Italy coach leaves ten players at base camp, excluding Inter midfielder and Roma defender for Turkey clash

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for the Nations League match against Turkey on 28 September, with Italy manager Roberto Mancini electing to rest ten squad members at the federations's training base. The fixture kicks off at 20:45 at the Atatürk Spor Kompleksi in Bursa and is managed by Vincenzo Montella's side. The decision to keep the group in Italy reflects the coaching staff's wish to manage workload and avoid an arduous intercontinental journey ahead of further international fixtures. Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, however, remains in the full list of travelling players. Mancini's rotation strategy is designed to prepare the squad optimally for upcoming matches against France in Paris and a second meeting with Turkey in Bologna, while sparing the entire squad the fatigue of travel to Bursa. The ten players held back at the Coverciano training centre comprise Honest Ahanor, Nicolò Barella, Diego Coppola, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Daniel Maldini, Gianluca Mancini, Massimo Pessina, Samuele Ricci and Mohamed Alì Zoma. They will follow a targeted training programme under members of the technical, medical and performance staff, including Massimo Maccarone, Cristiano Lupatelli, Giulio Nuciari and Luca Bossi.

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for their fixture against Turkey, with national team coach Roberto Mancini deciding to leave ten players at the Coverciano training centre to continue work there. Mancini joins Ahanor, Barella, Coppola, Inacio, Kouadio, Maldini, Pessina, Ricci and Zoma in staying behind. The decision reflects uncertainty over Mancini's starting place in Italy's defensive line. Coach Roberto Mancini is considering substantial changes to the back four following matches against Belgium, Turkey and France, with Di Lorenzo, Mancini and Coppola potentially replaced by Kayode, Scalvini and Bastoni, the latter returning from suspension. Back at Roma, the fixture list after the international break presents a demanding challenge: seven matches in 23 days beginning with the away trip to Como, followed by Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari and Udinese. This run will test both Roma's ambitions and the depth of Gasperini's squad. Roma's trip to Bologna on 4 December is under observation by the ONMS owing to a Virtus Bologna Euroliga match against Partizan Belgrade scheduled the same day; the proximity of the basketball arena and the Dall'Ara stadium, just over 2 kilometres apart, raises concerns about contact between supporter groups, though a final decision will come later. The trip to Como faces no such issues.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina want to attend a farewell match for Lionel Messi with Argentina on 6 October, but the timing poses a logistical and sporting problem for Roma. The event is scheduled for 22:00 in Argentina, and factoring in travel, time zones and recovery, both players would not be available until 8 October. Roma face Como three days later on 11 October at 12:30 in a crucial fixture for the top of the league that also opens a demanding run of consecutive Serie A and Champions League matches. The question of whether the pair should travel has become one of the most delicate issues during Roma's current international break. Reports differ on where the resistance lies. According to Il Messaggero, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini gave approval for Dybala and Molina to depart, recognising the special significance of the occasion for two players who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi. However, Corriere dello Sport reports that the Friedkin family themselves have applied the brakes, judging the cost in fatigue, travel and recovery too high ahead of such an important match. No final decision has been made. The situation remains open, though the lean of opinion is currently towards preventing the trip. A definitive resolution is expected on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria, when the club, Gasperini and the players must weigh sporting demands against personal wishes and reach a shared conclusion. Meanwhile, other Argentina internationals will attend the Messi event regardless. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are all on regular national team duty and will participate in the farewell ceremony, meaning they will be among the last national team players to return to Rome ahead of the Como fixture.