Gasperini holds pre-match press conference ahead of Hellas Verona clash

Rodrigo Mora has been called back into the Portugal senior squad for the first time in over a year, and will be available to head coach Jesus for Portugal's two Nations League matches. Jesus spoke about the Roma midfielder at a press conference. Jesus praised Mora's attacking contribution at Roma, saying the player had been very involved in the attacking phase, scoring goals and providing assists. The coach added that Mora fits perfectly into his plans for the two games. Jesus also discussed the possibility of deploying Mora as a centre-forward alongside João Félix. "They have the characteristics to play that position very well," he said. He added: "Rodrigo can also play as a centre-forward."

Gian Piero Gasperini has put his Roma players in front of the screen to work on their collapses, projecting full-screen replays of the match against Manchester, mistakes included, in intense study sessions. Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico, and the front three is confirmed as Mora, Malen and Soulé. The focus on the Manchester game reflects a wider concern at the club over losing leads and conceding late. Gasperini is using video analysis to show his players exactly where the errors came from, aiming to cure what the headline calls Roma's problem with comebacks against them before the home fixture.

Gian Piero Gasperini surprised his Roma players in the Old Trafford dressing room after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, choosing reassurance over a angry tirade despite Roma having let a two-goal lead slip. According to journalist Andrea Pugliese, speaking on Radio Radio, Gasperini avoided any hunt for culprits and instead highlighted the quality of Roma's performance in the first half of the match. Pugliese reported that Gasperini told his players after the final whistle: "We dominated," urging them not to forget how much good they had built against a high-level opponent. The message aimed to turn the disappointment into motivation. It was a significant choice, especially after Roma suffered their second comeback in the Champions League, coming just weeks after the one against Real Madrid. The approach matches what Gasperini said publicly after the game. He said: "This team perhaps needs to take off the pressure of the result at all costs. This match matters to us more than the others." Gasperini appears keen to protect his players' confidence without ignoring the mistakes that were made. The real test now comes on the pitch, with the trip to face Sassuolo the first chance to show whether the coach's words have helped Roma move on from the disappointment of Manchester.

Gian Piero Gasperini is starting Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, as Roma look to bounce back immediately from their defeat at Manchester. The three attackers all returned from international call-ups, and Gasperini is relying on their combination to drive the side forward. Paulo Dybala is absent from the squad for the match. Roma arrive at the fixture after a second-half display at Old Trafford that disappointed, and the club need a response before the international break. The side will rebuild around the Argentine-Portuguese partnership that shone in the first half in England. Soulé has been one of the club's standout performers this season, with four goals and five assists, and earned a call-up from Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Rodrigo Mora, born in 2007, has also impressed, and his performances convinced Jorge Jesus to promote him to the Portugal senior squad for the Nations League. Their combination was already on show at Udine and, in spurts, at Manchester. Their task is to set up Malen, who is also fresh from a call-up with the Netherlands. The forward is ready to face Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Alberto Aquilani, to find the net again, put behind him the setbacks of the Champions League, and push for double figures in Serie A. Gasperini's main weapon is the combination of Soulé, Mora and Malen, turning flair and quality into three points while Serie A's leading sides also meet each other this weekend.

Manu Koné is set to be included in the squad for tonight's home match against Sassuolo at the Olimpico, after more than twenty days on the sidelines. According to Francesco Balzani in La Gazzetta dello Sport, the final test yesterday produced positive answers, though not enough to say with certainty that he will start from the first minute. Paulo Dybala will miss the match because he still feels discomfort in his calf, and he will return when the league resumes against Parma. Mile Svilar is also set to return at that stage. Lorenzo Pellegrini faces a longer absence, with a return not expected before the end of January. Pierluigi Gollini has been given a thumbs down for tonight's game at the Olimpico. Devis Vásquez will be in goal again and will play in Serie A for the first time in 16 months. His last appearance in the top flight came on 25 May 2025 in Empoli-Verona.

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.