Giannini backs Mora to form elite partnership with Dybala

Roma's women's team secured a comfortable 3–1 victory over Lazio in the Derby della Capitale at Tre Fontane, bouncing back after a heavy defeat to Barcelona in their Women's Champions League opener. Goals from Doms (41'), Corelli (71') and Pilgrim (87') put the match beyond doubt, with Monnecchi scoring for Lazio in the 94th minute. The result extends Roma's winning streak in the league to two consecutive victories, following their opening-day triumph against Sassuolo. Manager Gianpiero Piovani's side dominated the encounter, conceding only a late consolation goal.

Roma are preparing a concrete new attempt to sign Endrick in the January transfer window, with head coach Gasperini and sporting director D'Amico maintaining their interest in the Brazilian. The 2006-born forward is struggling for playing time at Real Madrid, despite comments from José Mourinho, and Roma see an opportunity to revive their pursuit. AC Milan, who attempted to bring Endrick to the club in the summer, also remain in contention for his signature. Meanwhile, Roma are advancing contract negotiations with defender Emanuele Lulli, whose performances at the start of the season have impressed the club. Lulli is set for a contract extension through to 2031, with his salary rising significantly to nearly €1 million per year.

Massimo Margiotta, Roma's new head of youth development, has outlined his vision for the academy, emphasising that talent must emerge across all roles, not just among players. His first major decision was to appoint Mattia Scala as Primavera coach, rewarding the former's thirteen seasons in Roma's youth structure. Margiotta told the club: "Mattia is someone we know well, with thirteen seasons in Roma's youth development, and has demonstrated quality, competence and capacity for growth. His appointment represents a broader principle: we want our youth sector to be a place where talent emerges in all roles, not just among footballers. Coaches and professionals must be able to grow through a meritocratic pathway, based on quality, passion, competence and a sense of belonging. The Primavera, which represents the highest level of our youth development, must also be the natural expression of this process." Meanwhile, Giuseppe Giannini, Roma's historic captain and club legend, granted an extensive interview to the Gazzetta dello Sport's SportWeek supplement. Asked what it means to be a Roma supporter and symbol of the club in a city like Rome, Giannini reflected: "It is difficult to explain in a few words. It becomes simple to understand when you see someone like me, who has been a point of reference for the fans, stopped in the street for a hug and a photo. Being a Roma supporter also means representing the Capital, and no one, even in the most remote place in the world, can say they don't know the Capital and, consequently, AS Roma." Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini appeared at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, organised by the Gazzetta dello Sport, where he fielded questions about the previous season. On which player had surprised him most, Gasperini said: "Surprised, certainly the number of goals from Malen was something no one could have imagined. For the rest there were many very positive surprises." When asked which player he would have liked to manage but never had the opportunity, he replied with a laugh: "Messi?"

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ready to reclaim a leading role at Roma after 184 days out. The midfielder has recovered from a long injury, signed a contract renewal on 8 August, and is now pushing for a starting place when Roma face Como. He returns with leadership, technical quality and work completed during the international break at Trigoria. A social media post — "True happiness is being at peace with the people around you" — reflects the calm with which he approaches his comeback after a previous season that yielded seven goals and four assists. Pellegrini's injury began on 10 April. Despite Gasperini assigning the captaincy based on appearances, Pellegrini remains the natural reference point in the dressing room, confirmed by his contract extension and his choice to stay despite several offers from Italian and foreign clubs. His lengthy absence and dedicated rehabilitation put him in fresher condition than squad-mates returning from international duty, including Soulé and Mora. In Gasperini's 3–4–1–2 system, Pellegrini can operate on the attacking midfield line behind Dybala and Malen, providing quality in the final third and pressing intensity. Gasperini is seriously considering starting him, with Pellegrini estimated to have an autonomy of around sixty minutes but ready to begin the match and definitively reclaim his place.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is on the verge of his first competitive appearance in 184 days, with the trip to Como offering the chance to mark his official return. The midfielder finds a Roma squad transformed from the one he left behind: a new system, fresh hierarchies, and a captain's armband assigned under different criteria. Rather than stepping straight back into a pre-established role, Pellegrini must essentially start over—but this fresh start gives Gasperini scope to deploy him in a way no other attacking option in the squad can replicate. In the current 3-4-1-2 formation, Pellegrini can operate behind the two forwards without functioning as a purely classical playmaker. He can drop deeper to supply a passing option to midfielders, press high, make off-the-ball runs, and serve Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in the final metres. This versatility could transform the system into something more fluid—oscillating between a three-man midfield and a genuine three-man attacking line. Against Como, where Gasperini wants to press the opening possession of Fabregas's side, Pellegrini could shield the first phase of opposition build-up before becoming the man for the final pass once possession is regained. This dual function differs sharply from what Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé offer and could prove crucial in matches requiring greater central density. Pellegrini has a practical advantage: while teammates traversed the globe with their national squads, he used the international break to work uninterrupted at Trigoria. His recovery is complete, with his match fitness estimated at around one hour of play. Gasperini can now genuinely consider him a starting option rather than merely a player to integrate gradually. The timing suits Roma well. After Como comes a sequence of nine matches in 28 days, making it impossible to rely on the same players constantly. Pellegrini need not displace anyone; he can allow Gasperini to reshape the squad's character without overturning it, alternating with other attacking players and offering control when needed in midfield. Pellegrini's real challenge differs from his past burden. He no longer must prove himself as captain or symbol of Roma; he must earn his space within a team that has found balance without him. That liberation from the weight of recent years could free him to become exactly what Gasperini is asking—not the project's centre, but an additional weapon in a squad that from October will need everyone available.

Bryan Cristante has sustained a knee injury that will rule him out of upcoming matches, including fixtures against Como and Real Madrid. The midfielder has been absent from the Roma squad only once in the past 668 days—a significant stretch for a player head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has described as essential to the team's tactics and balance. Cristante's last enforced absence came on 4 December 2024, when an ankle problem sidelined him for approximately 52 days. Seven years ago, he started for Roma in one of the club's last memorable Champions League nights at the Olimpico, against Real Madrid. Cristante has established himself as Roma's most reliable midfielder, described as the lungs, mind and strength of the giallorossi's engine room. His injury record since joining the club in July 2018 is remarkable: in 370 appearances, he has missed only 28 matches through injury—an average of 3.8 games per season across an annual squad schedule of roughly 50 matches. His availability stands at 92.5 per cent, a reliability index that underscores his indispensability to Roma's setup. His durability is equally striking: he completed a run of over 38 consecutive league starts without a sign of decline before this injury. The midfielder's clinical history at Roma shows injury stoppages have been rare and concentrated in isolated episodes, making this absence a notable exception to what has been an extraordinary record of physical consistency.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, hosted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, reflecting on his time at Roma. In an exchange on the club's social media channels, he was asked about defining moments from the previous season and fielded questions on several topics. When asked which match had moved him most since taking charge, Gasperini said: "I would say the last league match against Verona, because there was the feeling of having reached an important milestone and with great satisfaction from the supporters." On the season's most difficult encounter, Gasperini pointed to Roma's trip to Milan to face Inter last season as the period when the club's form dipped most severely. "However, the last match we played was on another level entirely," he added. The coach was also quizzed on which player had surprised him most. He highlighted Donyell Malen's goal tally as unexpected: "The number of goals from Malen was something no one could have imagined. For the rest, they have all been very positive surprises." When asked which player he had always wanted to manage but never had the chance to, Gasperini responded with humour to a question about Lionel Messi, laughing at the suggestion. The remarks came amid reports that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina had declined to travel to Messi's farewell international event.

Radio pundit Piero Torri has voiced concern that Bryan Cristante's injury could be more serious than initially thought, and has outlined how he would approach Roma's upcoming fixtures if the midfielder is unavailable. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà Sport Roma (90.9), Torri said: "I'm afraid Cristante's injury may not be a short one. If he's not fit, I wouldn't risk trying to get him back for Real Madrid. I would play de Roon at Como and Pisilli against Real Madrid." Torri also reflected on head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's handling of Paulo Dybala's minutes, saying the manager's approach has shifted his perspective. "What Gasperini said about Dybala struck me—it erased my previous beliefs about his playing time and management. And so far he's been proved right," Torri noted. He suggested Roma should begin discussions about Gasperini's contract intentions, given that the coach's deal will expire at the end of the season. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino (104.5), praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's importance to the team: "Svilar is a world-class goalkeeper for Roma, I have no doubt about it. If there's a normal goalkeeper, it's easy to lose 3–1. But with him it's different."

Roma's travelling supporters will finally return to an away fixture on Sunday 11 October when the team visits Como, ending a nine-month absence from following the squad outside the Olimpico. The reopening of the away section sparked an immediate response: roughly 1,000 tickets sold out within hours. The surge in demand caused technical problems on Como's ticketing portal, with several Roma fans reporting difficulties during the purchase process on social media after sales opened around 15:00 on 2 October. Como–Roma will be the first external Serie A match of the season open to Roma's travelling fans, following bans imposed for away fixtures against Lecce and Torino. Roma supporters' last away attendance dates back to 18 January, when the squad travelled to face Torino. That Turin match also holds a curious footnote: it remains the last occasion on which Paulo Dybala scored a goal for Roma.

Matías Soulé could make his Argentina debut in a friendly against Burkina Faso on the night of 3 October, after remaining on the bench for the 4–0 win over Bolivia despite praise from coach Scaloni in the build-up. The Burkina Faso side is expected to arrive in Argentina only hours before the match at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, despite logistical difficulties. Soulé, wearing number 18 for Roma, may start alongside Enzo Fernández and Medina after watching from the sidelines at Córdoba. Leonardo Balerdi, the third Roma player in the Argentina squad, was the only one to feature in the Bolivia match on Thursday 1 October and is now pushing to challenge Martínez for a defensive spot. Santiago Castro is also pressing for a first-team opportunity but faces competition from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez in the forward line. ESPN Argentina reported on Soulé's prospects, while Olé covered Balerdi's claims on the defence.

Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma a three-day break before the squad returns to work on Tuesday afternoon at Fulvio Bernardini to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will be sidelined for around two weeks with a lateral collateral ligament problem, forcing him to miss approximately five matches with a target return date of 24 October against Napoli. To manage the midfield absence, Gasperini is considering Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon, with the Dutch midfielder poised to make his starting debut at Como alongside Manu Koné. National team commitments will complicate preparations, with players returning to Trigoria in stages. Evan N'Dicka will be the first arrival back after his involvement with Ivory Coast. The final players to return will be the Argentine trio of Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are not expected at the training ground until Thursday. The staggered returns mean Gasperini must manage a gradual integration of the international contingent while addressing the pressing issue of Cristante's absence in midfield.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma's squad three days off before recalling them to Trigoria on Tuesday afternoon to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will not be available for training as he continues to recover from a knee collateral problem. The goal is to have the captain fit for Roma's fixture at Napoli on 24 October. Gasperini will begin reintegrating the players involved in the international break from Tuesday onwards. Evan N'Dicka will be among the first to return after completing Ivory Coast's final match of the international window today. The last players to report back will be the Argentines Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are expected at Trigoria on Thursday.