Roma travel to Turin today at 18:30 with a chance to extend their perfect start and claim a fourth consecutive Serie A win, holding top spot before the upcoming clash with Inter. Gasperini has made clear there will be no rotation or pre-planned rest periods, insisting that players who are fit will play. "One rests when they are tired. If someone is well, what do I do, put him to sleep?" the coach said, speaking chiefly about Paulo Dybala. The Argentine has started all four matches this season, completing the last two in full, and continues to serve as Roma's key playmaker with four assists already recorded in the opening three matches — though he remains without a league goal since a trip to Torino in January of last year.
Dybala is expected to play from the start again, likely operating behind Donyell Malen. The Dutch forward made his Roma debut at the same Turin stadium and scored immediately, beginning a run that has established him as one of the squad's most effective attacking outlets. Gasperini's philosophy resists strict hierarchies; he has stated he has 20 players available and sees no problem fielding one or another depending on need. Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are competing for space in midfield, with Santiago Castro available as an important option from the bench. The coach intends to use all five substitutions to manage energy without sacrificing quality in the starting eleven.
The midfield has strengthened: Manu Koné has recovered from a knee issue sustained in Istanbul and is fit for selection, though he is managing ongoing inflammation that requires careful management. A contest with Niccolò Pisilli remains open, but Koné's return is a significant boost for the side's physicality and ability to break lines. More importantly, Lorenzo Pellegrini has returned to the squad for the first time this season after over five months out. He is not yet ready for full involvement and will be reintegrated gradually, but his availability is a milestone: Gasperini now has access to virtually his entire group. The coach has underlined his refusal to split the squad into fixed categories of starters and reserves, emphasizing that Champions League football demands everyone feels part of the project and ready to contribute when called upon.
Roma arrive on a strong run: including the end of last season, they have won eight consecutive Serie A matches. Gasperini, however, resists letting that feed into complacency, keeping his focus on maintaining aggression, intensity and mental hunger. The objective remains the same: take the three points from Turin, keep hold of the table's summit, and face Inter fresh and on form.
Story Coverage4 sources on this story
Roma travel to Turin on Monday 14 September at 18:30 to face Torino, looking to extend their perfect start to the season and maintain top spot ahead of the clash with Inter. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear his approach: players who are fit will play, with no pre-planned rest periods. "One rests when they are tired. If someone is well, what do I do, put him to sleep?" he said, speaking notably about Paulo Dybala. The Argentine has started all four matches this season and is expected to start again, likely operating behind Donyell Malen, whose form Gasperini has praised as extraordinary. Roma arrive on a strong run of eight consecutive Serie A wins, though Gasperini resists complacency and emphasizes the need for aggression and mental hunger against a difficult opponent.
On squad fitness, TeleRadioStereo reports that Gasperini confirmed Lorenzo Pellegrini's return to the squad for the first time this season after over five months out, though he is not yet ready for full involvement and will be reintegrated gradually. GialloRossi.net adds that Pellegrini's availability represents a significant milestone, with Gasperini now having access to virtually his entire group. Manu Koné has recovered from a knee issue sustained in Istanbul and is fit for selection, though he is managing ongoing inflammation that requires careful management. Gasperini's philosophy resists fixed hierarchies, emphasizing that Champions League football demands everyone feels part of the project and ready to contribute when called upon.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“Niente turnover esasperato, niente calcoli in vista dell’Inter e soprattutto nessuna voglia di rallentare. È questo il filo conduttore con cui i quotidiani presentano Torino-Roma, in programma oggi alle 18:30 all’Olimpico Grande Torino. I giallorossi arrivano alla quarta giornata a punteggio pieno…”
Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.