Gasperini names Roma squad for Napoli trip; Cristante available, Dybala out

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for the big match against Napoli, the eighth matchday fixture of Serie A, at the Stadio "Diego Armando Maradona". The Roma boss has to contend with several heavy absences through injury and suspension, but he regains valuable midfield options. Bryan Cristante is back in the squad, while Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala are absent. The coach has a pool of defenders to choose from: Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley. In midfield, Gasperini can call on Cristante, De Roon, Di Nunzio, Mora and Pisilli. The attacking options are Camara, Castro, Malen and Soulé.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for tomorrow's Serie A eighth-round match against Napoli at the Stadio Maradona, which kicks off at 18:00. The head coach has named 23 players, and young Camara is among the call-ups. Roma face the match without several key players. Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar remain out. Bryan Cristante is available again. Camara has been included in the forward group alongside Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé, while Rodrigo Mora has been officially listed among the midfielders. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Devis Vásquez, Giorgio De Marzi, Pierluigi Gollini. Defenders: Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli, Daniele Ghilardi. Midfielders: Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Rodrigo Mora. Forwards: Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé, Camara.

Former Napoli and Roma player Luciano Marangon has spoken to Retesport, praising Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching and saying Roma have shown they are stronger than Napoli. Marangon said Gasperini has transmitted his footballing mentality, as he did at Atalanta, which he has taken to extraordinary levels. He added that Gasperini is a man of football who gets the best out of his players, calling it the strongest part of his game, and said he reminds him of Bagnoli from his own era. Looking ahead to Napoli v Roma, Marangon said Gasperini's side have proven they are strong enough to be fighting for first place. He described the match as a test for Roma given the many absences. He also noted that Napoli, coached by Allegri, are facing many problems, though he said he cannot know exactly what they are because he is not inside the club. On Lulli, Marangon said the coach does not worry about the age of his players and will give a game to a young player if he sees quality. He said in Italy a player must be given minutes at the right moments without being made to feel untouchable. He added that Lulli now has the perfect coach to build prospects with the Italian national team. Asked about a Serie A player he identifies with, Marangon said: "No, I haven't seen one for several years."

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for the big match against Napoli, the eighth matchday fixture of Serie A, at the Stadio "Diego Armando Maradona". The Roma boss has to contend with several heavy absences through injury and suspension, but he regains valuable midfield options. Bryan Cristante is back in the squad, while Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala are absent. The coach has a pool of defenders to choose from: Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley. In midfield, Gasperini can call on Cristante, De Roon, Di Nunzio, Mora and Pisilli. The attacking options are Camara, Castro, Malen and Soulé.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for tomorrow's Serie A eighth-round match against Napoli at the Stadio Maradona, which kicks off at 18:00. The head coach has named 23 players, and young Camara is among the call-ups. Roma face the match without several key players. Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar remain out. Bryan Cristante is available again. Camara has been included in the forward group alongside Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé, while Rodrigo Mora has been officially listed among the midfielders. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Devis Vásquez, Giorgio De Marzi, Pierluigi Gollini. Defenders: Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli, Daniele Ghilardi. Midfielders: Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Rodrigo Mora. Forwards: Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé, Camara.

Former Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has praised Roma's Dutch duo Donyell Malen and Marten de Roon and assessed Mile Svilar's standing among Europe's top goalkeepers. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, the 2011–2013 Roma keeper said he follows all his former clubs. Stekelenburg said: "Seguo tutti i miei ex club anche se non sono un tipo che sta a casa a vedere il calcio, devo dire che ho tante cose da fare." Translated: "I follow all my former clubs, even though I'm not the type who stays at home watching football. I have a lot to do." He was full of praise for the two Dutchmen in Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Stekelenburg said: "Ma de Roon e Malen sono perfetti per la Roma, Donny in particolare ha trovato la sua dimensione ideale. Malen è molto veloce e gioca sempre sul filo del fuorigioco. E devo dire che appena ho saputo che sarebbe andato alla Roma l'ho immaginato con gli assist di Dybala e ho pensato che sarebbero potuti essere una bella coppia. Spero continui così come sta facendo ora, è preziosissimo per la Roma." Translated: "But de Roon and Malen are perfect for Roma. Donny in particular has found his ideal role. Malen is very fast and always plays on the edge of offside. And I have to say, as soon as I heard he was going to Roma, I imagined him with Dybala's assists and thought they could be a good pair. I hope he keeps going the way he is now, he is extremely valuable to Roma." On goal, Svilar is currently unavailable, so Pierluigi Gollini is stepping in as first choice. Stekelenburg said: "Mile sta facendo molto bene, non conosco così tanto Gollini ma penso che possa sostituirlo in questo periodo." Translated: "Mile is doing very well. I don't know Gollini that well, but I think he can stand in for him at this time." Asked whether Svilar could already be counted among Europe's top five goalkeepers, he said: "Se dovessi inserirlo tra i primi cinque… no, non ancora. Dopotutto ci sono Courtois, Neuer e altri. Ma è un ragazzo giovane e sta facendo un ottimo lavoro. Deve solo continuare a crescere." Translated: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and doing an excellent job. He just needs to keep growing." The interview also touched on his memories of Luis Enrique, the coach who brought him to Rome fifteen years ago and who now manages Paris Saint-Germain.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for the big match against Napoli, the eighth matchday fixture of Serie A, at the Stadio "Diego Armando Maradona". The Roma boss has to contend with several heavy absences through injury and suspension, but he regains valuable midfield options. Bryan Cristante is back in the squad, while Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala are absent. The coach has a pool of defenders to choose from: Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley. In midfield, Gasperini can call on Cristante, De Roon, Di Nunzio, Mora and Pisilli. The attacking options are Camara, Castro, Malen and Soulé.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for tomorrow's Serie A eighth-round match against Napoli at the Stadio Maradona, which kicks off at 18:00. The head coach has named 23 players, and young Camara is among the call-ups. Roma face the match without several key players. Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar remain out. Bryan Cristante is available again. Camara has been included in the forward group alongside Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé, while Rodrigo Mora has been officially listed among the midfielders. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Devis Vásquez, Giorgio De Marzi, Pierluigi Gollini. Defenders: Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli, Daniele Ghilardi. Midfielders: Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Rodrigo Mora. Forwards: Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé, Camara.

Napoli host Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday in the 159th Serie A meeting between the sides, a fixture known as the Derby del Sole. Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri faces a difficult start to his tenure, with Saturday's clash offering either a chance to turn things around or added pressure on his position. Last weekend Napoli lost 1-0 to basement side Venezia, their third defeat in seven league matches this season (D1, L3), leaving them nine points behind early pacesetters Inter. Napoli bounced back in midweek Champions League action with a 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, their first points in this season's league phase after losses to Arsenal and Villarreal. Roma, by contrast, are enjoying their best Serie A start since 2014/15, with 17 points from seven matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini's side eased past Genoa last weekend despite the absence of Donyell Malen, maintaining a near-flawless league record this term (W5, D2). Malen returned to the scoresheet on Tuesday as Roma thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home for their first Champions League victory this season (D1, L1). History favours Napoli. The Partenopei have avoided defeat in their last eight home meetings with Roma in Serie A (W4, D4), their longest such streak since 1982. In 158 previous top-flight meetings the sides have shared the spoils 55 times (W50, L53). Napoli have lost three of their opening seven Serie A matches for the first time since 2009/10, and they are looking to record three consecutive league clean sheets at the Maradona for the first time since October 2021. Their scoring is a concern: they have netted one goal or fewer in five of their last seven outings. The only two exceptions came at this stadium, where they beat Bodo/Glimt and Frosinone by a combined 7-3. Roma return to the win column after back-to-back Serie A draws, and they have not won away at Napoli since March 2018. Roma had won four successive away league matches before being held to a scoreless draw by Como on their last Serie A trip, keeping three clean sheets in that run. They are the only Serie A side yet to concede a goal away from home this term, and could register four road shutouts to open a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Napoli's team news includes Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos on the sidelines, while Antonio Vergara's return from injury gives Allegri a timely boost. Rasmus Hojlund, the hosts' first-choice striker, has scored just two goals this season. Malen is available for Roma after serving a one-game suspension against Genoa. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf injury and will miss the match, along with Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund. Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The preview judges Roma to be in far better shape than their rivals, though home advantage and Napoli's historical edge in this fixture remain significant. Prediction: Draw.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named Roma's squad for tomorrow's Serie A eighth-round match against Napoli at the Stadio Maradona, which kicks off at 18:00. The head coach has named 23 players, and young Camara is among the call-ups. Roma face the match without several key players. Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar remain out. Bryan Cristante is available again. Camara has been included in the forward group alongside Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé, while Rodrigo Mora has been officially listed among the midfielders. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Devis Vásquez, Giorgio De Marzi, Pierluigi Gollini. Defenders: Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli, Daniele Ghilardi. Midfielders: Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Rodrigo Mora. Forwards: Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé, Camara.

Former Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has praised Roma's Dutch duo Donyell Malen and Marten de Roon and assessed Mile Svilar's standing among Europe's top goalkeepers. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, the 2011–2013 Roma keeper said he follows all his former clubs. Stekelenburg said: "Seguo tutti i miei ex club anche se non sono un tipo che sta a casa a vedere il calcio, devo dire che ho tante cose da fare." Translated: "I follow all my former clubs, even though I'm not the type who stays at home watching football. I have a lot to do." He was full of praise for the two Dutchmen in Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Stekelenburg said: "Ma de Roon e Malen sono perfetti per la Roma, Donny in particolare ha trovato la sua dimensione ideale. Malen è molto veloce e gioca sempre sul filo del fuorigioco. E devo dire che appena ho saputo che sarebbe andato alla Roma l'ho immaginato con gli assist di Dybala e ho pensato che sarebbero potuti essere una bella coppia. Spero continui così come sta facendo ora, è preziosissimo per la Roma." Translated: "But de Roon and Malen are perfect for Roma. Donny in particular has found his ideal role. Malen is very fast and always plays on the edge of offside. And I have to say, as soon as I heard he was going to Roma, I imagined him with Dybala's assists and thought they could be a good pair. I hope he keeps going the way he is now, he is extremely valuable to Roma." On goal, Svilar is currently unavailable, so Pierluigi Gollini is stepping in as first choice. Stekelenburg said: "Mile sta facendo molto bene, non conosco così tanto Gollini ma penso che possa sostituirlo in questo periodo." Translated: "Mile is doing very well. I don't know Gollini that well, but I think he can stand in for him at this time." Asked whether Svilar could already be counted among Europe's top five goalkeepers, he said: "Se dovessi inserirlo tra i primi cinque… no, non ancora. Dopotutto ci sono Courtois, Neuer e altri. Ma è un ragazzo giovane e sta facendo un ottimo lavoro. Deve solo continuare a crescere." Translated: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and doing an excellent job. He just needs to keep growing." The interview also touched on his memories of Luis Enrique, the coach who brought him to Rome fifteen years ago and who now manages Paris Saint-Germain.

Napoli host Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday in the 159th Serie A meeting between the sides, a fixture known as the Derby del Sole. Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri faces a difficult start to his tenure, with Saturday's clash offering either a chance to turn things around or added pressure on his position. Last weekend Napoli lost 1-0 to basement side Venezia, their third defeat in seven league matches this season (D1, L3), leaving them nine points behind early pacesetters Inter. Napoli bounced back in midweek Champions League action with a 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, their first points in this season's league phase after losses to Arsenal and Villarreal. Roma, by contrast, are enjoying their best Serie A start since 2014/15, with 17 points from seven matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini's side eased past Genoa last weekend despite the absence of Donyell Malen, maintaining a near-flawless league record this term (W5, D2). Malen returned to the scoresheet on Tuesday as Roma thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home for their first Champions League victory this season (D1, L1). History favours Napoli. The Partenopei have avoided defeat in their last eight home meetings with Roma in Serie A (W4, D4), their longest such streak since 1982. In 158 previous top-flight meetings the sides have shared the spoils 55 times (W50, L53). Napoli have lost three of their opening seven Serie A matches for the first time since 2009/10, and they are looking to record three consecutive league clean sheets at the Maradona for the first time since October 2021. Their scoring is a concern: they have netted one goal or fewer in five of their last seven outings. The only two exceptions came at this stadium, where they beat Bodo/Glimt and Frosinone by a combined 7-3. Roma return to the win column after back-to-back Serie A draws, and they have not won away at Napoli since March 2018. Roma had won four successive away league matches before being held to a scoreless draw by Como on their last Serie A trip, keeping three clean sheets in that run. They are the only Serie A side yet to concede a goal away from home this term, and could register four road shutouts to open a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Napoli's team news includes Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos on the sidelines, while Antonio Vergara's return from injury gives Allegri a timely boost. Rasmus Hojlund, the hosts' first-choice striker, has scored just two goals this season. Malen is available for Roma after serving a one-game suspension against Genoa. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf injury and will miss the match, along with Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund. Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The preview judges Roma to be in far better shape than their rivals, though home advantage and Napoli's historical edge in this fixture remain significant. Prediction: Draw.