Friedkin owners expected in Rome ahead of transfer market summit

Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico has been forced to withdraw from the Social Football Summit in Turin because of flu-like symptoms. He had been announced as a guest at the event, where he was due to speak at 12.30 alongside Sky Sport journalists Gianluca Di Marzio and Luca Marchetti, but he had to decline the invitation. On Monday, the club's chief business officer Gandler and head of institutional relations Lucia Bernabé spoke on the stage at the summit. The absence comes at a busy time for the club, with a transfer-market meeting planned at Trigoria in the coming days involving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the ownership. Ryan Friedkin is also expected in the capital for those discussions.

Niccolò Pisilli, one of the standouts in Roma's strong start to the season, has spoken at length to Diario Marca about his love for the club, his brief spell as captain and his views on the club's great players. The Roman midfielder, also called up to the Italy squad, said: "È per me motivo di grande orgoglio. Una grande emozione. Non ho mai nascosto di essere un tifoso della Roma fin da quando ero molto piccolo." At 22, Pisilli has already worn the captain's armband. He explained that a series of circumstances put the armband on his arm: "Non è che ora sia il capitano. Ogni minuto che ho giocato con quella fascia è stato fonte di grande orgoglio e di grande responsabilità." Asked about Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, he was clear on the gulf between them and himself: "Sono figure leggendarie, non si possono paragonare a chi ha indossato la fascia per soli 20 minuti. Non so quante partite abbiano giocato con quella fascia; hanno fatto la storia di questo club. Io sono ancora solo un ragazzo, ho 22 anni, e ho giocato 20 minuti con la fascia solo per caso." As a boy he had posters of both legends, but he added: "Ma non ho mai avuto un singolo idolo. Ho sempre amato il calcio in generale." Pisilli spoke warmly about José Mourinho, who gave him his first-team debut and the satisfaction of scoring his first goal. "Mourinho si è davvero immedesimato in Roma e nell'atmosfera della Roma. Gli sarò sempre grato perché mi ha dato l'opportunità di esordire con questa maglia." That first goal was the 3-0 in a Europa League match. He recalled the moment: "Quando la palla è entrata, ho detto: 'Non ci posso credere'... Persino negli spogliatoi non riuscivo a calmarmi." He called Mourinho "una persona davvero squisita", adding: "Quando parli con lui, cerchi di imparare il più possibile." On the derby with SS Lazio, which he said is strong this season, Pisilli noted both Roman sides are doing well but that the final verdict will come at the end of the season. "Al di là della classifica, queste sono sempre partite molto difficili e molto speciali." He praised the current Serie A as "molto emozionante", with more action, more dynamism and more goals. On head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, he said: "L'allenatore non ha bisogno di presentazioni. Ha cambiato la storia di un club come l'Atalanta. È arrivato da noi e nel suo primo anno abbiamo ottenuto un grande risultato, tornando in Champions League. È un maestro." Pisilli said his main role is as a trequartista, but that the coach's instructions decide it: "Alla fine, più che i ruoli in sé, sono gli schemi di gioco a fare la differenza." He admired Pedri's "grande personalità con il pallone e un'enorme calma" and said he grew up watching Guardiola's Barcelona. Reflecting on the Champions League match against Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico, a few weeks ago, he said: "Abbiamo giocato molto bene per gran parte dell'incontro, ma abbiamo avuto tre momenti di calo in situazioni molto simili." He added: "Penso che abbiamo dimostrato di poter competere con chiunque. Quei 70 minuti contro il Real Madrid sono stati davvero molto positivi." On the national side, he said Italy "ha tutto il necessario" to return to the top after its long absence from the World Cup, and that the first cycle under the new coach had gone well. He described Spain as perhaps the strongest team in the world right now, while pointing to Italy's good performance against France as proof of what the squad can do.

Roma's away fixture at Parma on 21 November has been thrown into doubt after the Osservatorio Nazionale sulle Manifestazioni Sportive suspended its ruling on ticket sales for the match at the Stadio Tardini. The decision, as reported by Il Romanista, leaves the situation for Roma's travelling supporters pending further assessment by the competent bodies. For now the suspension is not a definitive ban, but there is a real possibility that restrictions could be introduced for access to the away section. Roma are preparing to return to action after the international break, and the fixture is an important one as the league resumes. Whether Roma fans can buy tickets normally or whether limits will be applied will depend on the next measures issued by the authorities. The match is scheduled for 21 November at the Stadio Tardini, Parma. The Osservatorio's decision on the sale of tickets for Parma-Roma, the fixture set for the coming 21 November, remains the key point for supporters planning to follow the team away from the Stadio Olimpico.