Dybala posting alien-level Serie A statistics in record-breaking start to season

Roma beat Sassuolo with composure, quality and collective sharpness, with Soulé and Mora taking centre stage and Rodrigo Mora finding his third league goal in three consecutive matches. Mario Hermoso gave Roma the lead with a powerful strike just minutes after an own goal forced by Donyell Malen, and the match was effectively settled from there. Vásquez, in the words of the match report, had practically a day off in goal. The win followed a difficult spell for the club, and the report describes it as a cycle of passion that has now ended with a chance to breathe before the end of November, which brings Parma and PSG. Roma's form in the league has been strong, and Mora's scoring run has made him a key figure in the attack. Gasperini's side regained control of the match after a heavy setback in England, starting cautiously and calmly before finding the gap in the Sassuolo defence after half an hour. Hermoso was rated 7.5 for a performance in which he played as an improvised partner to Malen, opened the scoring with a goal from the edge of the box, and was involved in the third goal after winning the ball. Balerdi (6.5) produced a headed clearance on the line and a shot from distance, while N'Dicka (6.5) was calm and composed. Cristante (6.5) covered an impressive distance, and Koné (6.5) controlled the midfield with calm and intelligence, though the report suggested he could shoot more often. Soulé (6.5) was praised for his control but criticised for choosing not to shoot into an empty net. Mora was rated 7, with the report calling his left foot velvet-soft and noting he ran as much as Cristante in the first half. Malen (6.5) was marked closely throughout, but scored with a diagonal shot after a double deflection and created an assist for Mora. Gasperini was rated 7 for restoring the team's composure after the English defeat and taking total control of the game. Molina (6) was criticised for focusing too often on backward passes, while Wesley (6) was sharp when Sassuolo tried to close space. Substitutes included Ghilardi, Koulierakis, de Roon (6), Pisilli (6) and Castro. Gasperini said: "giochiamoci questo campionato", which can be rendered as: "Let's play for this league title." The sentiment follows his earlier comment that he would not settle for second place. Roma now face a short break before the Parma match and PSG at the end of November.

Rodrigo Mora spoke to the media after Roma's 2-something victory over Sassuolo...

Gian Piero Gasperini praised his Roma side after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round of Serie A, with Gianluca Hermoso's goal from the centre-forward position unlocking a stubborn Sassuolo defence. Roma scored three goals through central routes. Gasperini said: "No, tante cose, tutte quante messe insieme. Ci sono state prestazioni notevoli questa sera. È chiaro che il gol di Hermoso è stato un gran gol, anche per come ha gestito la palla e per come ha calciato. È quello che ha sbloccato la partita e non era facile, perché loro si chiudevano molto. Però abbiamo avuto pazienza, abbiamo giocato con qualità." On the club's habit of responding quickly to defeat, the coach agreed but drew a distinction. Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United, the latter at Old Trafford, and the coach said those defeats came after performances of the highest level against teams of real quality. Roma drew with Como and at Napoli before a run of victories. Gasperini said: "Sì, è vero, però ci sono sconfitte e sconfitte. È chiaro che questa striscia di partite è stata veramente incredibile: nove partite in 27 giorni. Abbiamo perso quelle due partite contro il Real Madrid e il Manchester United, però abbiamo fatto anche un'altra striscia di vittorie. Abbiamo pareggiato col Como e a Napoli, poi abbiamo sempre vinto. Quelle due sconfitte bruciano perché sono maturate nel finale e in quel modo, ma sono arrivate al termine di prestazioni di altissimo livello, contro squadre di assoluto valore." Asked about the need for a character response after Old Trafford, Gasperini rejected the premise. He said: "Devo dire che sul discorso della risposta non sono molto d'accordo, perché questa squadra continua a dare delle conferme, non ha bisogno di dare risposte. Poi si può anche perdere una partita, magari per come è andata. Ricordiamoci che c'è stato un episodio sfortunato con Balerdi e che la partita è cambiata per un rigore assurdo. Forse è meglio dirlo anche, no? Su certi campi non è facile giocare, quindi ci sta." On second place, he said: "Guarda, brutale no. Però ti dico che è bello giocarlo questo campionato. Noi ce lo stiamo veramente giocando. Non bisogna mai avere illusioni e mai delusioni. Non bisogna illudersi troppo delle cose, ma neanche deludersi quando si sta facendo un percorso come quello che stiamo facendo noi. Non so cosa saremo capaci di fare." On the title race he said: "Io credo che l'Inter, come dicono giustamente tutti, sia la squadra più accreditata. Per tutto il resto ce la possiamo giocare noi, come tutte le altre che sono nelle prime posizioni. Anche la Lazio: se fa nove vittorie su dieci partite, io la metto tra quelle. E poi tutte le squadre che sono lì davanti. Se l'Inter sbaglia un po', tutte se la possono giocare." Inter play Como tomorrow at 18:00. Asked whom he would favour, he said: "Forse per il pareggio! Ma noi non guardiamo, non ci interessa. Siamo tutti sul trespolo, come i gufi." He will be in Genoa at that time to collect an award, a city where he lived for many years, adding: "sarò informatissimo sui risultati!" On development, Gasperini said: "Ci sono sempre cose da migliorare e sicuramente anche noi cerchiamo in questo momento di toglierci qualche difetto, anche se stasera ne abbiamo avuti veramente pochi, se non quello di aver sbagliato qualche gol di troppo. Però dobbiamo avere anche la soddisfazione di vedere questa squadra che a tratti gioca bene, gioca veramente un buon calcio e cerca sempre il gol." Asked whether this is the strongest side he has coached, having led Atalanta to very high levels, he said: "Questa è una squadra forte, ma ogni squadra è diversa e non si possono fare paragoni, anche perché sono diversi gli avversari." He added that the aim this season is to improve. On the transfer market, asked whether the club had discussed signing a striker in January, he said: "Non lo so. In questo momento seguo il campionato, seguo la mia squadra e la mia rosa. Sono preoccupato di recuperare al meglio i nostri giocatori, perché è abbastanza evidente che, anche per giocare così tante partite, siamo coperti in tanti reparti, mentre davanti un po' meno. Quello che si potrà fare a gennaio, eventualmente, si vedrà. Per adesso non ne abbiamo parlato." On Koné's return, Gasperini said: "Siamo molto contenti di averlo ritrovato. Ci è mancato molto. Si era fatto male con il Real Madrid, praticamente all'inizio della partita, dopo un quarto d'ora, e quindi lo abbiamo perso per sette partite." He noted that injuries have not been excessive compared with other clubs, but that a player out for twenty days typically misses six or seven matches when a squad plays this often.

Roma's intensive run of fixtures is over, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given the squad three days off. Training resumes on Wednesday, with Roma's next match away at Parma on 21 November, after the international break. Gasperini is hopeful of having Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar back available. Gianluca Mancini will not join up with his national team because of a muscle strain in his right hamstring, and he will remain in Rome to receive treatment. Manu Koné will also be available to the coach for the next two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini's recovery is taking longer, and he is not expected back until 2027.

Roma were coasting at the Stadio Olimpico, leading Sassuolo 3-0 in their Serie A eleventh-round match. Hermoso opened the scoring at 26′ with a left-footed strike under the crossbar, and Sassuolo's Walukiewicz turned a Malen shot into his own net at 30′. Rodrigo Mora made it three at 58′, cutting inside, beating a defender and finishing across Muric after a pass from Malen. The result came straight after Roma's painful comeback defeat by Manchester United in the Champions League, and Gian Piero Gasperini's side were looking to bounce back immediately and stay in the upper reaches of the table. Gasperini was without several players: Svilar, Dybala, Pellegrini and Rensch were all out, while Gollini was not yet fully fit, which meant Vásquez started in goal again. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrived without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Roma named Vásquez; Balerdi, Ndicka and Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Konè and Wesley; Soulé and Mora; and Malen. Konè started alongside Cristante, with Balerdi replacing the injured Mancini in defence. Sassuolo lined up with Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car and Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt and Doig; Laurienté and Esposito. Roma struggled to find space in the first half against a compact Sassuolo side, which made Hermoso's opener all the more important. Sassuolo's only real danger before half-time came late through Idzes, whose diagonal shot tested Vásquez. Roma missed several chances to extend the lead. Soulé failed to score from close range after a 48′ breakaway, Malen had a 54′ effort that Muric saved, and Malen again wasted a 70′ opportunity with a soft touch that did not beat the keeper. Molina also fired a 68′ shot wide, and Pisilli saw a 78′ strike blocked by Muric. Sassuolo made changes at the break, with Van der Brempt replacing Matic. Roma did not change at half-time. Gasperini made several substitutions later in the match: at 65′ De Roon and Pisilli came on for Konè and Mora, at 76′ Castro replaced Malen and Koulierakis replaced Hermoso, and at 84′ Ghilardi came on for Balerdi. Sassuolo brought on Adzic and Lipani for Thorstvedt and Esposito at 69′. The match was officiated by referee Di Bello of Brindisi, with assistants Peretti and Scatragli, fourth official Abisso, VAR Pezzuto and assistant VAR Guida. The live coverage ran from the pre-match build-up until the final whistle, with team news and in-game updates throughout.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.