El Shaarawy weds Pagani with Roma teammates in attendance

Gennaro Gattuso, manager of Lazio, delivered an effusive tribute to Gian Piero Gasperini at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, describing the Roma coach as belonging to the same category of tactical innovators as Arrigo Sacchi. Gattuso recalled how Gasperini supported him during difficult moments in his career, including when Gattuso was at Milan and Gasperini at Atalanta. "He is a great coach and has always been present in my difficult moments. When I was at Milan and he was at Atalanta he called me and told me to hold on, that he liked how my Milan played. We are somewhat alike, we both have strong characters, he has always made me feel his closeness. Nobody talks about it but he is part of the same category as Sacchi for the change he has brought. I and many colleagues try to repeat the things he does, but we struggle. A dinner with him would be an honour," Gattuso said. The moment took a lighter turn when Gasperini appeared in a video message on stage at Trento, inviting Gattuso to dinner with a playful caveat acknowledging the city rivalry between the clubs. "I would be happy to invite you to dinner one evening, obviously not the week of the derby eh! I hope to see you soon, goodbye," Gasperini said. Gattuso responded immediately: "Going to dinner with him would be an honour." Gattuso also addressed the upcoming derby, explaining that he discourages his players and staff from discussing it prematurely. "When I hear my boys talking about it, or people who work in the game, I stop them immediately. There are still important matches; we will talk about it that week," he said.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini sent a video message to Lazio manager Gennaro Gattuso during the Festival dello Sport in Trento, extending a dinner invitation with a light-hearted caveat. In the message, Gasperini said: "I would be pleased to invite you to dinner one evening, obviously not the week of the derby, eh! I hope to see you soon, bye." The exchange came as Gattuso was being interviewed by the Gazzetta dello Sport. Gattuso responded warmly to the gesture, thanking the Roma coach and recalling their time together at Milan. He said: "Going to dinner with him would be an honour..." The exchange highlights the mutual respect between the two managers despite their clubs' fierce rivalry in the Derby della Capitale.

Adidas has unveiled further previews of a new EQT collection for AS Roma inspired by 1990s design and style, following earlier reveals of the club's centenary match kits. Specialist portal Footy Headlines has published the first images of several pieces from the range, including a jacket, hoodie, white t-shirt and trousers set to release officially over the coming months. Similar vintage-inspired collections have already launched for other Adidas clubs including Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Donyell Malen is ready to lead Roma's attack again after overcoming a knee problem, with the trip to Como on his mind as a crucial fixture in the club's pursuit of Champions League points. The Dutch forward, described as Roma's talisman after an outstanding start to the season, will face Como for the second time this year—a rematch of the 15 March encounter when his penalty, created by pressing from El Shaarawy, could not prevent a comeback from Douvikas and Diego Carlos. That remains the only goal Malen has scored in Serie A that failed to earn Roma a win; every other goal he has netted has brought a victory or draw. Malen's form this season is exceptional. He is averaging 1.20 goals per match through the opening five matchdays—better than the top scorers across the major leagues—and Gasperini has encouraged him to pursue historic milestones by comparing his trajectory to Higuaín and Immobile. Reaching 30 goals would be a major achievement. Dzeko's Serie A record of 29 goals in the 2016–17 season no longer looks beyond reach; the path to breaking it runs through Como, and Malen knows exactly how to deliver.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is primed to return to action for Roma after recovering from injury, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini set to lean on him heavily during a congested fixture schedule. Pellegrini was included in the squad list for matches against Torino and Inter but will make his competitive return against Como. His last appearance came on 10 April against Pisa, a gap of nearly six months before Roma's big match at the Sinigaglia on 11 October. The summer transfer window failed to bring in the wide player or attacking reinforcement Gasperini sought, forcing the coach to rely on existing resources to manage the workload ahead. The Roma squad is stretched in attack, with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé occupying the playmaker positions on the trequarti, bolstered only by the addition of Rodrigo Mora. Pellegrini will have opportunities because of this shortage, particularly across October and November when Roma face a relentless sequence of Serie A and Champions League fixtures. He has shed the captain's armband over the past year but remains a squad leader. With Stephan El Shaarawy's departure, he is certain to serve as vice-captain to Bryan Cristante. Last season, despite some difficulties, Pellegrini was Roma's second-highest scorer with seven goals across Serie A and the Europa League, surpassed only by Donyell Malen, who netted 15 goals and has proved increasingly consistent in front of goal.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini exploded with emotion when Matías Soulé scored, sprinting toward the Curva Sud in a moment that recalled José Mourinho's famous touchline celebration in September 2021, when Stephan El Shaarawy netted in the 91st minute against Sassuolo. The comparison was striking: both managers had been unable to contain their joy at critical moments, running to embrace the supporters. Yesterday's display suggested Gasperini is restoring the emotional intensity that Mourinho once brought to the Olimpico. The exuberance was infectious, yet it came to an abrupt halt. A staff member physically stopped Gasperini before he could reach the touchline—not to dampen the celebration, but to protect him from a second yellow card. The coach was already on a caution, and a further offense would have meant a ban for Roma's next fixture, a sensitive away trip to Turin. The intervention, though it cut short the moment, was tactically essential. Gasperini's desire to celebrate was unmistakable, but the immediate need to preserve his availability for the coming matches took precedence. The incident encapsulated what has shifted at Roma: the club has rediscovered emotion and connection with its supporters under Gasperini's leadership. The Curva Sud will wait for their manager's unreserved embrace—though likely not for much longer.

Gianluca Mancini spoke on the eve of Italy's match against Turkey, expressing his enjoyment of the recent period with the national team. The Roma defender said: "A supporter must have faith and we must have faith in ourselves," while discussing Italy's recent revival under Luciano Montella. Mancini is looking to end his international assignment with a strong performance.

Marco Materazzi, the former Inter player and 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, has publicly backed Gianluca Mancini as the best defender in Serie A. Speaking at the Trento Festival to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Materazzi demonstrated his affection for the Roma defender, whom he has long been an idol to — Mancini wears the number 23 both for Roma and for Italy in tribute. Mancini is no stranger to Materazzi's admiration. When asked to rank Serie A's top defenders, Materazzi named Mancini ahead of Bisseck, Rrahmani, Akanji, Chalobah, Pavlovic, Balerdi, Ramón, Solet, Gila, Hermoso and Alaba. For Balerdi he noted: "You know he's a fan of mine and I'm his idol, so Mancini." On Gila he said: "I can't vote for a Milanista." When it came to Inter players, however, Materazzi's heart took over. Asked to choose between Mancini and John Stones, he replied: "Stones, he's Inter." The English defender prevailed over Scalvini and Bremer, but ultimately finished behind Alessandro Bastoni in Materazzi's final ranking.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the Festival dello Sport on 2 October about the foundations of his Roma project, the character of his squad, and the club's ambitions this season. The coach outlined how he has built the team around a clear playing philosophy focused on taking the ball rather than waiting for opponents, and how he has shaped the personalities of senior players to match that vision. Gasperini praised his defensive line as "one of the best in Europe," highlighting Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini as examples of players with both technical quality and the fighting spirit he demands. He also emphasised Bryan Cristante's importance as a player who sacrifices individual prominence for the collective good. On Paulo Dybala, Gasperini said the Argentine has enjoyed an exceptional start to the season with no injuries disrupting his availability: "He still has the enthusiasm to play football, you can see he is well. There have been years of physical fragility, with injuries that held him back. I always thought it was a training matter... He has remarkable fibre, he started training properly and this start to the season is extraordinary. He doesn't miss a minute." Gasperini suggested Dybala's reluctance to shoot from distance stems from past injuries but believes he will regain that ability soon. On young players, Gasperini explained his approach to developing Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli. He brought Lulli into the first team after observing his characteristics in pre-season training. Regarding Gianluca Romano, whom Roma have sold, Gasperini said: "Another young player grown in Roma, very interesting. I was sorry he was excessively criticised after his first Nazionale match, but it is adults who must be more cautious in their judgements. Romano's sale is a capital gain; often societies are forced to sell young players, this is not a good thing. In football the finest jewels must be allowed to grow." On Donyell Malen's arrival and early goal-scoring form, Gasperini explained: "At times planets align and things happen you think are unrealisable. We needed a striker because Dovbyk was injured. There were several names, then I came to know of this opportunity. He was leaving Aston Villa for a tactical reason, he wanted to play as a centre-forward and I have always thought he must play in the penalty area. This his ability to make three very quick touches is his weapon." When asked if Malen could match the 36-goal tallies of Gonzalo Higuaín and Ciro Immobile, Gasperini replied: "I hope so, I've told him that to motivate him... If he reaches 30 goals I would be happy anyway." On Roma's prospects and the atmosphere at the club, Gasperini said: "It was a very positive surprise; outside Rome it is described as an environment that swings back and forth. I found passion and enthusiasm, beautiful but also mature attachment. At this moment the fans are happy and recognise themselves in this squad, then clearly the maximum result would be extraordinary. But the environment is beautiful, there is a desire to play well to enthuse them." He also commented on the new stadium project, saying he had seen the rendering and it was "fantastic" but that the Olimpico in Roma's colours is already "beautiful, though the stands are far from the pitch." Regarding Roma's centenary in 2027, when the first stone of the new stadium will be laid, Gasperini reflected: "A hundred years is a milestone of experience and for me also of emotion. Think of how many people have carried this society forward, how many fans have dedicated their lives to Roma. You must carry all the history without renouncing it, to have an even better future. Roma's second centenary will be even more beautiful than the first."

Roman radio commentators debated Endrick's future and Roma's midfield depth in their daily round-up of opinion from the Rome airwaves. Agresti reported that Real Madrid want to loan out Endrick, and that despite Roma remaining in the picture and able to offer Champions League football, the forward is currently more inclined toward Milan. He has played only 4 minutes for Madrid this season. Mourinho had blocked his departure in the summer, but Endrick wants to showcase himself, and Milan are ready to give him playing time. The club from the San Siro have close relationships with Endrick's agents and had already tried to advance the matter over the summer; they are now reassessing in light of his minimal usage at Madrid. "Tutto dipende da Mourinho e dal fatto che lasci andare il giocatore" — everything depends on Mourinho and whether he lets the player leave, Agresti said. Pugliese suggested Mourinho's intervention in blocking the deal last summer reflected poor relations with the Friedkin ownership. He noted that Cardinale has a close relationship with Roc Nation, and Rodrygo will return to the Real Madrid fold in December, creating crowded options: Díaz, Yoro, Bernardo Silva, Mbappé, Vinicius, Diomande — too many players for too few places. If Mourinho wants to help someone, Pugliese said, "Penso che Mou se vuole dare una mano potrebbe darla Amorim, non a Gasperini" — he thinks Mou could lend it to Amorim, not Gasperini. On Roma's midfield, Pruzzo said young players must be given chances despite the errors they will make. He praised Bryan Cristante for playing every match and providing equilibrium and security to the squad and to Gasperini. "Nel momento in cui ti viene meno, devi avere un'alternativa a centrocampo: la Roma ha i giocatori contati, e questo può essere un problema" — the moment he becomes unavailable, you need an alternative in midfield, and Roma's options are limited, which could be a problem. Pugliese added that Portugal are pushing for Rodrigo Mora to play for the national team in the position left by Cristiano Ronaldo; Mora is a recognizable technical talent and should grow athletically. At Como, if Pellegrini is fit, he will play ahead of Mora.

Marten De Roon is preparing for a starting role in the wake of Bryan Cristante's injury, which will keep the Italian midfielder sidelined for approximately three weeks. De Roon, 35, is competing with Niccolò Pisilli for the position; Pisilli has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with a strong start to the season. The Dutch midfielder and Pisilli possess different characteristics, with De Roon operating as the more conservative option in midfield. Gasperini has consistently backed De Roon since his arrival at Roma, and the midfielder now has the chance to demonstrate why he remains the coach's trusted figure in the middle of the park.

Roma return to action after the international break with two crucial fixtures ahead: a Serie A visit to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30, followed by a Champions League match against Real Madrid. Marten de Roon is poised to seize a starting role in midfield after Bryan Cristante sustained a collateral ligament injury that will sideline him for approximately twenty days. The Dutch midfielder, who has joined Roma after several years at Bergamo, has impressed since his arrival and adapted well to the club's training environment at Trigoria. With Cristante sidelined, Gasperini's midfield setup has opened up significant space that de Roon is well-positioned to fill. The 33-year-old midfielder carries the tactical knowledge and versatility that suits the coach's system, making him a strong candidate for a starting berth in what will be a demanding double test across the domestic league and Europe's elite competition. Training resumes on Tuesday afternoon following a weekend rest period given to the squad after Friday's session. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Saturday before Roma's departure for Lombardy. The Real Madrid encounter follows immediately after the Como fixture, bringing the intensity of back-to-back high-stakes matches in rapid succession.