Dybala faces late fitness test ahead of Slovan Bratislava Champions League clash

Roma's Primavera side, coached by Scala, face Slovan Bratislava in a Youth League match at the Tre Fontane ahead of the first-team fixture against the same opponent tonight. The youth side are looking for their second win in three matchdays, having beaten Fenerbahçe and lost narrowly to Real Madrid. Club CEO John Galantic and sporting director Tony D'Amico are in the stands to watch the game. They are joined by Margiotta, the head of the youth sector, and Frara, the club's Loan Manager. The presence of the club's senior management underlines the importance the club places on its youth development programme in the Champions League-level competition. The Youth League match traditionally precedes the senior fixture as part of the usual matchday arrangement, with the two Roma sides playing at the same venue on the same night against Slovan Bratislava.

AS Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico tonight, Tuesday 20 October, with kickoff at 21:00 in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase. Gian Piero Gasperini's side face the Slovak club after the spectacular match against Real Madrid, and more than 60,000 Roma supporters are expected to fill the stadium and push the team through an important stage of their European campaign. As communicated by AS Roma, the Olimpico gates open at 18:30, two and a half hours before kickoff. The club advises fans to arrive at least 90 minutes before the match to speed up entry and avoid queues at the turnstiles. Some hospitality tickets are still available through Roma's official channels. For any needs, the box 4 on Via Nigra will be operational until kickoff. Fans can also contact the club's assistance service on 06.89386000 or at [email protected]. Entry to the Olimpico requires digital tickets and season tickets only. Season tickets are available through the "Il Mio Posto" app. Supporters who have not yet activated their European competition season ticket must complete the procedure by entering their PNR and date of birth in the app. Tickets can be viewed in the same app or added to the smartphone Wallet, and tickets stored in the Wallet can also be used with NFC technology by bringing the device close to the turnstile reader. The club reminds fans that screenshots of tickets and season tickets will not be accepted for entry. Roma also reiterates its ban on resale through unofficial platforms and provides a form for reporting abuses linked to secondary ticketing. Three mobile merchandise stands selling official Giallorossi products will be active on matchday. They will be located on Via delle Olimpiadi, near the Pietrangeli stadium, in the Tribuna Monte Mario piazza and at the entrance to the Tribuna Tevere, on the obelisk side. The stands will remain open before, during and after the match, allowing fans to buy official merchandise at the final whistle.

Roma need a heavy win against Slovan Bratislava tomorrow, according to Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo, who said a comfortable victory would be important for goal difference and that a goalfest is required. Roma face Slovan in tomorrow's match, and the Roman radio pundits gathered their views on the fixture and the wider table picture. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino - 104,5, said: "The matches are very many. Roma will have to be careful, Slovan are stronger than Genoa. But Gasperini's team has already shown it can do well even with rotation." Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà - 90,9 looked at the league table, saying: "I believe 10 points will be needed to reach the playoffs. Last year the last two teams qualified with 9. In any case, tomorrow it will be fundamental to win, so you can reach the last three with the chance of getting to ten." Pes expects Pellegrini to start from the first minute against Slovan, with Soulé alongside him. He described the opponents as modest and said: "It is impossible that Totti stays out of the celebrations for the centenary. It is difficult that he becomes a director." He added: "There will be absences, but Roma have the possibilities to score many goals."

Former Roma striker Antonio Cassano has criticised the quality of Serie A and singled out Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in his latest appearance on Viva el Futbol. Cassano said: "With this Serie A, if I lose two kilos and play in flip-flops I make the difference. And if Nicola Ventola and I played up front together, we would do better than everyone else." He went on to back his own talent, saying: "I was a phenomenon. I played with ten kilos of excess weight, I didn't train, I decided what I wanted to do with my life." Cassano also turned his attention to two current Roma forwards. He said: "Dybala goes to a cylinder and falls over, Malen after eight years on the bench between Dortmund and Aston Villa is the top scorer." The comments are likely to stir debate among Roma supporters, given the contrast Cassano drew between the two attackers. José Mourinho was among the sharpest targets of his criticism, a week after his Real Madrid side beat Gasperini's Roma 4-3 at the Olimpico. Cassano said: "He is finished, he is washed up. He should stop coaching. It has been like this for more than ten years." On the Portuguese's style of play, he added: "A team of phenomena and he makes them play in an unworthy way, outside all logic. I would be ashamed in his place." He continued: "Old football, old football, without ideas. All he has left is the chatter." Cassano also suggested that Mourinho's continued prominence at the top of international football is helped by his relationship with agent Jorge Mendes: "He has the luck of having the best agent in the world, who if he wants will find him a place even on the Moon." In contrast, Cassano praised Gian Piero Gasperini, distinguishing the Roma head coach's work from that of the managers he criticised. The praise fits with his repeated call for proactive, attacking football.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava tonight at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, and Bryan Cristante is back in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. The midfielder had been out of the last few matches with a knee problem. His return gives Roma an extra option in midfield during a period of closely spaced fixtures. The match comes after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid, and Gasperini's side are looking to collect important points on their European campaign. Paulo Dybala is not in the squad. Gasperini confirmed at the eve-of-match press conference that the Argentine has a small muscle tear, and his recovery will take another couple of weeks. Manu Koné is also absent and does not feature in the list of players available for the European fixture. Mile Svilar is missing with a foot injury. The full squad list names Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi in defence. The midfield selection is Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora. Alessandro Di Nunzio is a young midfielder from the youth sector, and he was also called up for the league match against Genoa. Pierluigi Gollini, Devis Vásquez and De Marzi are the goalkeepers. In attack, Gasperini can call on Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro to lead the line. More than 60,000 fans are expected at the Olimpico for the game.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava tonight at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, and Bryan Cristante is back in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. The midfielder had been out of the last few matches with a knee problem. His return gives Roma an extra option in midfield during a period of closely spaced fixtures. The match comes after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid, and Gasperini's side are looking to collect important points on their European campaign. Paulo Dybala is not in the squad. Gasperini confirmed at the eve-of-match press conference that the Argentine has a small muscle tear, and his recovery will take another couple of weeks. Manu Koné is also absent and does not feature in the list of players available for the European fixture. Mile Svilar is missing with a foot injury. The full squad list names Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi in defence. The midfield selection is Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora. Alessandro Di Nunzio is a young midfielder from the youth sector, and he was also called up for the league match against Genoa. Pierluigi Gollini, Devis Vásquez and De Marzi are the goalkeepers. In attack, Gasperini can call on Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro to lead the line. More than 60,000 fans are expected at the Olimpico for the game.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, a third-matchday fixture at the Stadio Olimpico this evening at 21:00. The headline news is the return of Bryan Cristante, who is back in contention after missing recent matches with a knee problem. He has been working on a personalised programme in recent days and is available to Gasperini again. Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala are all absent. Dybala must continue his recovery from a small calf tear picked up in recent checks, while Koné remains sidelined after a muscle injury suffered against Real Madrid. Cristante's recall is significant for a midfield that has been very thin in recent weeks. Alessandro Di Nunzio has also been confirmed in the group. The young player features in the squad after making his Serie A debut against Genoa. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Udinese defender David Alaba is at risk of missing the match against Roma after suffering a muscle strain in his right calf. The Giallorossi travel to the Dacia Arena on 31 October at 18:00 for the fixture. Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini will be without some players for the trip to Udine. Mile Svilar and Manu Koné are certain to miss the match against the bianconeri. Paulo Dybala's availability is also in doubt. Bryan Cristante, however, is set to return to the squad on Saturday for the match against Napoli. The absences add to the selection headaches Gasperini faces as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures, with the Napoli game coming before the trip to Udinese.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the 2026-27 competition. Bryan Cristante is back in the group. The defenders selected are Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders named are Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma have named their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, and Bryan Cristante is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini. The club confirmed the list in an official statement published on its website. Cristante returns after a knee problem that forced him to miss around 20 days. Cristante's availability is good news for Gasperini ahead of a European night in Rome. Alessandro Di Nunzio is also included in the squad. Having made his Serie A debut, he now gets a fresh opportunity to show what he can do in European competition. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.