Koné on France-Italy: Roma player wants to win despite the banter with Mancini

Matías Soulé has overcome a pubic injury to feature in Argentina's recent international break, capping a strong September for the Roma forward under Gasperini. Though named in Argentina's squad, Soulé appeared only from the bench in the Albiceleste's 4–0 victory over Bolivia, with head coach Scaloni electing to start another player despite earlier including Soulé in a 55-man pre-World Cup list before dropping him. Soulé's return marks a comeback from the physical problem that had sidelined him, and comes after he scored a three-point goal against Atalanta in early September. His father, Nestor, marked the moment on social media: "How beautiful to see you in these colours, flaco! Come on, you're getting closer and closer!" The message celebrated Soulé's first call-up to the senior national team, which had not yet resulted in a competitive appearance.

Leonardo Balerdi took the field for Argentina in a friendly against Bolivia overnight, with the defender and teammate Matías Soulé remaining unused. Castro stayed on the bench. On social media, Balerdi wrote: "Farne parte con la maglietta migliore" (to be part of it with the best shirt), prompting a response from Castro—a simple "Francooo" with a fire emoji—a clear reference to a comparison Gasperini made a couple of weeks ago between the centre-back and Franco Baresi, the Milan and Italy legend, in his post-match comments after Torino versus Roma. Gasperini's remark drew attention across the dressing room, and the coach subsequently clarified his approach, explaining that he regularly compares his players with sporting icons to push them to perform at their highest level. Balerdi himself took a more measured stance when asked about the Baresi comparison, stating: "They misunderstood; I remain humble." The exchange illustrates how Gasperini's influence extends even when Roma's players are on international duty.

Juventus and Napoli both attempted to lure Paulo Dybala away from Roma during the summer transfer window, but the Argentine remained committed to the club and to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Juventus conducted an initial enquiry into Dybala's contract situation, while Napoli also signalled their interest. In both cases, however, Dybala's response was unambiguous: his priority was Roma and honouring his commitment to Gasperini. Gasperini's role in retaining the forward proved central to the outcome. The coach worked with both the player and the club to unlock a contract negotiation that had stalled for months, convincing Dybala that he would be a cornerstone of his tactical project. Dybala's decision to stay was reinforced by the direct confidence Gasperini showed in him, illustrating the trust between manager and player at a critical juncture. The contract renewal through 2027 was also facilitated by Dybala's willingness to restructure his salary downwards, accepting a deal built around a fixed base with various bonuses tied to appearances, goals and assists. The most significant aspect of the situation, however, remains that Dybala had the opportunity to explore other options and chose to remain at Roma—a reflection of the faith Gasperini had placed in him.

Donyell Malen has been named Serie A Player of the Month after a striking start to the 2026-27 season. The forward has scored 6 goals in Roma's first 5 matches, establishing himself as the team's primary attacking focus under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Gasperini has deployed Malen as a centre forward rather than in a wide role, a change from his previous career positions that has yielded immediate results since his arrival in January. In national team news, Gianluca Mancini returns to Italy's squad for tomorrow's Nations League group-stage fixture against France at 20:45, having been rested during the preceding match against Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi, the other Roma player in contention, has been left out and remains without a senior international debut. Rodrigo Mora featured prominently for Portugal U21 in a 4-0 European Championship qualifier victory over Gibraltar, playing 60 minutes and opening the match with a spectacular overhead kick from just inside the penalty area. He drew a standing ovation when substituted after continuing to impress with creative play. Meanwhile, Roma president Dan Friedkin has personally engaged with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to address the club's financial fair play breach ahead of a verdict expected in November. The two met during the assembly of European clubs in Copenhagen, where Friedkin outlined Roma's case: declining losses, consistent improvement in accounts, and future revenue growth from Champions League participation and the new stadium project. The discussion centred on Roma's failure to meet the financial objectives set four years earlier under the original UEFA agreement. Local media commentary has begun focusing on Roma's upcoming fixtures against Como and Real Madrid. Analysts have suggested that Mora could start against Como, given that Matías Soulé will have limited preparation time on his return, and that midfielder Marten de Roon could add midfield depth. One observer noted that Mora may prove decisive in the Real Madrid encounter: "The Real Madrid match seems the right one for Mora: he could become the decisive factor. Compared to last season Roma has more quality. Everyone can rotate and I think Gasperini will play them all in the coming matches."

Cagliari have made a striking start to the 2026-27 season, sitting fourth in Serie A a point off the league summit with the best defensive record in the division, having conceded just two goals in five games. Under Fabio Pisacane, they are employing a compact, vertically-focused approach that eschews high pressing and possession-heavy football in favour of a 4-5-1 shape that cramps the middle of the pitch and allows rapid transitions. In Daniel Maldini and Jacopo Fazzini, the side have two young attackers capable of operating centrally or drifting wide, while Elia Caprile, the young goalkeeper, is leading the league for save percentage and anchoring a stubborn backline. The team's success reflects the kind of squad construction that aligns with Roberto Mancini's vision for the Italian national team setup. Cagliari's midfield has been the foundation of their rise: Harry Winks, 30, has rediscovered form and marshalled proceedings with his passing and positional discipline, freeing Alessandro Romano to develop his game in the middle of the park. Romano's loan move from Roma is being made permanent at an obligation fee of €6.5 million, and his performances already appear to justify the outlay. In Caprile, Romano, Fazzini and Maldini, Pisacane has assembled a young Italian core driving the club towards unexpected heights. While their defensive solidity has been the bedrock of their league position, their struggles in the final third suggest vulnerabilities could emerge as the campaign progresses. Nevertheless, the article indicates Cagliari are well-placed to finish significantly higher than their 14th-place finish last season, with European qualification now a genuine possibility.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.