Injury concerns ease as Roma head into international break atop Serie A

Radio commentators Piero Torri and Rossomando have offered contrasting takes on Roma's recent performance and transfer priorities. Torri, speaking on Radio Manà Manà, expressed regret over the draw against Inter despite Roma's strong display against the Serie A leaders. He believes Roma are pursuing Kvernadze of Frosinone and welcomed the fact that several players have remained at Trigoria, hoping they will be fit for the upcoming match against Como. Rossomando, also on Radio Manà Manà, disagreed with Torri's assessment of the transfer targets. "Between Kvernadze and Soulé I would keep the Argentine," Rossomando said, backing the current squad member over the external option. He was critical of Bryan Cristante's first-half performance, describing it as poor, and questioned the substitution of Manu Koné, saying he would never have removed him from the pitch.

Manu Koné scored his first career brace against Inter, reaching his career record for goals in a single season at Roma as early as September. The French midfielder has emerged as an unexpected standout in Roma's early-season attack, which has already produced seven different goalscorers. Against Inter, Koné delivered a player-of-the-match display: zero dribbling fouls conceded, two duels won from four contested, and 85% pass accuracy. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in Koné's development this season, working intensively on both tactical and psychological aspects of his game. The relationship between coach and player has been uneven—ranging from end-of-season criticism last year and after the Turin fixture to unconditional backing—but Gasperini recognises Koné's unique qualities within the squad. Gasperini personally intervened on the final day of the summer transfer window to block Koné's sale to Chelsea, according to Il Messaggero. Koné's importance to Roma's tactical setup is underlined by data from last season: in eight Serie A matches he missed, Roma failed to win in 50% of cases, contributing to their elimination from the Europa League against Bologna. Meanwhile, forward Donyell Malen withdrew from the Netherlands national team call-up due to a muscle strain and will remain in Rome during the international break to recover at Trigoria, where he will work alongside fellow injury victims Wesley and Bryan Cristante.

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season strongly, scoring freely and proving they can match Serie A's leading sides—but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini sees room to unlock quality in a specific area without returning to the transfer market. The key zone is the left-sided attacking midfield, where two very different players can become important: Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Mora arrived in summer carrying the label of an elite young talent and made an immediate impression at Roma, including scoring against Lecce. The 19-year-old, born in 2007, started brightly but recent weeks have revealed the uneven path young prospects travel. His recent appearances have been less incisive; at Turin he came on in the second half without making a particular mark, and against Inter he remained on the bench for the entire match despite Roma's need for fresh attacking quality, especially in the second half. Gasperini has continued to speak of Mora as a player with great talent but has been clear about the work still required. "He needs to complete himself physically above all, and also tactically," Gasperini said. The club invested heavily in the Portuguese midfielder and nobody at Trigoria sees the present moment as an endpoint. Mora must learn to be decisive when space narrows, tempo increases and time to think diminishes. Pellegrini's summer has been almost the opposite. Rather than fighting immediately for a starting place, he underwent lengthy work to rebuild his body and sort his contract future. After an injury that kept him sidelined in the final stages of last season, Pellegrini renewed his Roma deal through 2027 and has only recently returned to regular availability. Gasperini is not rushing his reintegration: the midfielder has not played an official match in months. The international break presents an opportunity Gasperini is considering carefully—he is evaluating the organisation of friendly matches to allow players remaining at Trigoria to accumulate minutes and match rhythm. For Pellegrini this pause can become a platform for restart. After weeks split between recovery and contract renewal, the goal is to become a genuine solution rather than merely a name on the team sheet. While not the pure attacking winger Gasperini sought in summer, he can offer a different answer to that same need, particularly in matches where Roma require additional passing quality and creativity near Dybala and Malen. Pellegrini, who hoped for a longer contract extension, has only a few months to prove himself worthy of both the manager's and the club's faith. After the break, nine matches arrive in twenty-eight days, and Roma cannot always depend on Dybala, Malen or Soulé to produce the decisive moment.

Manu Koné scored his first career brace against Inter, reaching his career record for goals in a single season at Roma as early as September. The French midfielder has emerged as an unexpected standout in Roma's early-season attack, which has already produced seven different goalscorers. Against Inter, Koné delivered a player-of-the-match display: zero dribbling fouls conceded, two duels won from four contested, and 85% pass accuracy. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in Koné's development this season, working intensively on both tactical and psychological aspects of his game. The relationship between coach and player has been uneven—ranging from end-of-season criticism last year and after the Turin fixture to unconditional backing—but Gasperini recognises Koné's unique qualities within the squad. Gasperini personally intervened on the final day of the summer transfer window to block Koné's sale to Chelsea, according to Il Messaggero. Koné's importance to Roma's tactical setup is underlined by data from last season: in eight Serie A matches he missed, Roma failed to win in 50% of cases, contributing to their elimination from the Europa League against Bologna. Meanwhile, forward Donyell Malen withdrew from the Netherlands national team call-up due to a muscle strain and will remain in Rome during the international break to recover at Trigoria, where he will work alongside fellow injury victims Wesley and Bryan Cristante.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma side, playing on the left flank—a position he had rarely occupied in his career. After an initial trial at Torino, Gasperini deployed the Argentine right-back on the opposite flank against Inter, a role Molina has played only nine times overall. The experiment paid off: Molina delivered the assist for Manu Koné's opening goal and impressed enough to convince his manager that the system works. The fullback has since regained ground on his positional rivals, closing a physical gap that had left him sidelined at the start of the season. Gasperini's tactical flexibility is his trademark—the previous season he had shifted Wesley to the left with similar success. Molina possesses greater attacking instinct than Zeki Çelik, and his contributions came through continuous overlaps, off-the-ball movement and crosses from the byline. According to reporting by Niccolò Maurelli in La Repubblica, the Argentine has found the right notes to satisfy Gasperini's demands. Training resumed today with the full squad and continues through Friday, followed by two rest days over the weekend. In the three weeks before Roma face Como, Gasperini plans to arrange friendly matches, possibly against the club's Primavera side, to restore match fitness for those still awaiting playing time. Lorenzo Pellegrini is among those available again after returning from an injury sustained in the final league matches of last season.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Radio commentators Piero Torri and Rossomando have offered contrasting takes on Roma's recent performance and transfer priorities. Torri, speaking on Radio Manà Manà, expressed regret over the draw against Inter despite Roma's strong display against the Serie A leaders. He believes Roma are pursuing Kvernadze of Frosinone and welcomed the fact that several players have remained at Trigoria, hoping they will be fit for the upcoming match against Como. Rossomando, also on Radio Manà Manà, disagreed with Torri's assessment of the transfer targets. "Between Kvernadze and Soulé I would keep the Argentine," Rossomando said, backing the current squad member over the external option. He was critical of Bryan Cristante's first-half performance, describing it as poor, and questioned the substitution of Manu Koné, saying he would never have removed him from the pitch.

Manu Koné scored his first career brace against Inter, reaching his career record for goals in a single season at Roma as early as September. The French midfielder has emerged as an unexpected standout in Roma's early-season attack, which has already produced seven different goalscorers. Against Inter, Koné delivered a player-of-the-match display: zero dribbling fouls conceded, two duels won from four contested, and 85% pass accuracy. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in Koné's development this season, working intensively on both tactical and psychological aspects of his game. The relationship between coach and player has been uneven—ranging from end-of-season criticism last year and after the Turin fixture to unconditional backing—but Gasperini recognises Koné's unique qualities within the squad. Gasperini personally intervened on the final day of the summer transfer window to block Koné's sale to Chelsea, according to Il Messaggero. Koné's importance to Roma's tactical setup is underlined by data from last season: in eight Serie A matches he missed, Roma failed to win in 50% of cases, contributing to their elimination from the Europa League against Bologna. Meanwhile, forward Donyell Malen withdrew from the Netherlands national team call-up due to a muscle strain and will remain in Rome during the international break to recover at Trigoria, where he will work alongside fellow injury victims Wesley and Bryan Cristante.

Nahuel Molina has emerged as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's shrewdest tactical decisions in the opening weeks of the season, deployed on the left side of Roma's defence—a position unfamiliar to the Argentine defender throughout his career. Molina has responded with a commanding display, contributing an assist for Manu Koné's opening goal in the match against Inter. The positional experiment is yielding the intended results, with Molina declaring his comfort in the new role: "I feel very good on the left." The former Atlético Madrid player, who arrived at the end of August without participating in the summer's pre-season training alongside his teammates, has earned public praise from Gasperini, who said: "Molina is a solid and mature world champion; the coach saw it right." His versatility will allow Gasperini to rotate him and Wesley across both flanks. While Roma prepare for their next Serie A fixture on 11 October against Como, the squad will train at Trigoria with a reduced group. Beyond the international players scattered worldwide, injured players Wesley (muscular strain) and Bryan Cristante (lower back pain) will remain in Rome. The staff has received positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. The Roma captain, returning to availability after a physical problem, will use the two-week break to regain match fitness and arrive at full capacity for the resumption of official matches.

Manu Koné scored his first career brace against Inter, reaching his career record for goals in a single season at Roma as early as September. The French midfielder has emerged as an unexpected standout in Roma's early-season attack, which has already produced seven different goalscorers. Against Inter, Koné delivered a player-of-the-match display: zero dribbling fouls conceded, two duels won from four contested, and 85% pass accuracy. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in Koné's development this season, working intensively on both tactical and psychological aspects of his game. The relationship between coach and player has been uneven—ranging from end-of-season criticism last year and after the Turin fixture to unconditional backing—but Gasperini recognises Koné's unique qualities within the squad. Gasperini personally intervened on the final day of the summer transfer window to block Koné's sale to Chelsea, according to Il Messaggero. Koné's importance to Roma's tactical setup is underlined by data from last season: in eight Serie A matches he missed, Roma failed to win in 50% of cases, contributing to their elimination from the Europa League against Bologna. Meanwhile, forward Donyell Malen withdrew from the Netherlands national team call-up due to a muscle strain and will remain in Rome during the international break to recover at Trigoria, where he will work alongside fellow injury victims Wesley and Bryan Cristante.

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season strongly, scoring freely and proving they can match Serie A's leading sides—but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini sees room to unlock quality in a specific area without returning to the transfer market. The key zone is the left-sided attacking midfield, where two very different players can become important: Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Mora arrived in summer carrying the label of an elite young talent and made an immediate impression at Roma, including scoring against Lecce. The 19-year-old, born in 2007, started brightly but recent weeks have revealed the uneven path young prospects travel. His recent appearances have been less incisive; at Turin he came on in the second half without making a particular mark, and against Inter he remained on the bench for the entire match despite Roma's need for fresh attacking quality, especially in the second half. Gasperini has continued to speak of Mora as a player with great talent but has been clear about the work still required. "He needs to complete himself physically above all, and also tactically," Gasperini said. The club invested heavily in the Portuguese midfielder and nobody at Trigoria sees the present moment as an endpoint. Mora must learn to be decisive when space narrows, tempo increases and time to think diminishes. Pellegrini's summer has been almost the opposite. Rather than fighting immediately for a starting place, he underwent lengthy work to rebuild his body and sort his contract future. After an injury that kept him sidelined in the final stages of last season, Pellegrini renewed his Roma deal through 2027 and has only recently returned to regular availability. Gasperini is not rushing his reintegration: the midfielder has not played an official match in months. The international break presents an opportunity Gasperini is considering carefully—he is evaluating the organisation of friendly matches to allow players remaining at Trigoria to accumulate minutes and match rhythm. For Pellegrini this pause can become a platform for restart. After weeks split between recovery and contract renewal, the goal is to become a genuine solution rather than merely a name on the team sheet. While not the pure attacking winger Gasperini sought in summer, he can offer a different answer to that same need, particularly in matches where Roma require additional passing quality and creativity near Dybala and Malen. Pellegrini, who hoped for a longer contract extension, has only a few months to prove himself worthy of both the manager's and the club's faith. After the break, nine matches arrive in twenty-eight days, and Roma cannot always depend on Dybala, Malen or Soulé to produce the decisive moment.

Manu Koné has added his name to Roma's early-season scorers with an unexpected contribution. The French midfielder scored twice against Inter—his first career brace—and has already matched his maximum goal tally from previous seasons in the giallorossi shirt, all by September. Gasperini is working to develop this attacking dimension alongside improving the team's mental approach. The relationship between coach and player has been marked by ups and downs: in May, Gasperini was unimpressed with Koné's performances when his focus appeared to be on the World Cup rather than securing Champions League qualification, and at Turin he was critical of his cameo appearance. Yet there is another side to the story. Gasperini fought to prevent Koné's departure to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, recognising the midfielder's value. Against Inter, Koné was the standout performer, not only for his goals: he made zero dribbling mistakes, won two of four duels and completed 85 per cent of his passes. There is a Roma that functions with Koné and one without him—a pattern already evident last season. Without him, the giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League in the double-header against Bologna and struggled in Serie A between March and April, missing eight league matches during which they failed to earn three points in half their fixtures. Donyell Malen withdrew from international duty for the latest fixture, declining a call-up from new national coach Xavi due to a muscle strain. Wesley and Bryan Cristante will also remain at Trigoria.