Dybala returns smiling, Soulé uncertain over Roma future

Mile Svilar sustained a fractured fifth toe during training after stretching, leaving Roma without their first-choice goalkeeper in the coming weeks. The injury was confirmed after footage of the incident emerged on 10 October. Svilar will be absent for approximately one month and is expected to return after the international break. His absence creates an immediate opportunity for Pierluigi Gollini to step in as first-team goalkeeper. Gasperini addressed the injury in his press conference, stating: "Svilar fuori un mese. Per fare una grande squadra serve una proprietà molto coinvolta" (Svilar out for a month. To build a great squad you need an ownership that is very involved). Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable during the same period. The injury compounds Roma's defensive concerns as they navigate the fixture list without their established number one.

Mile Svilar has sustained a fractured toe in training, ruling the Roma goalkeeper out for approximately one month until the next international break in November. Roma released video footage of the incident, showing Svilar making a save before remaining on the ground and immediately clutching his injured foot. The injury represents a significant setback for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who loses his number one goalkeeper for the coming weeks. Pierluigi Gollini will assume the role of first-choice goalkeeper in Svilar's absence. Roma have also decided to reintegrate Devis Vasquez, previously left out of the squad, as Gollini's deputy during Svilar's recovery period. Gasperini will turn to Gollini starting with the away fixture against Como, with Svilar targeting a return after the November break. The goalkeeper will now begin his recovery process with the objective of being available after the international break in November.

Paulo Dybala is two goals away from reaching 200 career goals across all the clubs he has played for, and Roma's away trip to Como offers a chance to achieve that landmark. The Argentine has 198 goals to his name and would need a brace at the Sinigaglia to reach the symbolic figure during the match on 10 October. Dybala has a proven record of scoring multiple goals in Serie A matches. He has managed at least two goals in 17 different league fixtures, a tally that includes hat-tricks. For Roma, he has scored braces against Parma and a hat-trick against Torino, in which he led the team to a 3–2 victory at the Olimpico with three well-taken goals. However, he is still searching for his first goal of the 2026-27 season, despite contributing to Roma's attacking play. The Como fixture represents both an important match for Roma's league campaign and a personal opportunity for Dybala to end his goalless run and move closer to the 200-goal milestone that has become an additional source of motivation.

Paulo Dybala is two goals away from reaching 200 career goals across all the clubs he has played for, and Roma's away trip to Como offers a chance to achieve that landmark. The Argentine has 198 goals to his name and would need a brace at the Sinigaglia to reach the symbolic figure during the match on 10 October. Dybala has a proven record of scoring multiple goals in Serie A matches. He has managed at least two goals in 17 different league fixtures, a tally that includes hat-tricks. For Roma, he has scored braces against Parma and a hat-trick against Torino, in which he led the team to a 3–2 victory at the Olimpico with three well-taken goals. However, he is still searching for his first goal of the 2026-27 season, despite contributing to Roma's attacking play. The Como fixture represents both an important match for Roma's league campaign and a personal opportunity for Dybala to end his goalless run and move closer to the 200-goal milestone that has become an additional source of motivation.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Roma will be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar for at least a month after he suffered a stress fracture to his little toe during a training drill, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed at his pre-match press conference on 10 October. The injury is a significant blow as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures lasting until the November international break. Svilar's absence comes ahead of tomorrow's Serie A match against Como, scheduled for 12:30, with Bryan Cristante also unavailable due to a knee injury and Konstantinos Koulierakis sidelined by a contusion picked up on international duty with Greece—he will return to training on Monday. Gasperini described the setback as "a heavy blow" but noted that long seasons bring unforeseen complications. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal. Gasperini praised Gollini's professionalism, saying: "The only one to have rotated him continuously is me. He is an excellent second goalkeeper and now has the opportunity to play many matches. When he was at Atalanta he even became the third goalkeeper for the Italian national team. He has always trained well and has value. He must have everyone's confidence, but he is not a goalkeeper who has never played in his career." On the wider squad, Gasperini confirmed that Argentine players—Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and others—have only recently returned from international fixtures, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered well during the break and is ready to start. Gasperini added: "The squad has great confidence and great condition. It is an important match and we arrive with the same desire to perform well." Roma face a challenging fixture list, with Como, Juventus, Milan and Atalanta among the sides competing for top positions. Gasperini acknowledged Como's strength: "Como has shown themselves to be strong with their results. They deserve the praise and are a team of value." He noted that Roma's recent performance against Inter provided a positive foundation to build from. On squad rotation during the intensive schedule, Gasperini said: "With a tour de force—and hoping without further absences like Svilar—it will be useful to deploy everyone. Whoever is in the squad has my full confidence to play, as happened last season." Gasperini also addressed Roma's playing environment and the club's ownership. On the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, he stated: "I do not need to bring anyone to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious to me and the squad. Playing amid this passion, with a stadium always full, is something favourable and positive. The squad and players feel it." Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Gasperini reflected: "They do what they believe is most appropriate. To make a squad great, as I believe it should be, I think an important society also becomes so with an ownership that is close. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and that convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still at that idea and that vision."