Dybala's four-carat start: the best assist run of his career

Paulo Dybala has not missed a beat in Roma's opening weeks of the 2026-27 season. The Argentine has started all six matches so far and continues to feature centrally in Gasperini's plans. Even during the scheduled rest day before the squad returns to training on Tuesday afternoon, Dybala used his free time to work in the gym and shared images of his session on social media, keeping his mind firmly on the trip to Como. Roma face Como on 11 October in what the article describes as a significant fixture. Dybala will not travel to Argentina for Messi's final international match, instead remaining in Rome to prepare fully for the encounter. Gasperini has made clear he cannot do without the 31-year-old as Roma push forward in the new campaign.

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for their fixture against Turkey, with national team coach Roberto Mancini deciding to leave ten players at the Coverciano training centre to continue work there. Mancini joins Ahanor, Barella, Coppola, Inacio, Kouadio, Maldini, Pessina, Ricci and Zoma in staying behind. The decision reflects uncertainty over Mancini's starting place in Italy's defensive line. Coach Roberto Mancini is considering substantial changes to the back four following matches against Belgium, Turkey and France, with Di Lorenzo, Mancini and Coppola potentially replaced by Kayode, Scalvini and Bastoni, the latter returning from suspension. Back at Roma, the fixture list after the international break presents a demanding challenge: seven matches in 23 days beginning with the away trip to Como, followed by Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari and Udinese. This run will test both Roma's ambitions and the depth of Gasperini's squad. Roma's trip to Bologna on 4 December is under observation by the ONMS owing to a Virtus Bologna Euroliga match against Partizan Belgrade scheduled the same day; the proximity of the basketball arena and the Dall'Ara stadium, just over 2 kilometres apart, raises concerns about contact between supporter groups, though a final decision will come later. The trip to Como faces no such issues.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina want to attend a farewell match for Lionel Messi with Argentina on 6 October, but the timing poses a logistical and sporting problem for Roma. The event is scheduled for 22:00 in Argentina, and factoring in travel, time zones and recovery, both players would not be available until 8 October. Roma face Como three days later on 11 October at 12:30 in a crucial fixture for the top of the league that also opens a demanding run of consecutive Serie A and Champions League matches. The question of whether the pair should travel has become one of the most delicate issues during Roma's current international break. Reports differ on where the resistance lies. According to Il Messaggero, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini gave approval for Dybala and Molina to depart, recognising the special significance of the occasion for two players who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi. However, Corriere dello Sport reports that the Friedkin family themselves have applied the brakes, judging the cost in fatigue, travel and recovery too high ahead of such an important match. No final decision has been made. The situation remains open, though the lean of opinion is currently towards preventing the trip. A definitive resolution is expected on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria, when the club, Gasperini and the players must weigh sporting demands against personal wishes and reach a shared conclusion. Meanwhile, other Argentina internationals will attend the Messi event regardless. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are all on regular national team duty and will participate in the farewell ceremony, meaning they will be among the last national team players to return to Rome ahead of the Como fixture.

Paulo Dybala has not missed a beat in Roma's opening weeks of the 2026-27 season. The Argentine has started all six matches so far and continues to feature centrally in Gasperini's plans. Even during the scheduled rest day before the squad returns to training on Tuesday afternoon, Dybala used his free time to work in the gym and shared images of his session on social media, keeping his mind firmly on the trip to Como. Roma face Como on 11 October in what the article describes as a significant fixture. Dybala will not travel to Argentina for Messi's final international match, instead remaining in Rome to prepare fully for the encounter. Gasperini has made clear he cannot do without the 31-year-old as Roma push forward in the new campaign.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to feature for Roma at Como after six months away from competitive football, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini considering deploying him as a lone attacking midfielder behind two front strikers. Facing Como's organised four-man defence under Cesc Fàbregas, Gasperini has identified a specific tactical solution: positioning Pellegrini in the space between Como's midfield and back line, where the Roma captain can operate as a difficult-to-mark presence. Two opposing centre-backs cannot push forward aggressively without ceding depth to Roma's two forwards, while Como's midfielders risk being caught between lines and forced to cover ground without the ball. The role demands more than creative finishing or the final pass to forwards — whether the pairing of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala or the option of Santiago Castro from the start. Pellegrini must provide the aggression and positional awareness essential in the defensive phase. As a central attacking midfielder, the Roma captain becomes the first player tasked with pressing Como's initial build-up, screening the opposition playmaker and disrupting their play from the back. A 3-4-1-2 formation would offer Pellegrini a dual responsibility: playmaker when Roma regains possession, and first line of defence when closing space is needed. The shape appears tailored specifically for the trip to the Stadio Sinigaglia.

Francesco Totti marked his 50th birthday on 27 September reflecting on a career spent entirely at AS Roma. The former captain, born on 27 September 1976 and wearing the same giallorossi shirt for 25 of those 50 years, granted a lengthy interview to Corriere dello Sport director Ivan Zazzaroni to discuss the most intimate moments of his time at the club and his relationship with the city. Totti revisited his final day as a player, seated on the steps of the Olimpico stadium. "I was afraid, I said so," he recalled. "In the end when you turn the page you never know what you might find. In that moment I thought back to all 25 years spent with Roma, with the same shirt, with the people." On a potential return to the club in an executive role, he stated: "It's not a sore point. I've always said that marriages are always made by two people." He explained his departure from a club position: "Being in the society and doing nothing, mentally the way I am, made me feel useless. One extra person." Totti addressed the number 10 shirt and Paulo Dybala's claim to it. "I think you don't give out a 10 when you've had 5 or 6 good matches. You have to organise around an important player who stays at Roma for a long time, not just passing through." He spoke of reconciliation with Luciano Spalletti, saying: "I made mistakes too. As you grow you understand your errors." Most significantly on his birthday, he said: "Roma gave me the chance to realise my dream. To wear one shirt only, the number 10, and to be captain. I owe everything to the city of Rome—I've always felt protected and I still do. We did something different, something exceptional."