Gasperini names Balerdi in defence and Manu Koné back as Roma host Sassuolo

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.

Roma return to Serie A action at the Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Alberto Aquilani, who arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking to bounce back from their Champions League defeat in Manchester and to secure a third consecutive league win. Gasperini has regained Manu Koné, who returns to the squad after more than 20 days out and will start on the bench, but he is without Gianluca Mancini, who is sidelined by a muscle strain and will also miss the national team fixture. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain unavailable. Nahuel Molina is back in the starting line-up and Rodrigo Mora is confirmed in attack. Vásquez keeps his place in goal. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, playing 4-4-2, start with Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. Gasperini is the sole coach in charge of the Giallorossi, while Aquilani leads the visitors. The match is the eleventh round of Serie A Enilive and kicks off at 20:45. It is broadcast exclusively live on DAZN and co-exclusively on Sky. Fans can also follow the live coverage on Forzaroma.info and through the club's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Roma arrive with the head-to-head record on their side. They have been unbeaten in 22 of the 24 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo (13 wins, 9 draws and 2 defeats), and have won all of the last four encounters. At the Olimpico, Sassuolo have won only one of their 12 visits. Roma are also one of only four clubs still unbeaten across Europe's top five leagues. With 28 goals scored, they have never netted so many in the first ten rounds of a Serie A season. Donyell Malen leads the attack and is the top scorer across Europe's top five leagues in the 2026 calendar year with 22 goals, ahead of Raphinha and Harry Kane on 21. Rodrigo Mora, who scored against Cagliari and Udinese, is aiming to score in a third consecutive appearance, a feat not previously achieved between Porto and Roma.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to retain the front three of Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Malen, according to a convergence of the main Italian dailies' probable line-ups published this morning on the eve of Roma's next fixture. Devis Vasquez is tipped to start in goal by six of the seven newspapers, while only Tuttosport suggests Pierluigi Gollini could return. Given the condition of the Italian goalkeeper, the Colombian is firmly favoured to start. The defence is where the picture is less certain. The most popular option is Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Leonardo Balerdi, tipped by Il Messaggero, Tuttosport and Corriere della Sera, and Gianluca Mancini, picked by Il Tempo, remain in contention. On the flanks, there is near-unanimous agreement: Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. There is also no doubt in midfield, where Gasperini is expected to rely again on the pairing of Cristante and De Roon. Up front, the choice also appears settled. Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen, who remains Roma's central attacking reference. The only dissenting voice is Tuttosport, which proposes Niccolò Pisilli in place of the Portuguese forward. The probable Roma line-up in a 3-4-2-1 formation is: Vasquez; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Rodrigo Mora; Malen.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Manu Koné in midfield for Roma's home match against Sassuolo, after the French midfielder overcame recent muscular problems. The game comes as the club's last outing before the international break. Koné's return is a key boost for a midfield that has been under heavy energy demands during a recent run of fixtures across Serie A and the cups. According to Sky Sport, Gasperini will also rely on the physicality and structure of Leonardo Balerdi and Evan Ndicka at the back, as the defence looks to regain solidity after recent outings. With Ndicka back to full training after his workload was managed over the last few matchdays, the Giallorossi defence regains a key pillar to provide cover and build-up play from the back. The simultaneous inclusion of Balerdi and Ndicka allows Gasperini to keep a three-man defensive setup with advanced wing-backs, balancing the push of the flanks while offering protection both on the counterattack and on set pieces and in dealing with opponents' aerial threat.

Roma return to Serie A action at the Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Alberto Aquilani, who arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking to bounce back from their Champions League defeat in Manchester and to secure a third consecutive league win. Gasperini has regained Manu Koné, who returns to the squad after more than 20 days out and will start on the bench, but he is without Gianluca Mancini, who is sidelined by a muscle strain and will also miss the national team fixture. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain unavailable. Nahuel Molina is back in the starting line-up and Rodrigo Mora is confirmed in attack. Vásquez keeps his place in goal. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, playing 4-4-2, start with Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. Gasperini is the sole coach in charge of the Giallorossi, while Aquilani leads the visitors. The match is the eleventh round of Serie A Enilive and kicks off at 20:45. It is broadcast exclusively live on DAZN and co-exclusively on Sky. Fans can also follow the live coverage on Forzaroma.info and through the club's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Roma arrive with the head-to-head record on their side. They have been unbeaten in 22 of the 24 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo (13 wins, 9 draws and 2 defeats), and have won all of the last four encounters. At the Olimpico, Sassuolo have won only one of their 12 visits. Roma are also one of only four clubs still unbeaten across Europe's top five leagues. With 28 goals scored, they have never netted so many in the first ten rounds of a Serie A season. Donyell Malen leads the attack and is the top scorer across Europe's top five leagues in the 2026 calendar year with 22 goals, ahead of Raphinha and Harry Kane on 21. Rodrigo Mora, who scored against Cagliari and Udinese, is aiming to score in a third consecutive appearance, a feat not previously achieved between Porto and Roma.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.

Roma return to Serie A action at the Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Alberto Aquilani, who arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking to bounce back from their Champions League defeat in Manchester and to secure a third consecutive league win. Gasperini has regained Manu Koné, who returns to the squad after more than 20 days out and will start on the bench, but he is without Gianluca Mancini, who is sidelined by a muscle strain and will also miss the national team fixture. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain unavailable. Nahuel Molina is back in the starting line-up and Rodrigo Mora is confirmed in attack. Vásquez keeps his place in goal. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, playing 4-4-2, start with Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. Gasperini is the sole coach in charge of the Giallorossi, while Aquilani leads the visitors. The match is the eleventh round of Serie A Enilive and kicks off at 20:45. It is broadcast exclusively live on DAZN and co-exclusively on Sky. Fans can also follow the live coverage on Forzaroma.info and through the club's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Roma arrive with the head-to-head record on their side. They have been unbeaten in 22 of the 24 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo (13 wins, 9 draws and 2 defeats), and have won all of the last four encounters. At the Olimpico, Sassuolo have won only one of their 12 visits. Roma are also one of only four clubs still unbeaten across Europe's top five leagues. With 28 goals scored, they have never netted so many in the first ten rounds of a Serie A season. Donyell Malen leads the attack and is the top scorer across Europe's top five leagues in the 2026 calendar year with 22 goals, ahead of Raphinha and Harry Kane on 21. Rodrigo Mora, who scored against Cagliari and Udinese, is aiming to score in a third consecutive appearance, a feat not previously achieved between Porto and Roma.

Manu Koné is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma after more than 20 days out with the injury he picked up against Real Madrid, and he is set to start against Sassuolo. The midfielder has recovered from the thigh (flexor) injury and will begin from the first minute. The return is a timely boost for Gasperini, who has also lost Mancini to injury. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain sidelined, so Koné is the only player returning at the last minute for the fixture. The news matters all the more given the demanding run ahead: Roma play seven matches in 29 days after the international break. Koné will stay at Trigoria for the whole break after not being called up by France, giving him time to work back to full fitness. The aim is for him to be at his best for the trip to Parma on 21 November, and above all for the following Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.

Roma return to Serie A action at the Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Alberto Aquilani, who arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are looking to bounce back from their Champions League defeat in Manchester and to secure a third consecutive league win. Gasperini has regained Manu Koné, who returns to the squad after more than 20 days out and will start on the bench, but he is without Gianluca Mancini, who is sidelined by a muscle strain and will also miss the national team fixture. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain unavailable. Nahuel Molina is back in the starting line-up and Rodrigo Mora is confirmed in attack. Vásquez keeps his place in goal. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, playing 4-4-2, start with Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. Gasperini is the sole coach in charge of the Giallorossi, while Aquilani leads the visitors. The match is the eleventh round of Serie A Enilive and kicks off at 20:45. It is broadcast exclusively live on DAZN and co-exclusively on Sky. Fans can also follow the live coverage on Forzaroma.info and through the club's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Roma arrive with the head-to-head record on their side. They have been unbeaten in 22 of the 24 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo (13 wins, 9 draws and 2 defeats), and have won all of the last four encounters. At the Olimpico, Sassuolo have won only one of their 12 visits. Roma are also one of only four clubs still unbeaten across Europe's top five leagues. With 28 goals scored, they have never netted so many in the first ten rounds of a Serie A season. Donyell Malen leads the attack and is the top scorer across Europe's top five leagues in the 2026 calendar year with 22 goals, ahead of Raphinha and Harry Kane on 21. Rodrigo Mora, who scored against Cagliari and Udinese, is aiming to score in a third consecutive appearance, a feat not previously achieved between Porto and Roma.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A's eleventh round, and Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad without Gianluca Mancini and Pierluigi Gollini. Mancini is out with a muscle strain in his right hamstring, and his recovery time will be monitored in the coming days. Gollini is struggling with a back problem that first emerged on the eve of the Manchester United game. Paulo Dybala, Devyne Rensch and Lorenzo Pellegrini are also absent. The Giallorossi are looking to move on from their European disappointment against Manchester United at Old Trafford and get their league campaign back on track. Losing Mancini removes one of the key figures from the defensive line, and Gasperini will have to rework his back four. Mile Svilar is also missing from the list, so the goalkeeping options are limited. The main positive news is the return of Manu Koné, who is back in the squad after the physical problem that had sidelined him. His availability is an encouraging sign, although it is not yet clear how he will be used during the match. Among the goalkeepers called up are Vásquez, De Marzi and Kilvinger. The defensive options are Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfield includes Cristante, De Roon, Koné, Pisilli and Mora. The attacking group is Castro, Malen, Soulé, Maccaroni and Arena, with the young Maccaroni and Arena completing the forward line.