Hearts beating stronger: Roma return home for the new season

Roma face Como on Sunday at 12:30 in Serie A matchday 6, with head coach Gasperini having to choose between three players for a single starting spot. Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini are competing for the role, forcing the manager to make a key decision ahead of the fixture. Pellegrini has not played since 10 April 2026, when Roma beat Pisa 3-0. His last goal came a week earlier in Roma's 5-2 defeat at Inter. Soulé, the Argentine winger, started the three matches immediately before the international break—against Fenerbahce, Torino and Inter—but his fitness is uncertain following his journey back from Argentina after taking part in Lionel Messi's final appearance for the national team. Mora, meanwhile, has made limited impact recently, managing only 49 minutes across the last three games after impressing in his earlier displays against Fiorentina and Lecce, where he scored his first Roma goal. The poll posed to supporters asks the key question: should Pellegrini start the match at the Sinigaglia?

Roma travel to Como this weekend as Serie A resumes after a three-week international break, with the clash carrying direct implications for Champions League qualification. Historically, Roma's record against Como is strong overall—16 wins, 8 draws and 7 defeats—and the Giallorossi have won both recent meetings at the Olimpico: 2-1 in 2025 and 1-0 last season, when Wesley scored. Away at the Sinigaglia, however, the picture is starkly different. Since Como's return to Serie A, Roma have lost every fixture there, falling 2-0 and 2-1 in those contests. The last Roma victory away from home against Como stretches back 37 years. On 30 April 1989, Roma won 0-1 with a goal from Manfredonia in the 2nd minute; that match also featured a missed penalty from Giannini. A defeat also came in 2003, underlining Como's status as a venue where Roma have consistently struggled.

Como sporting director Carlalberto Ludi has outlined his side's approach to Sunday's match against Roma, scheduled for 11 October at 12:30. Ludi told Sky Sport that the fixture will be "a stimulating match, extremely difficult, against one of the strongest teams in the league". He emphasised Como's ambition to compete seriously and demonstrate they can challenge Roma at the highest level. "We want to confront them in a serious way to prove we are their rivals," Ludi said. "We aim to be competitive and to manage our physical and mental energy as best we can ahead of the many commitments ahead. I am confident that we will be ready." Como's focus is on maintaining intensity across a congested fixture calendar while preparing a competitive challenge to one of Serie A's leading contenders.

Lorenzo Pellegrini was among 13 figures from journalism, sport, television, entertainment and public life honoured at the twelfth edition of the Premio Giuseppe Colalucci at Rome's Circolo Antico Tiro a Volo on 7 October. The award, created by Guido D'Ubaldo (current president of the Lazio Press Association), commemorates Giuseppe Colalucci, the historic founder of *Il Tifone*. Also recognised were former Roma defender Ubaldo Righetti and Lazio manager Gennaro Gattuso. Pellegrini spoke of his contentment at remaining with Roma and the unity within the squad. During a national-team break, he had used the time to build fitness ahead of the return to domestic action. The Roma midfielder and the Lazio boss shared a relaxed moment together at the ceremony, exchanging embraces and conversation before the formalities began. At his presentation, Pellegrini said: "At Roma we are a united, strong group that works and knows what our objective is. I am happy to have stayed at Roma." Speaking to Sky Sport before the event, he added: "I am well; during this international break I have been able to push harder and recover. I am very pleased and very fired up for this restart."

Roma return to action on Sunday 11 October at 12:30 at the Sinigaglia for Serie A's sixth round against Como, following the international break. Wesley and Malen trained partially with the group on 7 October, while Bryan Cristante remains sidelined and will miss the match. Rodrigo Mora and Manu Koné have returned to Rome after completing their international commitments; Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi are expected back tomorrow after finishing their respective obligations. Lorenzo Pellegrini is in contention for a starting role in the offensive line, having remained at Trigoria throughout the break and trained consistently under coach Gian Piero Gasperini. He is reportedly ahead of Soulé and Mora in the selection battle, a positioning helped by his uninterrupted preparation while his rivals were engaged with their national teams. Soulé will arrive in the capital only close to kickoff following Argentina's campaign, while Mora returned today after Portugal's Under-21 commitments. Michael Fabbri of Ravenna has been appointed to referee the match, with Imperiale and Baccini as assistants and Sozza as fourth official. Gariglio will manage the VAR with Abisso as AVAR. Fabbri has refereed Roma on 19 occasions: the club holds a record of 9 victories, 4 draws and 6 defeats under him. His last match involving Roma was in the 2025-26 season, when he officiated Roma's 1–0 defeat to Atalanta in Bergamo in round 18. Radio commentary before the match has focused on the title race. Stefano Carina remarked: "We need to understand what effect the Champions League has, it costs many points. But it is too early for any judgment, Como and Roma are already going at maximum, difficult they can do more." Paolo Marcacci added: "I have positive feelings about the match with Como. After this break another championship begins: between 13 and 10 points there are eight teams, so this round can become important for the table. If I had to pick a result, I would say Roma will win or at least not lose. But it is too early to say that whoever wins will become the anti-Inter."

Roma will travel to Como in four days with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini preparing his squad for the match. Bryan Cristante is unavailable through injury, while Donyell Malen and Wesley have trained separately but pose no fitness concerns. Rodrigo Mora and Manu Koné returned to Rome today following the international break, with Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi due back tomorrow. Como's prospects have improved ahead of the fixture. Moise Kean is recovering from muscle fatigue that forced him to leave the national team camp, and confidence is growing that he will feature against Roma. Como's director of sport Ludi addressed the upcoming match, saying: "It will undoubtedly be a stimulating match, extremely difficult against one of the strongest teams in the championship. We want to test ourselves seriously to prove we are their rivals." Michael Fabbri has been appointed as referee. Como's last meeting with Roma came in January, a 1–0 defeat at Atalanta where Scalvini scored an irregular goal after committing a foul on Mile Svilar.

Lionel Messi said goodbye to international football on the night of 7 October 2026 in an emotional ceremony at the Mas Monumental, with Argentina defeating Benin 3–0. Three Roma players were part of the Argentina squad: Leonardo Balerdi appeared on the bench, while Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé were not included in the matchday squad, though all three felt the weight of the historic moment. Castro, who has cited Messi as a direct inspiration for his love of football, posted on Instagram: "Thank you for every moment you gave us with this shirt, thank you for bringing the colours of Argentina to the highest level, thank you for never abandoning this country and for putting yourself on the front line for millions of people, thank you for making me fall in love with football and the national team, thank you for BEING ARGENTINIAN!!" Soulé, whose playing style has been shaped by studying Messi, recalled meeting his childhood idol in recent days during the national team gathering. When Soulé was 17 and had not yet made his professional debut, he met Messi and said: "I was so nervous, meeting him was a dream. I didn't want to wash my hand after shaking his." Now, six years later, Soulé has made his senior international debut — a full-circle moment for both young players who grew up watching Messi's first World Cup in 2006 as children and have now closed that chapter alongside him. Balerdi, the defender, shared a longer dressing-room history with Messi and had more opportunities to exchange words and gestures with the legend of Rosario. Nahuel Molina, who experienced football's greatest joy alongside Messi by winning the World Cup together, wrote from home: "Thank you eternally captain, you deserve all of this and much more, thank you for everything you gave Argentinians, it was a pleasure to share so many beautiful moments with you." Paulo Dybala marked the occasion more simply on social media, posting a photograph of Messi alongside the infinity symbol and the Argentina flag.

Roma travel to Como for a Serie A encounter on Sunday at 12:30 for matchday six, immediately after the international break. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Wesley on the flanks, and Marten de Roon and Manu Koné in midfield. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini are set to operate in the attacking third, with Donyell Malen leading the line. Competition for places remains open in several positions: Evan N'Dicka and Balerdi are competing for the third centre-back slot, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are battling for a spot in the advanced midfield alongside Pellegrini. The selection is being shaped by ongoing injury concerns across the squad. Roma arrive still near the top of the league table but must recalibrate after two weeks disrupted by international departures. For Gasperini, the priority is assessing the condition of players returning late from their national teams and rotating the squad without sacrificing defensive stability in what is expected to be a challenging away fixture. Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, will field a 4-2-3-1 setup and attempt to exploit home advantage and their attacking resources. Historically, Roma hold the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with 13 victories compared to Como's 7, and 8 draws across 28 Serie A meetings. The most recent encounter came on 15 March 2026 at the Sinigaglia, where Como won 2-1. Roma took the lead through Donyell Malen's penalty on 7 minutes, but Como reversed the result in the second half with goals from Douvikas and Diego Carlos. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN via smartphone, PC, tablet or the official website. Official lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kick-off.

Gian Piero Gasperini has outlined his ambition to strengthen the relationship between AS Roma and ownership, revealing in a Sky Sport interview that while the Friedkin Group maintains confidence in him despite their infrequent presence in Rome, he wants to build closer ties ahead of the club's 100th anniversary. Gasperini used the occasion to discuss his newly launched wine label "3-4-3", named after his signature formation, and drew parallels between his philosophical approach to football and viticulture. He reflected on last season's success, attributing it to finding "a group of players with enormous willingness towards me" who arrived from a positive spell in the previous campaign and demonstrated eagerness to embrace a different style of football. The manager also highlighted his pride at winning over a fanbase that had initially viewed him with scepticism. Gasperini acknowledged Roma's strength in attack while commenting on the transfer market's difficulty: "Strikers are always the most sought-after and expensive players on the market. Those who have them rarely part with them—it's every team's quest." He expressed satisfaction that Manu Koné remained at the club after late-window interest, stating the timescale made a deal impossible: "The market was long, arriving at just a few hours before closure there was no time. These transfers bring insertions of many people; I don't see how such an operation could have been done. Personally I'm happy. He will have the opportunity, and is already doing so, to increase his value." On Bryan Cristante's recovery from injury, Gasperini counselled patience: "He's recovering; it takes its time. We won't be willing to risk anything. The goal is to recover him at his best even if he misses one or two more matches." Gasperini analysed the expanding squad depth afforded by five substitutions and a congested fixture list: "Four changes are made significantly, one is reserve. Energy expenditure is considerable. Management for coaches is a bit less complicated; you have the chance to use the whole squad better. All players hope to play in more matches. The drawback is injuries, which happen in football always and there's no scientific explanation." Regarding individual attacking players, he noted Matías Soulé had recovered from pubic pain suffered last season: "He trained during summer; when he arrived, logically he was overweight because he'd been out for a long time. His league start was at a high level. Now he's made his Argentina debut. When Roma players go to their national team and play, it's a reward for the whole squad." He praised Paulo Dybala's commitment and happiness since his return to regular action, and explained why he withheld Dybala and Nahuel Molina from international duty given a forthcoming important fixture: "We're too close to an important match. It meant forcing them to do many hours of flying." Gasperini offered measured praise for Como's emergence as title contenders: "We all appreciate this team's evolution. For the quality of the players and the play. Como is justly one of the accredited teams and among the best in our league. Can they win the Scudetto? Everyone recognizes Inter as the strongest, but Como with all the others can compete." He also reflected on Lionel Messi's imminent retirement from international football: "I struggle to think of a player who has done what Messi has done. It's a shame such a player ends his career, but there's also satisfaction in having seen him play—it's been a gift."

The international break has ended and Roma players have returned to Trigoria, with Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi due back in the capital today and available to Gasperini from tomorrow. The three Argentina internationals saw limited action across friendly matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin. Balerdi played the most among them with 79 minutes, followed by Soulé (45 minutes) and Castro (21 minutes). They watched Argentina's farewell to Lionel Messi from the bench and are now set for the upcoming Como fixture. Rodrigo Mora emerged as Roma's most-used player during the international window, accumulating 225 minutes with Portugal Under-21. The 2007-born midfielder scored a bicycle kick and provided an assist. Evan N'Dicka (187 minutes), Gianluca Mancini and Niccolò Pisilli (both 180 minutes) followed him. Manu Koné featured in three of France's four matches, totalling 151 minutes, though he was absent against Italy and came off the bench only late in the fixture against Belgium. Emanuele Lulli and Konstantinos Koulierakis saw less action, playing 45 and 90 minutes respectively. Gasperini began formation drills today and reunited with Wesley and Donyell Malen, both of whom remained in Rome due to minor injuries that have now been resolved.

Agent and intermediary Giuseppe Cionci has re-entered Roma's transfer dealings after a prolonged absence from the club's operations. Cionci played a role in two transfers completed within recent months: in January, he was among intermediaries involved in Donyell Malen's move from Aston Villa, and in summer he facilitated Konstantinos Koulierakis's arrival from Wolfsburg for €16.5 million. His return marks a notable shift at Trigoria, as the last time Cionci featured prominently in Roma business was in 2018, when he helped bring Ante Coric from Dinamo Zagreb for over €6 million. Cionci's re-emergence carries added significance given the contested history of that 2018 deal. According to reports, Pietro Leonardi, a former Parma director with long-standing ties to Cionci and a friend of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, may have played a role in reconnecting Cionci to Roma operations. Gasperini described Leonardi as "a great friend outside football". The recent dual involvement is undeniable—Malen first, then Koulierakis—though a legal dispute stemming from the original Coric transaction remains active. In January 2024, Rome's tribunal annulled an injunction of €216,550 previously obtained by Corner Sport Management, declaring the representation contract null and ordering the company to return €800,000 already received. Corner subsequently appealed, and the Court of Appeal suspended the ruling's executive effect. The proceedings remain open, with a final hearing scheduled for 13 November.

Giuseppe Cionci, an agent and intermediary who participated in Ante Coric's transfer to Roma in 2018, has returned to working on club operations in recent months, including involvement in the signings of Konstantinos Koulierakis and Donyell Malen. The reappearance is striking because a protracted legal battle between Corner Sport Management—the company to which Cionci is attached—and Roma remains unresolved over the Coric transaction. Cionici was among the intermediaries involved in last summer's transfer of Koulierakis from Wolfsburg to Roma for €16.5 million. He also took part in negotiations for Malen's arrival in January. His return marks a sharp reversal after years in which his name had essentially disappeared from Roma's radar at Trigoria following the Coric deal, which brought the Croatian midfielder to the capital with high expectations but quickly unravelled into a sporting failure. The legal dispute centres on two separate claims by Corner Sport Management. The first involves an injunction for €216,550 in intermediation fees related to the Coric deal. In January 2024 the Rome Court annulled the representation contract and ordered Roma to recover approximately €800,000 already paid. Corner appealed, and the Court of Appeal suspended the ruling's enforcement. The decisive hearing is scheduled for 13 November. A second legal action, stemming from a further €200,000 injunction from Corner over the same Coric operation, remains open. The rapprochement between Cionci and Roma has been facilitated by his longstanding relationship with Pietro Leonardi, a figure in Roman football since the 1990s. A 2020 Financial Police report identified Cionci as Corner Sport Management's representative and linked Leonardi to the same company. The paradox is complete: even as the judicial matter born from Coric's purchase awaits resolution, Cionci has become operational in Roma's market dealings again. Eight years after the Coric case, a door that appeared permanently closed has reopened.