that is growing more solid despite the absence of several players who were fundamental in recent years. The arrivals of Balerdi and Koulierakis, and the continued development of Ghilardi, have given Gasperini the option to rest two first-team regulars, Ndicka and Mancini. Sofascore's selection was described as deserved. The Team of the Week's defence, drawn from the best side in the League Phase, was dominated by Gasperini's Roma backline. The selection also includes attackers Doué, Nico Paz, Foden and Ngumoha from the wider group of top clubs in the competition.

Napoli host Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday in the 159th Serie A meeting between the sides, a fixture known as the Derby del Sole. Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri faces a difficult start to his tenure, with Saturday's clash offering either a chance to turn things around or added pressure on his position. Last weekend Napoli lost 1-0 to basement side Venezia, their third defeat in seven league matches this season (D1, L3), leaving them nine points behind early pacesetters Inter. Napoli bounced back in midweek Champions League action with a 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, their first points in this season's league phase after losses to Arsenal and Villarreal. Roma, by contrast, are enjoying their best Serie A start since 2014/15, with 17 points from seven matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini's side eased past Genoa last weekend despite the absence of Donyell Malen, maintaining a near-flawless league record this term (W5, D2). Malen returned to the scoresheet on Tuesday as Roma thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home for their first Champions League victory this season (D1, L1). History favours Napoli. The Partenopei have avoided defeat in their last eight home meetings with Roma in Serie A (W4, D4), their longest such streak since 1982. In 158 previous top-flight meetings the sides have shared the spoils 55 times (W50, L53). Napoli have lost three of their opening seven Serie A matches for the first time since 2009/10, and they are looking to record three consecutive league clean sheets at the Maradona for the first time since October 2021. Their scoring is a concern: they have netted one goal or fewer in five of their last seven outings. The only two exceptions came at this stadium, where they beat Bodo/Glimt and Frosinone by a combined 7-3. Roma return to the win column after back-to-back Serie A draws, and they have not won away at Napoli since March 2018. Roma had won four successive away league matches before being held to a scoreless draw by Como on their last Serie A trip, keeping three clean sheets in that run. They are the only Serie A side yet to concede a goal away from home this term, and could register four road shutouts to open a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Napoli's team news includes Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos on the sidelines, while Antonio Vergara's return from injury gives Allegri a timely boost. Rasmus Hojlund, the hosts' first-choice striker, has scored just two goals this season. Malen is available for Roma after serving a one-game suspension against Genoa. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf injury and will miss the match, along with Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund. Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The preview judges Roma to be in far better shape than their rivals, though home advantage and Napoli's historical edge in this fixture remain significant. Prediction: Draw.

Roma head to face Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli looking to end a long run without an away win against him, a record stretching back to December 2010. Roma are trying to stay in touch with Inter and Lazio at the top, but Allegri's side have proved a stubborn obstacle. Tomorrow's match will be Allegri's 29th meeting with Roma. The first came in 2008, when he was coaching Cagliari and lost 3-2 at the Olimpico. Since then the Tuscan coach has managed Milan and Juventus (on two occasions) and now Napoli. The last time Roma beat him away was 18 December 2010, a 3-0 win with a decisive goal from Marco Borriello. Since then, Roma have lost nine times and drawn three times against him in away fixtures. The most recent defeat came last season, with a goal from Pavlovic and a missed penalty by Dybala. Gian Piero Gasperini will now try to overturn the odds against his side.

Paulo Dybala is close to returning to Gian Piero Gasperini's squad, with Roma's attacker reportedly in contention for Tuesday evening's Serie A clash against Cagliari, according to Sky Sport. Dybala was left out of the squad for the Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava because of a small muscle injury, a fact confirmed by Gasperini himself. The latest indications suggest he could recover in time for the next league fixture, although his presence is not yet official and will depend on evaluations from the medical and technical staff in the coming days. A possible return would give Gasperini an important offensive option, though the Argentine's minutes will need to be managed with caution. On the other side of the club's news, Roma are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing a new contract with young winger Lulli. Sky Sport reports the deal should extend his stay at the club until 2031, reflecting the club's intention to build around the player in the seasons ahead. A few aspects remain to be finalised before the agreement is formalised, and it has not yet been announced officially. Both stories fit into Roma's wider work to strengthen the squad available to Gasperini: Dybala brings quality and experience to the attack, while the Lulli deal would ensure continuity in the development of a player the club clearly values.