Dybala to stay at Roma and overhaul training methods to reduce injuries

Lionel Messi will start for Argentina in a friendly against Benin at 1 a.m. Italian time on the morning of 7 October, marking his final appearance for the national team. Three Roma players—Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro—will begin the match on the bench but are ready to come on as substitutes. The trio will witness a historic moment in world football from close proximity, present for what will be Messi's last game in the Albiceleste shirt.

Virgil van Dijk has reached 100 appearances for the Netherlands, achieving the milestone as captain in Sunday's match against Serbia. The Liverpool defender's achievement prompted Marten de Roon, Roma's midfielder, to celebrate on social media. De Roon posted on Instagram Stories: "Legend! Congratulations captain", sharing photographs of Van Dijk alongside a special tribute marking the occasion.

A documentary about Donyell Malen's path to AS Roma is being released on YouTube on 14 October, produced by Amazon Prime Italia. The film, titled *From Home to Rome*, traces the forward's origins and early development in football, including his time at youth club Success, where he took his first steps in the game. Malen has made a strong impression at Roma since his arrival and settled quickly in the capital. The documentary crew visited the Success academy's training ground to film and conducted interviews with Malen's mother and grandmother. The content will detail his childhood, the places that shaped him, and the journey that brought him to his new life in Rome.

Roma have resumed training at Trigoria following the international break, with Donyell Malen and Wesley working partially with the group. Most players involved with their national teams have returned, with only Manu Koné, Rodrigo Mora, and Argentines Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro still away. Gasperini is preparing Roma for a trip to Como while pursuing his 300th Serie A victory. The coach is studying Como's defensive approach, paying particular attention to defender Ramon and Diao, who have the potential to disrupt Roma's rhythm. Como manager Fabregas faces concerns over an injury to Kean, while Argentina midfielder Nico Paz is returning from international duty and will travel with his Giallorossi teammates, which could affect his form. On the squad's commitment, Gasperini confirmed: "Dybala chose to stay."

Gian Piero Gasperini has reflected on his opening year as Roma head coach, emphasizing the importance of continuity and the contribution of Paulo Dybala to the club's ambitions. In an interview with La Stampa, Gasperini addressed his methods, the squad's defensive solidity and the competitive balance of Serie A after five fixtures. Asked about his impact at Roma beyond tactics alone, Gasperini said: "As in all situations, I believe the secret is to work well, with professionalism, and then have good players available, excellent people, a fine club and an enthusiastic environment. It is a bit like when you work in vineyards: you must have all these components at your disposal." On how a strong defence is built, he added: "It depends; sometimes these are characteristics unique to teams. There are seasons when offensive play prevails. But ultimately, when you play at the top level, the formations rewarded are those capable of defending and attacking." When asked directly whether he personally persuaded Dybala to remain at Roma, Gasperini stated: "I certainly believed that Dybala, as a great champion, had to remain absolutely at Roma. But the most important will was his own, united with that of the club and the entire environment." On the wider Serie A landscape, Gasperini noted that after five matches it remains early to draw firm conclusions, but described the campaign as likely to be very balanced. He identified Cagliari and Frosinone as the sides that have impressed him most in the opening rounds. On his broader philosophy, Gasperini emphasized that paths forward are never straight: "There are always cycles, you go high, then you go down. And it is precisely in those moments that you must have the strength to restart and to believe."

Roma travel to Como for a Serie A encounter on Sunday at 12:30 for matchday six, immediately after the international break. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Wesley on the flanks, and Marten de Roon and Manu Koné in midfield. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini are set to operate in the attacking third, with Donyell Malen leading the line. Competition for places remains open in several positions: Evan N'Dicka and Balerdi are competing for the third centre-back slot, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are battling for a spot in the advanced midfield alongside Pellegrini. The selection is being shaped by ongoing injury concerns across the squad. Roma arrive still near the top of the league table but must recalibrate after two weeks disrupted by international departures. For Gasperini, the priority is assessing the condition of players returning late from their national teams and rotating the squad without sacrificing defensive stability in what is expected to be a challenging away fixture. Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, will field a 4-2-3-1 setup and attempt to exploit home advantage and their attacking resources. Historically, Roma hold the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with 13 victories compared to Como's 7, and 8 draws across 28 Serie A meetings. The most recent encounter came on 15 March 2026 at the Sinigaglia, where Como won 2-1. Roma took the lead through Donyell Malen's penalty on 7 minutes, but Como reversed the result in the second half with goals from Douvikas and Diego Carlos. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN via smartphone, PC, tablet or the official website. Official lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kick-off.

A documentary about Donyell Malen's path to AS Roma is being released on YouTube on 14 October, produced by Amazon Prime Italia. The film, titled *From Home to Rome*, traces the forward's origins and early development in football, including his time at youth club Success, where he took his first steps in the game. Malen has made a strong impression at Roma since his arrival and settled quickly in the capital. The documentary crew visited the Success academy's training ground to film and conducted interviews with Malen's mother and grandmother. The content will detail his childhood, the places that shaped him, and the journey that brought him to his new life in Rome.

Donyell Malen is set to be the subject of a documentary titled From Home to Rome, being produced by Amazon Prime. On Monday, an Italian film crew from Amazon Prime visited the Succes sports centre, where Malen began his football career, to film material for the project. Reporter Salvatore Marino and two cameramen interviewed club officials and staff members, including René de Kort, who worked with Malen during his early years as a player. Malen's mother and grandmother were also interviewed for the documentary. The film aims to trace Malen's origins and childhood locations through to his present life in the capital with Roma. The number 14 will return to action on the pitch at the Sinigaglia on Sunday, when Roma face Como from the start. The documentary is set to be published on YouTube from 14 October onwards.

Roma returned to training at Trigoria on 6 October in preparation for Sunday's away fixture against Como. After the international break, Gian Piero Gasperini found a larger squad available: Wesley and Malen completed part of the session with their teammates, marking an early stage in their recovery. Seven internationals — Mancini, Ghilardi, Lulli, Pisilli, N'Dicka, Koulierakis and De Marzi — also returned, while Koné is expected back on Wednesday. Bryan Cristante confirmed he remains sidelined by a knee issue that will keep him out of the Como and Real Madrid matches, though he is targeting a return as soon as possible. Cristante spoke at an Adidas event on Via del Corso, emphasizing the importance of continuity within the group and the shared determination to build something more solid. He described Roma as a more conscious squad, capable of competing steadily in the top positions of a long league campaign. He expressed emotion at the prospect of facing Mourinho and backed the new direction of the Italy national team, leaving open the possibility of a future call-up: "We'll see how the season goes." Gasperini told La Stampa he is in "a good period" but stressed the need for continuity and determination to sustain a high level. He spoke of natural cycles in a team—rising and falling—and the importance of having the strength to rebuild during difficult moments. The coach employed what he called a "vineyard metaphor" to describe his vision: building an important path requires daily work, professionalism, quality players, a solid club and an enthusiastic environment—elements Roma is now putting into place.

Roma travel to Como for a Serie A encounter on Sunday at 12:30 for matchday six, immediately after the international break. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Wesley on the flanks, and Marten de Roon and Manu Koné in midfield. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini are set to operate in the attacking third, with Donyell Malen leading the line. Competition for places remains open in several positions: Evan N'Dicka and Balerdi are competing for the third centre-back slot, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are battling for a spot in the advanced midfield alongside Pellegrini. The selection is being shaped by ongoing injury concerns across the squad. Roma arrive still near the top of the league table but must recalibrate after two weeks disrupted by international departures. For Gasperini, the priority is assessing the condition of players returning late from their national teams and rotating the squad without sacrificing defensive stability in what is expected to be a challenging away fixture. Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, will field a 4-2-3-1 setup and attempt to exploit home advantage and their attacking resources. Historically, Roma hold the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with 13 victories compared to Como's 7, and 8 draws across 28 Serie A meetings. The most recent encounter came on 15 March 2026 at the Sinigaglia, where Como won 2-1. Roma took the lead through Donyell Malen's penalty on 7 minutes, but Como reversed the result in the second half with goals from Douvikas and Diego Carlos. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN via smartphone, PC, tablet or the official website. Official lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kick-off.

Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro will arrive back in Rome on Thursday after three weeks away with Argentina, leaving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini just one day to assess their fitness before the match against Como. The trio will not train on Thursday, needing time to recover from a 13–14 hour transatlantic flight and adjust to the time difference after an extended spell away from the club. Friday's training session will be Gasperini's first opportunity to evaluate their condition on the pitch—a crucial window given the toll a long absence across the Atlantic can take both physically and mentally. With so little preparation time, the initial expectation is that all three may start on the bench. Castro was already considered a candidate for such a role, though Soulé and Balerdi present greater uncertainty about their readiness. Rodrigo Mora or Lorenzo Pellegrini could replace Soulé in the squad, while Evan N'Dicka remains the most natural solution in defence. However, a match lasts 90 minutes, and all three Argentine players retain the capacity to become decisive from the bench—a possibility Gasperini clearly understands. The timeline is tight: the players depart Argentina following a farewell celebration linked to Lionel Messi, then face the long journey home and the immediate challenge of reintegration ahead of the Como fixture.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is poised to start for Roma at Como on Sunday lunchtime as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares a tactical masterclass against Cesc Fàbregas. The Roma midfielder has spent the international break working intensively at Trigoria to restore his physical condition and has positioned himself as a strong candidate for a starting place. The fixture promises to be a refined chess match between two coaches renowned for their strategic approach; the pair already registered counter-moves and in-game adjustments in their two direct meetings last season that shifted match momentum. Pellegrini's versatility is set to be the tactical switch of the game. Should Fàbregas confirm a four-man defence in his starting 4-2-3-1, Gasperini will deploy Pellegrini on the attacking midfield line, free to move between the lines and supply the attacking pair of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. This setup is designed to remove reference points for Como's centre-backs and break the opposition's pressing lines. Roma's current strength lies in their capacity to adapt to the opponent's reading of play. In their last meeting by Lake Como, when Como switched to a three-man defence, Roma suffered from defensive escalation and had to shift Pellegrini into an unnatural wide position on the right. On Sunday, Gasperini's response will be far more fluid and effective. Should Fàbregas move to a three-man line mid-match, Roma will redraw their attacking setup without losing balance: Dybala on the right, Pellegrini in his favoured left position, and Malen as the central pivot. This variety of solutions is also supported by alternatives on the bench, where Matías Soulé and young Rodrigo Mora offer guarantees to replace either Dybala or the Dutch forward in the closing stages.