Gasperini plans friendlies and targeted work during international break to revitalise Roma

Roma are reportedly interested in Chelsea winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as the January transfer window approaches, with the club looking to strengthen its attack for Gian Piero Gasperini. According to TeamTalk, Chelsea would be prepared to loan out the left winger in January, and Roma are waiting in the wings and are in pole position should a deal materialise. Roma's first priority up front remains Endrick, who is not finding game time at Real Madrid, but contacts have also been made with the 22-year-old English forward, born in 2004. Bynoe-Gittens has made just two appearances in the Carabao Cup this season, with an ankle problem a factor in his limited involvement. Germany's Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt have also asked for information on the player, but the strongest competition is coming from England. Leeds and Sunderland have shown interest, Everton have long admired the player, and Crystal Palace could step in should a possible deal take shape.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Konstantinos Koulierakis has been called up by Greece head coach Ivan Jovanović for Nations League fixtures against the Netherlands on 13 November and Serbia on 16 November. The call-up comes ahead of Roma's match against Sassuolo, which kicks off on Saturday 7 November at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico and is the last game before the international break. Several Roma players will be involved with their national teams during the break. Greece sit in Group B of the Nations League. They are level on top of the table with the Netherlands on 8 points, while Algeria are third on 5 points and Serbia are bottom on 0. Koulierakis is one of several Roma players who will travel to join their national sides, and the defender's involvement means he will be unavailable to Roma during the break.

Roma are battling a growing injury crisis ahead of Saturday's clash with Sassuolo, with Daniele Rensch's absence joined by doubts over Paulo Dybala and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. Devyne Rensch has a first-degree adductor tear, the tests revealed, and will not return until the Parma match after the international break. Dybala, who did not train with the rest of the group at Monday's resumption, is heading towards missing tomorrow's game. The squad is stretched thin. Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi reports that Gasperini has only sixteen outfield players available, leaving him with very few choices and few decisions to make. Mile Svilar will certainly miss out, and Gollini's involvement is also at risk because of a back problem that persists, though he will try to play to the end with the help of infiltrations. Devis Vásquez is ready to step in, having not played a Serie A match since 25 May 2025. Manu Koné offers some hope. He has carried out individualised work on the pitch and will undergo a fitness test today in an attempt to return to the matchday squad. Mancini did not train yesterday for a planned, routine rest. Malen and Soulé are expected to lead the attack, with Mora pushing for a place to complete the front three. Pisilli is further down the pecking order and is set to operate in the central space alongside Cristante and de Roon. If de Roon starts, he would become the only player to have started each of Roma's last nine matches. On the right, Molina and Lulli are in contention for a spot, while Wesley will play on the left. At the back, N'Dicka is set to return, alongside Mancini or Balerdi and Hermoso.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné did not appear in images of Roma's group training session at Trigoria, a sign that their return for Saturday's match against Sassuolo is becoming more difficult. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are preparing for the Serie A fixture, which kicks off at 20:45 at the Olimpico, two days after the club's disappointing defeat to Manchester United. Dybala is not yet ready, while Koné, who is close to returning, is being treated with caution. A call-up for Koné remains to be decided in the coming hours. Gasperini appears set to keep Rodrigo Mora in the number ten role behind Matías Soulé, with Donyell Malen leading the attack. Mora is expected to get another start after strong recent performances. In defence, Evan N'Dicka is likely to return to the heart of the back line, while Nahuel Molina and Wesley could reclaim the full-back positions. Molina is in line to regain a starting place following the injury to Devyne Rensch, who has suffered a mild muscle lesion to his right adductor and will be out for around three weeks. Gollini, who is struggling with a back problem, remains doubtful. The aim is clear: return to winning immediately after the comeback Roma suffered against Manchester United and close out this demanding phase of the season in the best possible way. A long-awaited break will follow, giving Gasperini time to recover energy and, hopefully, a significant number of injured players. First, though, there are three points to win against Sassuolo, whose coach is Alberto Aquilani. Roma's training session on Thursday was shared by the club on its social channels in a video showing several moments of the session.

Roma return to Serie A on Saturday evening, hosting Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round, the last fixture before the international break. Kickoff is at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November. Sassuolo are coached by former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, and Gasperini's side will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a late comeback against Manchester United in the Champions League. Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, having led 2-0 at half-time through goals from Soulé and Malen before Manchester United completed the turnaround in the second half. In Serie A the mood is far brighter. Roma beat Udinese 5-2 in their last outing and sit third after ten rounds with 24 points, from seven wins and three draws. They have scored 28 and conceded 10, and remain unbeaten in the league this season. Sassuolo, by contrast, are seventeenth with 8 points from ten matches. They arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats and have the worst defence in Serie A. Their last game ended in a 4-2 defeat at the Mapei Stadium to Fiorentina, and they have also lost to Lazio, Como and Frosinone in recent weeks. Gasperini faces an early selection problem in goal. Pierluigi Gollini missed the Manchester United game with a back problem that came up during training, and his condition will be monitored up to the match. If he is ruled out, Devis Vásquez, who started at Old Trafford, will again be in goal. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are expected back in defence, although Ghilardi remains a concrete option after good performances in recent weeks. Molina and Wesley are favoured on the flanks. Devyne Rensch will not be available, having suffered a right adductor injury against Manchester United. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, while the partner alongside him is still open, with Pisilli possibly giving de Roon a rest. Up front, Soulé and Malen look certain to start, with Mora expected to play behind or alongside the Argentine. Koné and Dybala are doubtful, with both hoping to be available at least on the bench. Svilar will certainly miss the game, as he completes his recovery from a stress fracture to his fifth toe and is expected back after the break. Pellegrini is also out, still recovering from the muscle problem he suffered against Slovan Bratislava. Sassuolo are expected to line up in a 4-3-3. Turati is the favourite in goal, protected by a back line of Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé and Doig. Thorstvedt returns in midfield after serving his suspension against Fiorentina, and is expected to be joined by Matic and one of Bakola or Adzic. Up front, Aquilani will rely on his most creative players: Berardi on the right, Laurienté on the opposite flank and Sebastiano Esposito as the central reference point. Leysen, who has a serious knee injury, and Ismaël Koné, who is recovering from a leg fracture, are out for Sassuolo, along with Boloca and Volpato. Roma's head-to-head record at the Olimpico against Sassuolo is strong. Of 12 Serie A meetings played in Rome, Roma have won six, five have ended level and Sassuolo have won just once, a 4-3 victory in March 2023. The most recent meeting was on 10 January 2026, when Roma won 2-0. Overall, including matches in Emilia, the record reads 13 wins for Roma, 9 draws and just 2 wins for Sassuolo. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN and Sky Sport Calcio, and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be announced about an hour before kickoff at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma head into their next Serie A fixture against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, and several radio pundits on Radio Radio have weighed in on the match, the squad and the aftermath of the Manchester defeat. Carina said Sassuolo are a side in difficulty, having conceded four goals per game recently, but warned that Roma arrive tired, including mentally, because the blow of Manchester was heavy. He said returning to the Olimpico helps, since the level in Serie A allows a little dip in form. "The aim is to string together a run of wins over the next four matches, so you reach the derby in a high position," Carina said. On the Inter–Como fixture, he added: "Any positive result is fine: it is a round Roma must know how to steer in the right direction." Carina also raised concerns about Paulo Dybala's fitness. "With Dybala you never really understand the recovery times: first they talk about muscle fatigue, then a small tear, then he disappears from the radar. He is a sublime, fantastic player, but now he becomes a problem: between Dybala and Pellegrini, if you have one, that is already a lot. So the squad becomes short: if you want to be a protagonist in the league, you are missing players." He also said he expected Santiago Castro to play more, adding: "He had given a signal with the wonderful goal against Genoa, but he must give continuity, despite the difficulties, because playing once in a while is complicated." Giuseppe Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio, said: "After Manchester, we must restart immediately. Sassuolo in their last two matches have conceded ten goals; the worrying thing is that they show no signs and do not react. This allows Roma to manage the match and try to create danger up front." He added that Donyell Malen has the occasional lapse, and that Castro never plays, asking whether there would be room for him this time. Mattioli, also on Radio Radio, described Sassuolo as a side on a rollercoaster, capable of collapsing or producing a big performance. He said: "Roma, in my opinion, are not at their best moment. At Manchester I saw some errors in the game. I don't know if it is tiredness, which can happen, or some players below their level. If Sassuolo do not change gear, they will not leave the Olimpico in good shape. Roma can win." Orsi argued that Roma are too dependent on Malen and Dybala, noting that Malen scored a lot when the two played together but now struggles more, while Dybala may not score but always provides assists.

Roman radio pundits have offered their views on Roma's upcoming match against Sassuolo, with debate centring on Manu Koné's possible international call-up, goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini's fitness and Paulo Dybala's form. Piero Torri (Manà Manà Sport - 90.9) said: "There is something about Konè we don't know: does he want to go to the national team or not? Because if he wants to go to the national team, he is pushing... Personally, I would not send him to risk it, also because France play two real matches, one against Italy. Konè knows he has strong competition in his role in the national team, but Roma are paying for it. Because if he gets injured again we are back to square one, and we cannot allow that." Lorenzo Pes (Tele Radio Stereo - 92.7) took a more measured view: "Konè is fine and in my opinion the call-up can be justified. If they choose caution and avoid both Sassuolo and France, that would be the right choice. The final word rests with Roma: if Roma want to take the cautious route, he is unlikely to be called up and go to the national team. Konè, however, is not disinterested in the national team. On one side Roma would like to keep him, on the other there is evidence the player has recovered. We will see, let us wait for today, which should be the crucial one." On Gollini, Pes added: "Is he likely to be available tomorrow? Unlikely. He will try until the end, but until yesterday it was very complicated. So I think Vásquez will play, but I don't see that much difference." Mario Mattioli (Radio Radio Mattino - 104.5) assessed both sides' form: "Given how Sassuolo are built, the rollercoaster is normal. They could also wake up. In my view, Roma are not going through one of their most brilliant spells either. I have seen some slips, and I don't know whether they come from a tiredness that is understandable or from something else. It doesn't seem to me like the Roma of three weeks ago. If Sassuolo pick themselves up, they can cause difficulties. But I believe Roma must and can win it, not comfortably, but they can do it." On Dybala, Mattioli asked: "I wonder if the problem is diet. Are we sure he isn't eating something that affects his muscle tissue?" Roberto Pruzzo (Radio Radio Mattino - 104.5) said: "Roma need to get going again immediately after the disappointment of Manchester. Sassuolo are clearly in difficulty, starting with Aquilani. The Neroverdi are no longer showing any signs. This should allow Roma to manage the game or at least control it in the best possible way. Castro is a player I back, but apart from that great goal he almost never plays: who knows, perhaps there could be room for him too." Nando Orsi (Radio Radio Mattino - 104.5) questioned Roma's reliance on their attack: "Isn't Roma a bit too dependent on Dybala and Malen? When Dybala was there, Malen scored a lot of goals. Today, though, he seems to be struggling a bit. If he doesn't score, they need an alternative. Dybala won't score, but he makes assists. On Dybala, perhaps Gasperini's management was wrong, this idea of having him play ninety minutes every time to prove what..."

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma continue to battle an injury crisis ahead of their home match against Sassuolo, with Gian Piero Gasperini left with a severely reduced set of options. The latest absence is Devyne Rensch, whose instrumental tests revealed a first-degree tear of the long adductor in his right leg. He is expected to be out for around three weeks, with a return planned after the international break. Paulo Dybala will not feature. He has yet to recover and will continue personalised training, aiming to be available again directly after the national team commitments. There is slightly better news on Manu Koné, the French midfielder, who has completed individualised work on the pitch and will undergo the final decisive test today to determine whether he can be included at least in the matchday squad and start on the bench. In midfield, given the fatigue accumulated over recent weeks, Cristante and De Roon will form the pairing to lead the engine room, with Pisilli ready to contribute. The goalkeeping position also needs close monitoring. Pierluigi Gollini remains in serious doubt because of a back problem that could force him to withdraw, despite attempting to play through with infiltrations. If Gollini cannot recover, Devis Vásquez is ready to return to the starting lineup from the first minute, a place in Serie A he would win back after many months. Ndicka is set to return to the defence, while Mancini is being managed under a planned programme. Up front, Malen and Soulé will lead the attack with Mora in support.

Marten De Roon could start his ninth consecutive match against Sassuolo tomorrow, continuing his run as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's most trusted players. The Dutch midfielder arrived in the final days of the summer transfer window as a reliable option to rotate with Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné and Niccolò Pisilli, but he has become a regular starter this past month. Since Roma returned from the long September-October international break, De Roon has started every match and played the full 90 minutes in six of the eight games. He has been forced into extra work by the simultaneous absence of Cristante and Koné, which lasted until the trip to Napoli. Despite being 35 years old, he has delivered reliability and leadership. Writing in Il Tempo, Lorenzo Pes noted that De Roon has shown excellent physical condition this month and a natural understanding of reading the game and positioning himself. Alongside Pisilli or Cristante, De Roon has provided composure and personality in the heart of the Giallorossi midfield, combining tactical intelligence with a healthy dose of physicality. He has taken the team by the hand during delicate moments of the season, although he would not mind playing a little less if asked. Gasperini, however, is not willing to give him up. De Roon did not join Roma to be an undisputed starter, but the key is being there when needed, and he does not let anyone down.