Gasperini to address media ahead of Torino trip

Rodrigo Mora deserves patience, but he should be played in the centre of the attacking third, where he is most dangerous, according to this analysis. The 19-year-old, who has been considered a future star in Portugal for years, has scored twice in 274 minutes while playing in the No. 10 role. That works out to one goal every 137 minutes, a better rate than Alajbegovic (still scoreless), Kolo Muani (one in 697 minutes), Atta (still scoreless), Goncalo Ramos (one every 357 minutes) and Mateo Pellegrino (one every 275 minutes). The writer is careful not to overstate the comparison: Mora is not the best of that group, at least not yet, but he is scoring at the rate of a centre-forward while playing as a trequartista. The question is not simple. Gasperini's usual system is built around two wide players, and the No. 10, a role the writer says is slowly disappearing in modern football, does not fit that template. Mora has nonetheless already been counted among the best summer signings in Serie A, despite early criticism. Roma are also scoring freely: they have 23 goals in their first nine matches, their best start since 2016, when Luciano Spalletti was in charge. The writer credits Gasperini's attacking philosophy for part of Mora's form, as well as the club's transformation from a defensive fortress into a goal-scoring machine. Gasperini has never doubted the player's talent. He said: "He is extraordinary, every time he touches the ball something beautiful happens." The writer concludes that Mora could not have found a better coach or a better environment in which to grow and express the qualities of a top player.

Roma will not return to Rome after their Serie A trip to Udinese, with the club heading directly from Udine to Manchester for their Champions League clash with Manchester United, according to Angelo Mangiante on the Mana Mana Sport programme. The Udinese fixture is set for Saturday 31 October at 18:00, and Manchester United visit three days later, on 3 November, for the Champions League. The double away trip forces a change in the club's plans. Roma will train in Udine on the morning of Sunday, before flying from Trieste in the afternoon to reach Manchester. The schedule underlines the demanding run of fixtures Roma face as they juggle domestic and European commitments in the 2026-27 season. The match against Udinese is due to kick off at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October, and the Manchester United game follows on 3 November as part of the Champions League league phase. Roma's trip to Manchester therefore comes straight after the Serie A fixture, with no return to the capital in between.

Former Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has said Roma will fight until the final matchday for the Scudetto, describing the team as deserving of its position. Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, Sabatini said Roma are currently just behind Lazio and Inter in the title race. He argued that the club's form has been earned, and that the side are playing exciting football. Sabatini praised the team's determination and solidity, saying it is difficult to play against and even harder to beat. He said the club's path would be consistent with how it is playing at present. On the question of Paulo Dybala's fitness, Sabatini said the outcome would depend heavily on injuries across the squad, not on Dybala alone. He identified the most serious absence for Roma at present as that of Manu Koné, whom he described as a midfielder who alone determines the composure and completeness of a unit. Sabatini said that injuries are affecting many teams, with a worrying wave of muscular problems, and that this phenomenon will influence the final outcome of the league. He said: "La Roma lotterà fino alla fine per lo scudetto" in reference to the club's ambitions, adding: "Merita quello che ha e credo che il cammino sarà coerente con quello che sta facendo adesso e combatterà certamente fino all'ultima partita per lo scudetto." On Dybala and injuries he said: "Molto dipenderà dagli infortunati in generale, perché non c'è solo Dybala: l'assenza più grave per la Roma in questo momento è quella di Manu Kone. Un centrocampista che determina da solo la compostezza e la compiutezza di un reparto." He added: "Gli assenti stanno condizionando tantissime squadre: ci sono infortuni a valanga di tipo muscolare, una cosa preoccupante, ma per tutte le squadre. Un fenomeno che condizionerà gli esiti finale del campionato."