Gollini to start as Roma face Como in Champions battle; Pellegrini set for midfield role

Roma prepare to face Como after the international break with Gian Piero Gasperini contending with significant absences. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar is sidelined and will miss the entire run of matches until the next international pause, while Bryan Cristante remains injured. Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable due to a contusion, leaving the manager stretched in key areas as the campaign resumes and the title race intensifies. The tactical picture remains fluid across the available reports. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive line in a three-man system. Marten de Roon is expected to start in midfield, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is favoured over both Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield slots. The formation varies between configurations, with some reports suggesting a 3-4-2-1 shape featuring Paulo Dybala and Pellegrini behind Donyell Malen, while others propose a 3-4-1-2 with Pellegrini in a deeper midfield role supporting Dybala and Malen in attack. Nahuel Molina and Wesley feature as wing-backs across most predictions, with Manu Koné anchoring the midfield. The competing lineups reflect ongoing debate among observers about Gasperini's preferred balance between defensive security and attacking thrust, particularly given the personnel constraints imposed by injury.

Pierluigi Gollini steps into Roma's first-choice goalkeeper role today at Como after Mile Svilar suffered a stress fracture to his little toe. Svilar is not expected to return before 21 November, when Roma face Parma after the next international break, leaving Gollini to provide continuity through a demanding fixture run rather than a short-term stand-in. Gian Piero Gasperini has shown no hesitation in backing his goalkeeper. At the pre-match press conference, the head coach said: "He has always trained well and must have everyone's confidence." The choice carries weight because Gollini and Gasperini worked together at Atalanta, giving the goalkeeper an existing understanding of the coach's tactical demands. For Roma's defence — Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso and others — the transition will demand new communication patterns, adjusted timing on exits and altered management of space, since Gasperini asks his goalkeepers to operate deep in their half and accept frequent individual duels. Gollini's last Serie A appearance came on 5 October 2024, when he defended Genoa's goal against Atalanta under Gasperini. He joined Roma in January 2025 and has since played just one official match—against Panathinaikos in European competition—where he was exposed for the Greek goal. Svilar had kept him almost entirely out of the picture until now. Roma enter a sequence of nine matches in 27 days, with league and Champions League fixtures interlocking without respite. This is no brief absence for Gollini to manage; he must guarantee security to a squad accustomed to Svilar as a core reference point. The real test begins today at Como. Gollini has long awaited his chance, though likely not imagined it would arrive at the most congested point of autumn, with Roma losing their number one at precisely the wrong moment.

Roma will face Como in the Serie A sixth round at 12:30 on Saturday. Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to the starting XI after recent absence, according to Italian newspaper line-ups. The leading outlets Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, and Corriere dello Sport project Roma in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Pellegrini deployed in an attacking midfield role alongside Paulo Dybala, who will lead the line with Donyell Malen. Gazzetta and Corriere della Sera's predicted XI places Pellegrini and Dybala as the two attacking midfielders behind centre-forward Malen, while Il Messaggero and Corriere dello Sport see Pellegrini as a single playmaker in a 3-4-1-2 shape with Dybala and Malen paired in attack. Defence and midfield remain consistent across all predictions: Pierluigi Gollini in goal; Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso at centre-back; Nahuel Molina and Wesley as wing-backs (or Emanuele Lulli on the left in Corriere dello Sport's formation); Marten de Roon and Manu Koné anchoring midfield.

Roma prepare to face Como after the international break with Gian Piero Gasperini contending with significant absences. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar is sidelined and will miss the entire run of matches until the next international pause, while Bryan Cristante remains injured. Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable due to a contusion, leaving the manager stretched in key areas as the campaign resumes and the title race intensifies. The tactical picture remains fluid across the available reports. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive line in a three-man system. Marten de Roon is expected to start in midfield, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is favoured over both Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield slots. The formation varies between configurations, with some reports suggesting a 3-4-2-1 shape featuring Paulo Dybala and Pellegrini behind Donyell Malen, while others propose a 3-4-1-2 with Pellegrini in a deeper midfield role supporting Dybala and Malen in attack. Nahuel Molina and Wesley feature as wing-backs across most predictions, with Manu Koné anchoring the midfield. The competing lineups reflect ongoing debate among observers about Gasperini's preferred balance between defensive security and attacking thrust, particularly given the personnel constraints imposed by injury.

Pierluigi Gollini steps into Roma's first-choice goalkeeper role today at Como after Mile Svilar suffered a stress fracture to his little toe. Svilar is not expected to return before 21 November, when Roma face Parma after the next international break, leaving Gollini to provide continuity through a demanding fixture run rather than a short-term stand-in. Gian Piero Gasperini has shown no hesitation in backing his goalkeeper. At the pre-match press conference, the head coach said: "He has always trained well and must have everyone's confidence." The choice carries weight because Gollini and Gasperini worked together at Atalanta, giving the goalkeeper an existing understanding of the coach's tactical demands. For Roma's defence — Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso and others — the transition will demand new communication patterns, adjusted timing on exits and altered management of space, since Gasperini asks his goalkeepers to operate deep in their half and accept frequent individual duels. Gollini's last Serie A appearance came on 5 October 2024, when he defended Genoa's goal against Atalanta under Gasperini. He joined Roma in January 2025 and has since played just one official match—against Panathinaikos in European competition—where he was exposed for the Greek goal. Svilar had kept him almost entirely out of the picture until now. Roma enter a sequence of nine matches in 27 days, with league and Champions League fixtures interlocking without respite. This is no brief absence for Gollini to manage; he must guarantee security to a squad accustomed to Svilar as a core reference point. The real test begins today at Como. Gollini has long awaited his chance, though likely not imagined it would arrive at the most congested point of autumn, with Roma losing their number one at precisely the wrong moment.

Roma face Como on matchday 8 without goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who has suffered a stress fracture to the fifth toe of his right foot sustained in training and will be sidelined for a month — a costly absence given Gasperini's fixture list includes Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United among other heavyweight opponents. Pierluigi Gollini will start in his place after nine months without a match and two years without a Serie A appearance, his last coming on 5 October 2024. The tactical matchup pits Paulo Dybala against Como's Nico Paz, two Argentine left-footed talents whose contest takes on symbolic weight in the week Leo Messi announced his retirement from international football. A decade ago, Messi said of Dybala: "He is a phenomenon and will have a great future." That future is already present for Paz, who scored in Tuesday's Argentina farewell match and is a candidate to inherit Messi's number 10. Roma will deploy Dybala in partnership with Donyell Malen as they seek to bounce back from defeats, while Como manager Fabregas looks to erase the memory of a loss to Frosinone three weeks ago.

Roma prepare to face Como after the international break with Gian Piero Gasperini contending with significant absences. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar is sidelined and will miss the entire run of matches until the next international pause, while Bryan Cristante remains injured. Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable due to a contusion, leaving the manager stretched in key areas as the campaign resumes and the title race intensifies. The tactical picture remains fluid across the available reports. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive line in a three-man system. Marten de Roon is expected to start in midfield, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is favoured over both Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield slots. The formation varies between configurations, with some reports suggesting a 3-4-2-1 shape featuring Paulo Dybala and Pellegrini behind Donyell Malen, while others propose a 3-4-1-2 with Pellegrini in a deeper midfield role supporting Dybala and Malen in attack. Nahuel Molina and Wesley feature as wing-backs across most predictions, with Manu Koné anchoring the midfield. The competing lineups reflect ongoing debate among observers about Gasperini's preferred balance between defensive security and attacking thrust, particularly given the personnel constraints imposed by injury.

Pierluigi Gollini steps into Roma's first-choice goalkeeper role today at Como after Mile Svilar suffered a stress fracture to his little toe. Svilar is not expected to return before 21 November, when Roma face Parma after the next international break, leaving Gollini to provide continuity through a demanding fixture run rather than a short-term stand-in. Gian Piero Gasperini has shown no hesitation in backing his goalkeeper. At the pre-match press conference, the head coach said: "He has always trained well and must have everyone's confidence." The choice carries weight because Gollini and Gasperini worked together at Atalanta, giving the goalkeeper an existing understanding of the coach's tactical demands. For Roma's defence — Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso and others — the transition will demand new communication patterns, adjusted timing on exits and altered management of space, since Gasperini asks his goalkeepers to operate deep in their half and accept frequent individual duels. Gollini's last Serie A appearance came on 5 October 2024, when he defended Genoa's goal against Atalanta under Gasperini. He joined Roma in January 2025 and has since played just one official match—against Panathinaikos in European competition—where he was exposed for the Greek goal. Svilar had kept him almost entirely out of the picture until now. Roma enter a sequence of nine matches in 27 days, with league and Champions League fixtures interlocking without respite. This is no brief absence for Gollini to manage; he must guarantee security to a squad accustomed to Svilar as a core reference point. The real test begins today at Como. Gollini has long awaited his chance, though likely not imagined it would arrive at the most congested point of autumn, with Roma losing their number one at precisely the wrong moment.

Roma will face Como in the Serie A sixth round at 12:30 on Saturday. Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to the starting XI after recent absence, according to Italian newspaper line-ups. The leading outlets Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, and Corriere dello Sport project Roma in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Pellegrini deployed in an attacking midfield role alongside Paulo Dybala, who will lead the line with Donyell Malen. Gazzetta and Corriere della Sera's predicted XI places Pellegrini and Dybala as the two attacking midfielders behind centre-forward Malen, while Il Messaggero and Corriere dello Sport see Pellegrini as a single playmaker in a 3-4-1-2 shape with Dybala and Malen paired in attack. Defence and midfield remain consistent across all predictions: Pierluigi Gollini in goal; Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso at centre-back; Nahuel Molina and Wesley as wing-backs (or Emanuele Lulli on the left in Corriere dello Sport's formation); Marten de Roon and Manu Koné anchoring midfield.

Roma prepare to face Como after the international break with Gian Piero Gasperini contending with significant absences. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar is sidelined and will miss the entire run of matches until the next international pause, while Bryan Cristante remains injured. Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable due to a contusion, leaving the manager stretched in key areas as the campaign resumes and the title race intensifies. The tactical picture remains fluid across the available reports. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive line in a three-man system. Marten de Roon is expected to start in midfield, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is favoured over both Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield slots. The formation varies between configurations, with some reports suggesting a 3-4-2-1 shape featuring Paulo Dybala and Pellegrini behind Donyell Malen, while others propose a 3-4-1-2 with Pellegrini in a deeper midfield role supporting Dybala and Malen in attack. Nahuel Molina and Wesley feature as wing-backs across most predictions, with Manu Koné anchoring the midfield. The competing lineups reflect ongoing debate among observers about Gasperini's preferred balance between defensive security and attacking thrust, particularly given the personnel constraints imposed by injury.

Como and Roma meet at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 12:30 on Saturday in one of Serie A's most tactically intriguing fixtures, pitting Cesc Fabregas's approach against Gian Piero Gasperini's high-intensity system. The match centres on a duel between two Argentine left-footers: Como's Nico Paz, who scored for Argentina in a farewell tribute to Lionel Messi, and Roma's Paulo Dybala, set to lead the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Fabregas said ahead of the tie: "We respect Roma but we will not change our way of thinking—we will play with our faces open." Roma's preparation has been disrupted by injury to Mile Svilar. The Serbian goalkeeper has suffered a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal on his right foot and will miss approximately one month, ruling him out of a crucial run of fixtures spanning Serie A and the Champions League, including matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United. Pierluigi Gollini will make his first start in Serie A, stepping in after a long spell without competitive action. Gasperini must also contend with the absence of Bryan Cristante in midfield. Como face their own forward problems: Moise Kean has been sidelined by an injury sustained during international duty with Italy and will be unavailable for around ten days. Fabregas responded sharply to the situation, saying: "Moise will be out for 10 days. He took a blow in the first match against Belgium and then returned to play another match as an injured player for the full 90 minutes. Communication between the clubs and the Italian Football Federation should improve." The two managers have faced each other three times in the past year, deploying five different formations across those meetings.

Gian Piero Gasperini held his pre-match press conference on the eve of Roma's away fixture against Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, maintaining strong optimism despite significant absences. Mile Svilar sustained an injury during training, while Bryan Cristante and Konstantinos Koulierakis were also unavailable following the international break. Gasperini addressed the setbacks with composure, stating: "Things of this kind can happen, we're finally sixteen in number, that's fine. I have a good squad at my disposal, whoever takes the pitch guarantees me a performance." He praised Como's quality, saying: "Como have shown they are strong through their results and the football they play. They merit the praise for the values they express." On Roma's title prospects and the competitive landscape, Gasperini was candid about the challenge ahead. He acknowledged Inter's position, saying: "Inter are a bit above, which for me remains the favourite for the Scudetto. But that doesn't mean his squad isn't in the fight. Inter are a bit above, then there's a group fighting for the best positions in the table, hoping that Chivu's team might stumble at some point." The head coach emphasized the crucial role of the club's supporters and the stadium environment in driving the team forward, noting: "I don't need to do anything. It's the people who, with this enormous passion they have for this team, infect me and the players. Playing accompanied by this passion, surrounded by all that enthusiasm, with the stadium always so full, I believe that is something very favourable, very positive." Gasperini also reflected on the club's long-term ambitions and the importance of ownership involvement. He said: "I want to involve the Friedkins more. My observation is simply that, to make a team great, possibly at both Italian and international level, given that there is a wonderful stadium and in the middle there is also the celebration for the Centenary, I believe it is important to have an ownership that is very involved. But this is only my consideration, also because I came to Roma at the moment I met Dan and Ryan and this certainly convinced me that something beautiful could be done. I hope to still be of that idea, of that vision."