Gasperini has no room for error in Champions League pursuit: Pisilli and Pellegrini battle for midfield spot

Roma beat Sassuolo 3-0 to move up to third place in Serie A, just two points behind the top of the table. With the league now pausing for international fixtures, Gian Piero Gasperini will use the break to recover injured players, starting with Mile Svilar and Paulo Dybala, who are expected to return against Parma when Serie A resumes. The break will also see 13 Giallorossi players leave Trigoria to join their respective national teams. The international fortnight comes at a time when Roma are looking to build on their strong start to the campaign and keep pace with the leaders. The Italian article also features a cartoon by longtime reader Michele from Oman, published alongside the match report to mark the departures of the national-team players.

Roma are already looking to the January transfer window to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad, with the club's primary target a left-sided attacking winger who plays with his right foot. Sporting director Tony D'Amico confirmed the plan to Sky Sport in the pre-match build-up to Roma-Sassuolo. D'Amico said: "We are missing a winger with pace, a player who can counter-attack. We will try to sign one in January, evaluating the opportunities, to give these characteristics to the coach." The winger has been a long-standing request from Gasperini. D'Amico said the list of profiles includes several interesting names, some already pursued at length in the summer. Among the favourites are Gittens of Chelsea, Kvernadze of Frosinone and Endrick of Real Madrid. The international break brings mixed news for Roma. Gianluca Mancini had already complained of a muscle problem in the previous days and felt pain in his right hamstring again on the morning of the Sassuolo match, forcing him to withdraw. The injury also rules him out of Italy duty. In total, 13 Roma players have been called up by their national teams: Vásquez (Colombia), De Marzi (USA U21), N'Dicka (Ivory Coast), Ghilardi and Pisilli (Italy), Lulli (Italy U21), Balerdi, Castro and Soulé (Argentina), Koulierakis (Greece), Wesley (Brazil), Mora (Portugal) and Malen (Netherlands). Mario Hermoso has been one of the club's key figures this season, becoming a fixture in every phase of play: solid in defence, effective in build-up and dangerous in the box. He has scored three goals this season, including the one that broke the deadlock against Sassuolo. The club want to tie him down and have reportedly already opened talks over a contract extension. The Spaniard's deal is currently due to expire in June. Those talks are said to be at an advanced stage, with both sides keen to reach an agreement and close the matter quickly. On Roman radio, the focus has been on the progress of Rodrigo Mora. Fabrizio Aspri told Radio Radio: "Mora's situation tells us that Gasperini is very intelligent. Mora was not a useful player for the coach. The player is moving very well, that goal is a number 10's goal. Not everyone makes that diagonal run, and the players who are important score that kind of goal. Gasperini is wise and has re-evaluated the player. Well done Gasperini first and foremost, then a little further on, well done Mora." Andrea Pugliese added: "Mora is an attacking midfielder, he doesn't have the pace to play on the flank. In January D'Amico will find a winger with pace. Mora wasn't used to defending at Porto. Last year he had different numbers. Malen, on that missed goal, did not expect that assist from Soulé."

Manu Koné returned from almost a month out with a dominant display against Sassuolo, and the numbers underline how much Roma miss him when he is absent. Gasperini blocked the midfielder's sale in the final days of the transfer window, and the midfielder's influence on the team is clear. Roma have conceded 4 goals in 7 matches with Koné on the pitch, compared with 14 in the same number of matches without him, more than three times as many. The article notes that the link is not a direct one, since Real Madrid and Manchester United are not Sassuolo, but Koné's cover, his ability to shorten the pitch and the transitions in which he excels are qualities the Roma midfield lacks badly when he is missing. Asked about the link between Koné's absence and the goals conceded, Gasperini replied: "Troppo facile così, i fattori sono tanti..." ("It's too easy like that, there are many factors..."). Koné was back after almost a month and looked rusty at times, yet he still showed why Gasperini kept him. In a game played at a low tempo, he intercepted passes, dominated physically and made runs into the area that repeatedly broke through the Sassuolo lines. His display came in only 66 minutes, against a Matic who, many felt, should have troubled him. The article's view is that the Roma midfield was short of energy and dynamism in the defeat at Old Trafford, and it leaves open whether Koné's presence would have changed the outcome there. His numbers were excellent: 56 of 56 passes completed, 11 passes into the opposition's final third, 11 passes to break an opposing line, one chance created, 3 balls recovered and 5 of 6 duels won. For Gasperini he remains irreplaceable, and Roma's task is to find other midfielders who can reduce the impact of his absence or who can play alongside him.

Roma's intensive run of fixtures is over, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given the squad three days off. Training resumes on Wednesday, with Roma's next match away at Parma on 21 November, after the international break. Gasperini is hopeful of having Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar back available. Gianluca Mancini will not join up with his national team because of a muscle strain in his right hamstring, and he will remain in Rome to receive treatment. Manu Koné will also be available to the coach for the next two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini's recovery is taking longer, and he is not expected back until 2027.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his side will not be drawn into talk of finishing second, after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo, and insisted the team would "stay on the perch like owls" while focusing only on their own results. Speaking to Sky Sport after the match, Gasperini praised Balerdi, who had played well at Manchester, and said the defeats in the Champions League were different from one another. "There are defeats and defeats," he said. "We lost against Real and Manchester, we had a run of wins, we drew and then always won in the league. The defeats hurt because they came late, but with performances of a high level and against teams of absolute value." Gasperini explained how Roma have been scoring goals with ease. "We reach the goal in a different way and with many players: we have reached confidence and clarity. The goal Hermoso scores is that of a quality striker. Soulé's performance was extraordinary, we have a predisposition to score, and we have done it even in defeats. This squad gives confirmations, not answers, and then you can lose." He added: "There was an unlucky episode at Manchester, that of Balerdi, and the match was born from an absurd penalty, and that must be said." Asked whether he would sign up for second place, Gasperini replied: "No. It is nice to play this championship. You must not have illusions, but neither should you be disappointed, especially when you make a journey like ours. Inter are the most accredited team, and for everything else we can compete like all the others. If you want Lazio too, I put them among these. If Inter slip up a bit, everyone else can have a go. We do not look at the others, they do not interest us: we will stay on the perch like owls." Gasperini also responded to Ciro Ferrara, who had recalled his early steps in Juventus's youth sector. "You were an incredible powerhouse, I learned a lot watching your training sessions. At that time Italian football was really strong. It was a great school." On the international break, which interrupts the league again, though only for one week this time, he said: "I hope to find the squad just as I left it. International matches please me when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little substance it is a shame to lose so many players, although wearing the national team shirt is always a milestone for a player." Gasperini concluded by discussing the fixture schedule: "It is difficult to play 9 matches in 27 days. We have had tough clashes against Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. Managing the workload has not been a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad and everyone has played several times. It has also been an advantage in giving value to everyone." He turned to injuries: "The problem is injuries. We have had Svilar out for 9 matches, Cristante at the start, Dybala, Koné has returned today, and we have lost Pellegrini. Our squad is competitive but numerically it is not among the largest. We have had some injuries to strong players but not very long ones, and not many in number, at most 3-4."

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to SkySport after his side beat Sassuolo, saying the win came through patience and quality. He said Roma had been patient against a Sassuolo side that sat deep, and that the goal from Mario Hermoso, which broke the deadlock, was the key moment. Gasperini said: "Loro si chiudevano, abbiamo avuto pazienza e abbiamo vinto la partita" ("They were shutting up shop, we had patience and we won the game"). He also praised Balerdi's performance after Old Trafford, saying he had put in a strong display apart from one incident, and said Hermoso's goal was the work of a striker. Soulé also drew praise. On reacting to defeat, Gasperini said there are defeats and defeats. He noted that Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United but then put together a run of wins, only dropping points in games against Como and Napoli. He said: "Sono sconfitte che bruciano per come sono arrivate ma sono state prestazioni di livello e contro due grandi squadre" ("Those defeats hurt because of how they came, but they were top-level performances against two great teams"). He said the team had increased its ability to score in different ways and with different players, and had gained important composure alongside confidence. He added that the squad keeps confirming itself and that Roma had scored plenty of goals against Real and United too. He also referred to a fortunate episode for Balerdi and a dubious penalty. Asked whether he would sign up to second place, Gasperini said: "Brutale: no." He added: "Però è bello giocarlo questo campionato. Non bisogna illudersi e nemmeno deludersi" ("But it is nice to play this championship. You must not get carried away, nor be disappointed"). He believes Inter are the most favoured side, while the rest of the table, including Lazio, can compete. On Como versus Inter, he joked that everyone is perched like owls. Speaking to DAZN, Gasperini said he was very satisfied, that winning is always enjoyable, and that the team had shown personality and quality. He recalled his time coaching Juventus youth teams, when Roma's Primavera side had beaten them, and said he had learned a great deal from watching their training sessions. Discussing the international break, he said he hopes to get the squad back in the same condition he left it, noting the break interrupts the league for just one week. He said national team call-ups are welcome when the matches are important, but that losing many players for friendlies is a shame. On the schedule, Gasperini said playing nine matches in 27 days was difficult, but the rotation policy worked and gave value to the whole squad. He said injuries were the main problem: Svilar was out for nine matches, Cristante was out at the start, Koné has returned and Pellegrini was lost. He said the squad is competitive but not numerically large, and that Roma had suffered injuries to strong players that were not long-term. Asked about improvement, he said there is always room and that the team wants to remove a few flaws, mentioning a few too many missed chances. He said the team gives its fans satisfaction, and that the club's aim is beyond results. Asked whether this is his strongest team, he said he had been unlucky in his career and that he could not make comparisons. On the transfer market, he said he is focused on the league and on getting players back, adding that Roma are clearly not well covered in attack. He said: "A gennaio si farà quel che sarà possibile, per ora non ne abbiamo parlato" ("In January we will do what is possible, for now we have not discussed it"). Gasperini confirmed Koné's return was a relief, as he had been out for seven matches. He said Koné had joined the group the previous day and was going well, and that De Roon, Cristante and Pisilli had all played a lot. He said Koné wanted to play and was given the chance. France, he noted, had made their own call-ups. Gasperini also said he would be in Genoa for an award the next day at 18:00.

Roma coach Palladino has said Artem Dovbyk is not yet fit enough to play a full 90 minutes, though the striker is available for selection. Palladino said: "We had a discussion and he tried to put my requests into practice. He doesn't have the condition to last ninety minutes but he is available." The striker has struggled to make an impact recently. Over the last two matches Dovbyk has watched from the bench, and across his last four appearances he has played just 14 minutes in total, a meagre return well below expectations. Palladino made clear the problem is not quality but fitness, stating that the Ukrainian is not yet able to guarantee minutes and reliability. There are signs of progress. Palladino admitted: "Artem pushed harder during the week." Roma face Monza today, and Dovbyk is hoping to earn a place in the starting line-up. Should things remain as they are, his return to Rome could come sooner than expected.

Roma's first team is running smoothly under Gian Piero Gasperini, with well-targeted signings, a recognisable style and young players developing well. The problem lies with the players out on loan in Serie A and abroad, who have struggled to establish themselves. Some were signed under the previous management of Massara, others under Ghisolfi, and some have been drifting between clubs since the Mourinho era. Many of them, if not all, could return to the club in June without having been redeemed, which the article calls a clear loss. Goalkeeper Zelezny is on loan at Serie C side Perugia. He has started every match, but his figures are less impressive: 17 goals conceded in 11 games for a side that was expected to be among the leaders. In defence, Angelino, Ziolkowski and Kumbulla are out on loan. Angelino, who has recently suffered serious health problems, returned to Deportivo La Coruña. He has made only one start, against Sevilla, and was sent off in the 59th minute. Kumbulla has not played a minute for Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and has made just one appearance in the Copa del Rey. Ziolkowski has one appearance on record, due to a serious plantar fascia injury, and is expected back in November. In midfield, El Aynaoui is a regular starter for Leipzig, but his performances have been unexceptional, with a single assist. Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga and 29th in the Champions League. Setting aside Romano and Baldanzi, who both have an obligation to buy, Cherubini has made 7 appearances and scored one goal for Benevento. Salah Eddine, who moved to Panathinaikos in September, has four appearances in total, and it is still too early to judge him. Robinio Vaz's start at Hull City has been disappointing: no starts, only a few minutes late in matches, and no goals. The Frenchman cost 25 million in January and is not finding a place in the side as he did under Gasperini. Mannini, who has also moved to Benevento, has no starts. Dovbyk risks returning as early as January. Palladino never picks him, preferring Osteegard in the unusual role of centre-forward given Piccoli's absence. The Ukrainian has scored one goal in four matches, all under Tedesco while he was still in charge at Bologna.

Artem Dovbyk's loan at Bologna could be cut short as early as January, with the Ukrainian forward continuing to struggle for playing time and full fitness. After Bologna's win at Cagliari, coach Raffaele Palladino sent a clear message to the striker: "Artem must push harder in training, because by doing so he too will have his chance." The words reflect a difficult moment for Dovbyk, who has scored just one goal and has yet to start a Serie A match. He has also been hampered by trouble regaining his condition after a long lay-off for an injury in January. The latest match seemed to offer an opening: with Piccoli unavailable and Enem dealing with a tendon problem, Palladino chose Odgaard as the centre-forward, leaving Dovbyk on the bench for the full ninety minutes. "Odgaard played because he has gone well in training and he has deserved it. Dovbyk has to give me more," the coach reiterated. Bologna signed Dovbyk on loan from Roma with a buy-back option set at €15 million, but it currently looks difficult for the club to exercise it. According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Bologna intend to wait until January to assess any developments. An early termination of the loan is not ruled out, with Dovbyk potentially returning temporarily to Rome before seeking a new club. That scenario remains hypothetical and would require agreement between the parties. The situation would be a dramatic turn, given the expectations with which the Ukrainian began his new adventure. Last summer Dovbyk said he wanted to rediscover the joy of playing at Bologna after the difficulties he had experienced in the capital. So far, however, his revival has not arrived, and the competition appears to have once again pushed him to the margins. Palladino is waiting for a response on the pitch, while Roma are following a situation that could reopen a transfer file considered closed.

Roma are already looking to the January transfer window to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad, with the club's primary target a left-sided attacking winger who plays with his right foot. Sporting director Tony D'Amico confirmed the plan to Sky Sport in the pre-match build-up to Roma-Sassuolo. D'Amico said: "We are missing a winger with pace, a player who can counter-attack. We will try to sign one in January, evaluating the opportunities, to give these characteristics to the coach." The winger has been a long-standing request from Gasperini. D'Amico said the list of profiles includes several interesting names, some already pursued at length in the summer. Among the favourites are Gittens of Chelsea, Kvernadze of Frosinone and Endrick of Real Madrid. The international break brings mixed news for Roma. Gianluca Mancini had already complained of a muscle problem in the previous days and felt pain in his right hamstring again on the morning of the Sassuolo match, forcing him to withdraw. The injury also rules him out of Italy duty. In total, 13 Roma players have been called up by their national teams: Vásquez (Colombia), De Marzi (USA U21), N'Dicka (Ivory Coast), Ghilardi and Pisilli (Italy), Lulli (Italy U21), Balerdi, Castro and Soulé (Argentina), Koulierakis (Greece), Wesley (Brazil), Mora (Portugal) and Malen (Netherlands). Mario Hermoso has been one of the club's key figures this season, becoming a fixture in every phase of play: solid in defence, effective in build-up and dangerous in the box. He has scored three goals this season, including the one that broke the deadlock against Sassuolo. The club want to tie him down and have reportedly already opened talks over a contract extension. The Spaniard's deal is currently due to expire in June. Those talks are said to be at an advanced stage, with both sides keen to reach an agreement and close the matter quickly. On Roman radio, the focus has been on the progress of Rodrigo Mora. Fabrizio Aspri told Radio Radio: "Mora's situation tells us that Gasperini is very intelligent. Mora was not a useful player for the coach. The player is moving very well, that goal is a number 10's goal. Not everyone makes that diagonal run, and the players who are important score that kind of goal. Gasperini is wise and has re-evaluated the player. Well done Gasperini first and foremost, then a little further on, well done Mora." Andrea Pugliese added: "Mora is an attacking midfielder, he doesn't have the pace to play on the flank. In January D'Amico will find a winger with pace. Mora wasn't used to defending at Porto. Last year he had different numbers. Malen, on that missed goal, did not expect that assist from Soulé."

Roma comfortably beat Sassuolo 3-0 last night, with goals from Hermoso, an own goal by Walukiewicz and a late strike from Mora completing the win. Italian newspapers handed out their player ratings, with Hermoso and Mora the standouts. Gazzetta dello Sport gave Hermoso 7.5 and Mora 7, while Corriere dello Sport rated Hermoso an 8 and Soulé 7.5, with Mora also at 7.5. Il Messaggero gave Hermoso 7.5 and Mora 7, and Corriere della Sera rated Hermoso 7.5 and Mora 7. La Repubblica gave Hermoso 7.5 and Mora 7, and Il Tempo rated Mora 7 and Balerdi and Ndicka 7. Coach Gasperini was rated 7 by Gazzetta, Il Tempo, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, and 7.5 by Corriere dello Sport. Across the newspapers, Vásquez, Molina, Wesley and Malen received mostly solid marks, with Koné and Cristante generally rated 6.5 to 7. Pisilli and De Roon were typically given 6, and Castro and Koulierakis were rated 6 by Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport, with several reports not assigning them a mark.

Roma bounced back from their heavy defeat at Old Trafford with a convincing 3-0 win over Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, and Mario Hermoso was named the best player on the pitch in the newspaper ratings. His goal broke the deadlock at the Olimpico, a striker's finish that set the tone for the afternoon. Mora was also impressive. He scored his third consecutive Serie A goal, and the Italian press described him as an important piece in Gasperini's plans. The win was Roma's fourth goal in giallorossi colours for the midfielder. Balerdi also drew praise after recovering from his error in Manchester, with a performance the papers described as showing great personality. The ratings across the papers varied. Vásquez received a 6 in every report. Hermoso was rated between 7 and 8, Mora between 7 and 7.5, and Soulé between 6.5 and 7.5. Balerdi ranged from 6 to 7 and Ndicka from 6.5 to 7. Koné earned between 6 and 7, Cristante between 6.5 and 7, and Malen between 6 and 7. Molina and Wesley were rated 6 to 6.5. Gasperini's performance was scored between 6.5 and 7.5. Substitutes were Koulierakis, who replaced Hermoso in the 77th minute, Castro, who replaced Malen at the same time, De Roon, who came on for Koné in the 66th minute, Pisilli, who replaced Mora in the same change, and Ghilardi, who replaced Balerdi in the 85th minute. Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation.