Dybala's future in the balance: contract renewal or Boca Juniors move

Roma have renewed their interest in Issa Doumbia following his maiden start for Italy against Turkey on Sunday, which the Giallorossi won 3–1. The 22-year-old Sporting CP midfielder impressed Roma and Juventus during the match, according to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur. Doumbia played the full 90 minutes and was involved in the build-up to Italy's first and third goals, a display that has brought fresh attention to a player Roma were already monitoring during the summer transfer window. Doumbia moved from Venezia to Sporting in June and signed a contract until 2031 with the Portuguese club. His agreement includes a €80 million release clause, officially confirmed by Sporting at the time of his transfer. That figure does not necessarily represent Sporting's asking price for any negotiation, but demonstrates the club's confidence in the player and the difficulty of engineering a move in the near term. For now, Roma's stance appears to be one of interest and observation rather than active pursuit. The midfielder's performance in the Stadio Olimpico victory gave him a significant platform at international level. His involvement in two of Italy's goals under Roberto Mancini underlined the quality that has drawn Roma's eye previously, and the display has intensified Italian clubs' focus on a prospect already known to the Giallorossi.

Maurizio Sarri, the current Atalanta manager and former Lazio head coach, addressed Marten De Roon's departure to Roma in an interview with Corriere di Bergamo. The transfer sparked controversy among Atalanta supporters, who displayed a banner during the Atalanta–Cagliari match reading: 'You chose to pass through our history but not to belong to it… Goodbye'. Gian Piero Gasperini defended De Roon in his press conference, saying: 'What was he supposed to do? The old shoe.' Sarri offered his own perspective on the midfielder's exit, stating: 'With me he never spoke; he dealt directly with the club.'

Marten de Roon's summer transfer to Roma from Atalanta caused significant controversy in the final days of the transfer window, complete with offensive banners from his former supporters. De Roon, who is expected to start for Roma at Como for the first time, has already explained the split as a result of his marginal role in Atalanta's project. However, new Atalanta manager Maurizio Sarri told Corriere di Bergamo that de Roon never discussed the move with him directly: "With me de Roon never spoke; he went straight to the club." Sarri's comments suggest the departure was driven by club leadership, specifically Percassi and Giuntoli. Former Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini defended the Dutch midfielder's decision, saying: "What was he supposed to do, wear an old shoe?"

Radio pundits across Rome's major stations offered contrasting views on Roma's immediate prospects and Serie A title race as Gian Piero Gasperini's side prepares for a difficult run of fixtures. The central debate centred on Roma's chances against Como in the coming days and their broader credentials this season, with several voices backing the team to succeed despite midfield concerns. Lorenzo Pes argued that Roma has the tools to win both the Como match and later the Real Madrid fixture, though he cautioned against rushing Lorenzo Pellegrini back too soon. "I don't really expect Pellegrini to start, even though the Como match calls more for a trequartista," Pes said. "But putting a player who hasn't played since mid-April into a match that will be very intense doesn't seem wise." Mario Corsi framed Gasperini's anxiety around injury prevention as evidence of the manager's belief in the squad's potential. "Gasperini has a terror of losing players to injury," Corsi explained, "because he is convinced that this Roma with all its full complement can do something frightening. The injury to Cristante is not a tragedy; the tragedies would be injuries to Malen, Dybala or Svilar." Other contributors highlighted the volatility of post-international-break football. Fabio Petruzzi noted that both Como and Roma had individual duels to determine the outcome: "Where is the mismatch? Perhaps the head, how you prepare psychologically. I see Gasperini calm. He is a pain in the neck, in the good sense of the term, but he transmits tranquility to me; he seems like someone who knows he has something important in his hands." Alessio Nardo recalled Roma's poor record returning from breaks, citing defeats to Torino (0–1 in September), Inter (0–1 in October) and a 5–2 loss at San Siro in March of the previous season. On the title race, Roberto Pruzzo held firm to the view that Inter held a structural advantage despite a compressed table. "Despite the league being very tight at the moment, I still think Inter has 10 points of advantage over the others, but then it must put those points together and that isn't easy." Nando Orsi disagreed sharply, countering that Roma had nearly closed the gap and positioning the two teams as the likeliest contenders for the championship, with Como as a dark horse.

Rafa Benítez has identified Roma and Como as the two teams best equipped to remain competitive with Serie A's defending champions this season. Writing for Gazzetta.it, the Spanish manager analysed the upcoming Como-Roma fixture and the wider title race, highlighting the challenges both clubs face after the international break. Benítez recognised Roma as the embodiment of Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical vision, praising the key players driving their campaign. He said: "Roma is the expression of Gasp, his all-field pressing, high re-aggression, immediate long balls; an attacker like Malen exalted by the schemes and devastating, Dybala who has returned to his levels; Koné in midfield who demolishes and pushes, Rodrigo Mora who comes in and breaks things. When they are playing well, you struggle to hold them." Benítez also commended Como's setup under Cesc Fabregas, describing him as "special for the way and timing in which he is establishing himself" and highlighting young talents including Nico Paz, Baturina, Ramon (21 years old), and Da Cunha. Benítez expressed concern about the difficulty of restarting the campaign after an unusually long international break. "It seems unusual, therefore hard," he explained. "The last time championships stopped for such a long period mid-season – and even longer than this – was during the Qatar World Cup, and that time it was even necessary to bring squads back into retreat with different preparations. Three weeks turn you upside down, everyone had their players scattered around the World and few were left to train. I foresee problems."

Como-Roma ranks among the most anticipated fixtures of Serie A's sixth round, resuming after the international break. Rafa Benitez, the former Napoli and Inter manager, has framed the encounter between Como's Cesc Fabregas and Roma's Gian Piero Gasperini as a potential statement match. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Benitez said: "I imagine it spectacular, fought over, rich in tactical solutions and inventions." Benitez believes the match will offer crucial readings on the league's pecking order without being decisive in itself. "It won't certainly be a knockout match, but an anti-Inter contender can in some way emerge. They are the two most credible teams to sit alongside the Italian champions," he explained. He highlighted Roma's expression of Gasperini's tactical vision: full-court football, high pressing, and immediate vertical passes. The former coach also noted the stylistic similarities between the two sides—strong squads united in the pursuit of spectacle and guided by tactically aligned managers despite their age difference. Benitez singled out Roma's attacking threat. "An attacker like Malen, exalted by the schemes and devastating; Dybala who has returned to his levels; Koné in midfield who demolishes and pushes; Rodrigo Mora who comes in and breaks things. When they are well, you struggle to hold them," he said. He equally praised Como's young talent under Fabregas, citing Nico Paz, Baturina, Ramon—described as defending with the naturalness of a thirty-year-old despite being only 21—and Da Cunha as standouts.