Gasperini effect: Roma make emphatic start, eyes on the prize

Cesc Fabregas spoke in a press conference on the eve of Como's match against Roma on 11 October, offering substantial praise for the opposition and their head coach. Fabregas described Roma as "a very proactive, very offensive squad that allows itself many attacking players up front" and spoke of his respect for Gasperini's tactical approach. "A great squad and a great coach," Fabregas said. "He has managed for 30 years. If you look at his way of playing it is to be admired. Enormous respect. He has his own way of playing, changes little and really believes in what he does." The Como manager also discussed how both teams favour an attacking style. "We want both to be offensive, with movement. I like watching their matches," he noted. Fabregas acknowledged the challenges Roma present: they field many young players developed under Gasperini's guidance, and their attacking intent creates a tactical clash that should produce an engaging contest. On Como's injury situation, Fabregas revealed that forward Kean will be sidelined for a week to 10 days after suffering a knock during international duty against Belgium. "He took an important blow against Belgium," Fabregas explained. "Communication between the federation and the club—as happens for everyone—could be better. He played 90 minutes, with an injury identified after yesterday's scan. When he returns, he returns." Kean played the full match before the injury was confirmed by medical assessment.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Roma travel to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Sunday to face Como in a Serie A fixture that pits the division's joint leaders against a side seeking to recover from their first defeat of the season. Gian Piero Gasperini's Giallorossi won their opening four league games and were seeking a fifth consecutive victory against defending champions Inter before settling for a 2–2 draw at the Olimpico, with Lautaro Martinez's second-half brace cancelling out Manu Koné's first-half double. Roma spent the international break as joint leaders with 14 goals scored—only Inter have netted more this term—and are the only side to have scored at least two goals in all five matches so far. They bring a five-game winning away league run into this fixture, a streak only once exceeded in the club's history when Roma won 12 consecutive games between February and November 2017. Como enter the match three points behind Roma and seeking to bounce back after Frosinone's 2–0 victory halted their ten-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Cesc Fabregas' men have otherwise impressed, winning three consecutive league matches to follow their opening 1–1 draw at Udinese. Como's home record is formidable: only defending champions Inter have beaten them in their last nine games at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia (W6, D2), and they have won their last three home meetings with Roma in Serie A—as many victories as in their previous 11 such clashes combined. Como have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six home outings, a defensive strength that will test Roma's attacking prowess. Roma must contend with a potential absence: Bryan Cristante remains the only doubt after a knee injury forced him out of Italy's squad. Wesley Franca withdrew from Brazil's camp but should be fit to start. All eyes will be on Donyell Malen, who leads Serie A's scoring charts with six goals. Como's long-term absentee Jayden Addai has recently resumed full training, giving Fabregas his entire squad available. Tasos Douvikas is likely to start in attack ahead of Moise Kean, seeking to end his home drought after his last five goals all came on the road. Roma's starting XI is expected to line up as follows: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Mora; Malen. Como will deploy: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Da Cunha, Milla; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas. Despite Roma's superior attacking form and impressive away record, Como's resilience at the Sinigaglia makes this a tricky assignment for Gasperini's men. Gasperini could become only the fifth manager to oversee 300 Serie A victories should Roma add to their tally. However, Roma must avoid lapses in concentration in the second half, having conceded their last six goals after halftime.

Paulo Dybala is two goals away from reaching 200 career goals across all the clubs he has played for, and Roma's away trip to Como offers a chance to achieve that landmark. The Argentine has 198 goals to his name and would need a brace at the Sinigaglia to reach the symbolic figure during the match on 10 October. Dybala has a proven record of scoring multiple goals in Serie A matches. He has managed at least two goals in 17 different league fixtures, a tally that includes hat-tricks. For Roma, he has scored braces against Parma and a hat-trick against Torino, in which he led the team to a 3–2 victory at the Olimpico with three well-taken goals. However, he is still searching for his first goal of the 2026-27 season, despite contributing to Roma's attacking play. The Como fixture represents both an important match for Roma's league campaign and a personal opportunity for Dybala to end his goalless run and move closer to the 200-goal milestone that has become an additional source of motivation.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Roma will be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar for at least a month after he suffered a stress fracture to his little toe during a training drill, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed at his pre-match press conference on 10 October. The injury is a significant blow as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures lasting until the November international break. Svilar's absence comes ahead of tomorrow's Serie A match against Como, scheduled for 12:30, with Bryan Cristante also unavailable due to a knee injury and Konstantinos Koulierakis sidelined by a contusion picked up on international duty with Greece—he will return to training on Monday. Gasperini described the setback as "a heavy blow" but noted that long seasons bring unforeseen complications. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal. Gasperini praised Gollini's professionalism, saying: "The only one to have rotated him continuously is me. He is an excellent second goalkeeper and now has the opportunity to play many matches. When he was at Atalanta he even became the third goalkeeper for the Italian national team. He has always trained well and has value. He must have everyone's confidence, but he is not a goalkeeper who has never played in his career." On the wider squad, Gasperini confirmed that Argentine players—Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and others—have only recently returned from international fixtures, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered well during the break and is ready to start. Gasperini added: "The squad has great confidence and great condition. It is an important match and we arrive with the same desire to perform well." Roma face a challenging fixture list, with Como, Juventus, Milan and Atalanta among the sides competing for top positions. Gasperini acknowledged Como's strength: "Como has shown themselves to be strong with their results. They deserve the praise and are a team of value." He noted that Roma's recent performance against Inter provided a positive foundation to build from. On squad rotation during the intensive schedule, Gasperini said: "With a tour de force—and hoping without further absences like Svilar—it will be useful to deploy everyone. Whoever is in the squad has my full confidence to play, as happened last season." Gasperini also addressed Roma's playing environment and the club's ownership. On the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, he stated: "I do not need to bring anyone to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious to me and the squad. Playing amid this passion, with a stadium always full, is something favourable and positive. The squad and players feel it." Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Gasperini reflected: "They do what they believe is most appropriate. To make a squad great, as I believe it should be, I think an important society also becomes so with an ownership that is close. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and that convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still at that idea and that vision."

Roma head to Como with an unresolved dilemma in midfield as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini evaluates his best options against Cesc Fabregas's side. The main competition is between Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini for a starting place, with Rodrigo Mora having lost ground in recent deliberations. Gasperini is factoring in the condition of players returning from international duty and the tactical demands of the fixture. Soulé would have been the favourite to start from the outset, but his return from national-team commitments has reopened the contest with Pellegrini, who remained at Trigoria during the international break. The final decision will depend on both players' fitness and preparation ahead of the match. Beyond fitness considerations, Gasperini has studied Como's tactical shape and believes Fabregas may deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Roma coach sees merit in fielding a player capable of providing greater width than Mora on the three-quarter line—a characteristic that could favour Soulé above all, or Pellegrini, both currently viewed as better suited to the match's demands.

Roma will be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar for at least a month after he suffered a stress fracture to his little toe during a training drill, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed at his pre-match press conference on 10 October. The injury is a significant blow as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures lasting until the November international break. Svilar's absence comes ahead of tomorrow's Serie A match against Como, scheduled for 12:30, with Bryan Cristante also unavailable due to a knee injury and Konstantinos Koulierakis sidelined by a contusion picked up on international duty with Greece—he will return to training on Monday. Gasperini described the setback as "a heavy blow" but noted that long seasons bring unforeseen complications. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal. Gasperini praised Gollini's professionalism, saying: "The only one to have rotated him continuously is me. He is an excellent second goalkeeper and now has the opportunity to play many matches. When he was at Atalanta he even became the third goalkeeper for the Italian national team. He has always trained well and has value. He must have everyone's confidence, but he is not a goalkeeper who has never played in his career." On the wider squad, Gasperini confirmed that Argentine players—Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and others—have only recently returned from international fixtures, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered well during the break and is ready to start. Gasperini added: "The squad has great confidence and great condition. It is an important match and we arrive with the same desire to perform well." Roma face a challenging fixture list, with Como, Juventus, Milan and Atalanta among the sides competing for top positions. Gasperini acknowledged Como's strength: "Como has shown themselves to be strong with their results. They deserve the praise and are a team of value." He noted that Roma's recent performance against Inter provided a positive foundation to build from. On squad rotation during the intensive schedule, Gasperini said: "With a tour de force—and hoping without further absences like Svilar—it will be useful to deploy everyone. Whoever is in the squad has my full confidence to play, as happened last season." Gasperini also addressed Roma's playing environment and the club's ownership. On the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, he stated: "I do not need to bring anyone to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious to me and the squad. Playing amid this passion, with a stadium always full, is something favourable and positive. The squad and players feel it." Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Gasperini reflected: "They do what they believe is most appropriate. To make a squad great, as I believe it should be, I think an important society also becomes so with an ownership that is close. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and that convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still at that idea and that vision."

Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed that goalkeeper Mile Svilar will miss around a month of action following an injury sustained a week ago during training, but expressed confidence that Pierluigi Gollini can perform the role. Speaking at a press conference on the eve of Como's visit to Roma, Gasperini said Gollini has the quality to step in: "In his career perhaps I'm the only one who has made him play with continuity. He's an excellent second. Now he has the opportunity to play regularly. When I coached him at Genoa he reached being second in the national team for a couple of years. He has the ability, he's trained well these months. He must have everyone's confidence. Now he has the possibility to give continuity." Gasperini also confirmed that captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has fully recovered from his injury during the three-week international break. "Pellegrini is fine, these weeks have been very useful. He is recovered," the coach said. The squad was assembling gradually after the break, with Argentine players arriving last to train together for the first time yesterday. Gasperini stressed that Roma will play many fixtures in the coming period—nine matches in 27 days—allowing him to rotate players across all positions, including the external lanes where Wesley has performed strongly. Wesley was described as having played "extraordinary" against Inter, though Gasperini made clear these are personal assessments. On the defensive issues that have emerged early in the season, Gasperini said: "These are sometimes particular. Pay attention to them, but I am very satisfied with the goals we score in the first half, or the recoveries. We seek to maintain the good. Having conceded goals in the same situation at the start of the second half makes you think but in my opinion they were more individual situations than a team attitude." Midfielder Rodrigo Mora, recently arrived, will be available, as will Marten de Roon and Nahuel Molina—all of whom benefited from the break. Leonardo Balerdi departed during the break. Gasperini noted that 18 outfield players plus Gollini are in movement, with 16 set to play tomorrow. On Roma's ownership, Gasperini said: "They do what they think is most appropriate. To make a squad like I think important, I believe a big society also becomes that with an ownership close by. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and this convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still in that idea and that vision." The coach dismissed suggestions that Roma's environment is limiting, saying: "I don't have to bring anyone over to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious for me and the squad. Playing in the middle of this passion with a stadium always full is something favourable and positive."

Como manager Cesc Fabregas held a pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow's fixture against Roma at the Sinigaglia, kick-off 12:30. Fabregas gave Roma significant credit, saying: "A grandissima squadra and a great coach. Great respect for what they do, we will try to play a big match and play as we know how." Kean will miss the match after sustaining an injury during international duty. Fabregas explained: "He will have a week or 10 days of stop, he took an important blow against Belgium. After the MRI yesterday, with 90 minutes played, when he returns, he returns." The Como boss was asked whether Kean could partner Douvikas in attack but ruled it out for now, despite speaking with Mancini about the possibility. "I don't see it at the moment," Fabrekas said. "Ovviamente it is a solution in more." Fabregas reflected on Como's recent form following their loss to Frosinone before the international break. "It was a match that made people think," he said. "All matches must be tried to win, there is never a perfect time. We didn't play a great match, knowing some things that would have done us a lot of good. But we had confrontations after." Looking ahead to a congested fixture schedule, Fabregas signalled increased rotation. He noted the logistical challenges: "The return from Holland at 2–3 in the morning—we've never done that and I can't explain how it will go. When it really happens maybe I'll adopt another plan." He added that every player will have opportunities, as Como have double-strength options in practically every position.

Mile Svilar's availability for Roma's Serie A fixture against Como on 11 October is uncertain after he sustained a finger injury during the match against Inter. The goalkeeper has not trained with the squad in recent days, and optimism has diminished as the match approaches. Pierluigi Gollini, who arrived in January 2025, stands ready to deputise. Since his arrival in the capital, Gollini has played only once — against Panathinaikos in the final matchday of last season's UEFA Europa League group phase. Gian Piero Gasperini will make his final decision at today's training session. Roma face tactical decisions elsewhere ahead of the 12:30 kickoff on matchday six. Behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, one of Rodrigo Mora, Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini will operate in the attacking midfield role. Marten de Roon will replace the injured Bryan Cristante in the centre of midfield, partnering Manu Koné. Wesley lines up at left back, with a contest between Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli for the right flank. The back three consists of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. The squad departs for Como today.

Roma travel to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Sunday to face Como in a Serie A fixture that pits the division's joint leaders against a side seeking to recover from their first defeat of the season. Gian Piero Gasperini's Giallorossi won their opening four league games and were seeking a fifth consecutive victory against defending champions Inter before settling for a 2–2 draw at the Olimpico, with Lautaro Martinez's second-half brace cancelling out Manu Koné's first-half double. Roma spent the international break as joint leaders with 14 goals scored—only Inter have netted more this term—and are the only side to have scored at least two goals in all five matches so far. They bring a five-game winning away league run into this fixture, a streak only once exceeded in the club's history when Roma won 12 consecutive games between February and November 2017. Como enter the match three points behind Roma and seeking to bounce back after Frosinone's 2–0 victory halted their ten-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Cesc Fabregas' men have otherwise impressed, winning three consecutive league matches to follow their opening 1–1 draw at Udinese. Como's home record is formidable: only defending champions Inter have beaten them in their last nine games at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia (W6, D2), and they have won their last three home meetings with Roma in Serie A—as many victories as in their previous 11 such clashes combined. Como have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six home outings, a defensive strength that will test Roma's attacking prowess. Roma must contend with a potential absence: Bryan Cristante remains the only doubt after a knee injury forced him out of Italy's squad. Wesley Franca withdrew from Brazil's camp but should be fit to start. All eyes will be on Donyell Malen, who leads Serie A's scoring charts with six goals. Como's long-term absentee Jayden Addai has recently resumed full training, giving Fabregas his entire squad available. Tasos Douvikas is likely to start in attack ahead of Moise Kean, seeking to end his home drought after his last five goals all came on the road. Roma's starting XI is expected to line up as follows: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Mora; Malen. Como will deploy: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Da Cunha, Milla; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas. Despite Roma's superior attacking form and impressive away record, Como's resilience at the Sinigaglia makes this a tricky assignment for Gasperini's men. Gasperini could become only the fifth manager to oversee 300 Serie A victories should Roma add to their tally. However, Roma must avoid lapses in concentration in the second half, having conceded their last six goals after halftime.