Koné set to return against Sassuolo as Gasperini gets fitness boost

Mile Svilar will not return to action before the international break, with his comeback now set for 21 November against Parma after a follow-up MRI scan on his toe showed the bone callus has not yet formed. Pierluigi Gollini will keep goal in the next games against Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo. Paulo Dybala is also a major concern. The Argentine has trained individually and is determined to travel to England, but the problem with the lateral gastrocnemius (the outer calf muscle) is not yet fully resolved. Roma's technical and medical staff do not intend to take risks to avoid a relapse, which puts his availability for Old Trafford in doubt. Manu Koné, who has resumed training on the pitch, is aiming to return against Sassuolo before the break. With two matches in four days and a squad under pressure, Gian Piero Gasperini must manage his resources and rotate heavily. Neither Dybala nor Koné is in the squad for the trip to Friuli. Donyell Malen starts up front, with Soulé alongside him, while the wide positions will see alternating options such as Celik, Rensch and Wesley on the left. Balerdi and Hermoso are fully recovered. Ghilardi is pushing for a place and could start at Udine, allowing Ndicka or Mancini to rest ahead of the Champions League night in Manchester.

Alessandro Gollini...

Roma winger Wesley has spoken about the injury that ended his hopes of playing at the World Cup, describing the moment he was forced off during the friendly against Egypt in preparation for the tournament. Speaking to Espn, the Brazilian said he knew immediately how serious the problem was. The injury also cost him his opening matches of the new season, and he has returned to the national team with the aim of earning a place at the next World Cup. He is now rebuilding his fitness after a series of setbacks that left him sidelined from the tournament itself. Wesley recounted the moment in detail: "Nel momento in cui c'è stato l'infortunio, ricordo perfettamente l'azione." In English: "When the injury happened, I remember the action perfectly. I realised straight away how serious it was, because the pain was too strong. Before crossing the ball I had already felt the tear, but then I went back to running to get my position back, telling myself it was not possible that the muscle had torn." He added: "On the bench I started to cry, because I felt a lot of pain and above all I knew it was a second-degree tear and that I would be out of the Cup. It was a dream that ended among the rubbish." He went on: "I had reached the top, to play a World Cup, and instead... Now I have to rebuild everything again. I am capable of building, because I have already been through many difficulties. I deserve to be at the next World Cup, no more than others, but I will work at my maximum to be there and perhaps bring joy to the Brazilian people."

Mile Svilar will not return to action before the international break, with his comeback now set for 21 November against Parma after a follow-up MRI scan on his toe showed the bone callus has not yet formed. Pierluigi Gollini will keep goal in the next games against Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo. Paulo Dybala is also a major concern. The Argentine has trained individually and is determined to travel to England, but the problem with the lateral gastrocnemius (the outer calf muscle) is not yet fully resolved. Roma's technical and medical staff do not intend to take risks to avoid a relapse, which puts his availability for Old Trafford in doubt. Manu Koné, who has resumed training on the pitch, is aiming to return against Sassuolo before the break. With two matches in four days and a squad under pressure, Gian Piero Gasperini must manage his resources and rotate heavily. Neither Dybala nor Koné is in the squad for the trip to Friuli. Donyell Malen starts up front, with Soulé alongside him, while the wide positions will see alternating options such as Celik, Rensch and Wesley on the left. Balerdi and Hermoso are fully recovered. Ghilardi is pushing for a place and could start at Udine, allowing Ndicka or Mancini to rest ahead of the Champions League night in Manchester.

Roma head into the international break with a string of absences, and Nicolò... no. Roma head into the international break with injuries and fitness doubts, and Gian Piero Gasperini has found a new leader in Santiago... no. Roma head into the international break with a long list of absences, and Matías Soulé has become the player Gasperini is relying on most. Paulo Dybala will miss the trip to Udine, which is set to be the first of three matches before the break, as he continues to undergo individualised training. Leggo's Francesco Balzani reports that Dybala no longer has calf injuries, but he still has minor discomfort. Dybala wants to return at least on the bench against Manchester United next Tuesday, but this is difficult for now. Returning against Sassuolo is more likely, when Gasperini hopes to also recover Manu Koné. There is no such good news for Mile Svilar. His checks after the fracture of his fifth toe, carried out yesterday, call for caution and mean he must wait another couple of weeks. Gollini therefore remains in goal. Soulé continues to impress at the start of the season after a summer in doubt and his long-awaited debut for Argentina. He has scored 3 goals and provided 3 assists. His average shots on target per match (2.78) and successful dribbles (2.22) have both more than doubled compared with the same stage last year. This development pleases Gasperini and means Roma do not miss Dybala too much. Soulé is expected to partner Malen against Udinese, in a round that also features the Milan derby, with Rodrigo Mora behind them after his joy against Cagliari. In defence, Ghilardi and Balerdi are likely to replace Mancini and N'Dicka, while de Roon will rest in midfield.

Matías Soulé has established himself as a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma, growing from a young talent in search of consistency into a central point of reference for the attack. With Paulo Dybala absent through injury, the Argentine has taken on responsibility for carrying the team, producing high-level performances and steadily improving numbers: 3 goals and 2 assists in the first nine league matches of the season. Among those goals was the one that gave Roma the temporary lead against Napoli at the Maradona, a strike that underlines his ability to influence matches at decisive moments. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the impact of the 2003-born forward on Gasperini's side is clear in the statistics. Compared with his first nine games in previous seasons in Italy, from his debut with Juventus through his spells with Frosinone and with Roma in earlier campaigns, the new Soulé is enjoying his best start ever in terms of attacking output and involvement in play. He averages 2.78 shots on target per match and 2.22 successful dribbles, and contributes consistently to the press, winning the ball back from opponents. The Argentine combines individual quality with the work rate demanded by the Piedmontese coach. These performances not only justify the club's investment in him but also position him to push firmly for a permanent call-up to the Argentina national team under coach Scaloni.

Mile Svilar will not return to action before the international break, with his comeback now set for 21 November against Parma after a follow-up MRI scan on his toe showed the bone callus has not yet formed. Pierluigi Gollini will keep goal in the next games against Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo. Paulo Dybala is also a major concern. The Argentine has trained individually and is determined to travel to England, but the problem with the lateral gastrocnemius (the outer calf muscle) is not yet fully resolved. Roma's technical and medical staff do not intend to take risks to avoid a relapse, which puts his availability for Old Trafford in doubt. Manu Koné, who has resumed training on the pitch, is aiming to return against Sassuolo before the break. With two matches in four days and a squad under pressure, Gian Piero Gasperini must manage his resources and rotate heavily. Neither Dybala nor Koné is in the squad for the trip to Friuli. Donyell Malen starts up front, with Soulé alongside him, while the wide positions will see alternating options such as Celik, Rensch and Wesley on the left. Balerdi and Hermoso are fully recovered. Ghilardi is pushing for a place and could start at Udine, allowing Ndicka or Mancini to rest ahead of the Champions League night in Manchester.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 in Serie A matchday 10, just days after a 4-2 win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico. It is Roma's fourth match in a few days, and Gian Piero Gasperini must manage a number of absences while the fixture list stays tight. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, are coming off a 0-0 draw at Parma. Gasperini may rotate several players again. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Svilar has not been cleared to return early and will only come back after the international break, after the medical staff chose not to rush his recovery from a foot problem. Hermoso remains one of the main candidates to start from the first minute. Mancini, who did not look at his best against Cagliari, could make way for Ghilardi, and the battle between N'Dicka and Balerdi is still open, with Balerdi gaining ground after scoring a brace against Napoli. Wesley should return to the starting line-up on the left, while Lulli and Molina are competing for the right-back spot. Lulli, born in 2007, came off a strong performance against Cagliari, which ended with a goal and an assist. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, with De Roon and Pisilli in contention to partner him, and Pisilli could also be deployed a few metres further forward. Soulé remains a fixed starter, while Mora is set to play slightly ahead to complete the line behind Malen. Pisilli is also an option to add intensity and runs into the box. Udinese are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1. Okoye, who saved a penalty against Parma, is in goal, with Palma, Kabasele and Abankwah in defence. Kamara and Bertola are set for the wing-back roles, and Karlstrom should partner Chakvetadze in midfield. In the number 10 role is former Roma player Zaniolo, who has recovered from injury and is a candidate to start alongside Ekkelenkamp behind Davis. Karlstrom is suspended after a caution. Udinese are without Solet, Zanoli, Bayo, Gueye and Alaba. Roma are also missing several important players. Svilar will miss the match after recent foot checks, and Paulo Dybala has not yet recovered fully from his injury, with his return being managed more cautiously than initially expected. The aim is to have him back for Roma's next Champions League trip against Manchester United. Manu Koné remains unavailable, and Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery from a serious muscle problem. Roma have no players suspended or doubtful for the match. The historical record leans towards Roma overall, but Udinese won the last meeting at the Bluenergy Stadium, beating them 1-0 on 2 February 2026. In the first leg of that same season, Roma won 2-0 at the Olimpico. Across the last five Serie A meetings, Roma have won four and Udinese one. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Mile Svilar faces a decisive fitness test today as he works towards returning from a foot fracture, with Roma's goalkeeper having flown back from Belgium, where he has spent recent weeks on his recovery. The main target is the Roma-Sassuolo fixture on 7 November, though a return for the Manchester trip is not ruled out, according to Il Tempo's Lorenzo Pes. Roma's infirmary at Trigoria remains busy after a run of injuries in recent weeks. Hermoso and Balerdi, who both stayed on the bench for 90 minutes against Cagliari with physical complaints, are not a cause for concern and are expected to be available for the match against Udinese. The picture is less clear for Paulo Dybala. After the Cagliari game, Gian Piero Gasperini raised concern by casting doubt on the Argentine's availability for the next league fixture. Koné is also hoping to be back before the international break.

Mile Svilar will not return to action before the international break, with his comeback now set for 21 November against Parma after a follow-up MRI scan on his toe showed the bone callus has not yet formed. Pierluigi Gollini will keep goal in the next games against Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo. Paulo Dybala is also a major concern. The Argentine has trained individually and is determined to travel to England, but the problem with the lateral gastrocnemius (the outer calf muscle) is not yet fully resolved. Roma's technical and medical staff do not intend to take risks to avoid a relapse, which puts his availability for Old Trafford in doubt. Manu Koné, who has resumed training on the pitch, is aiming to return against Sassuolo before the break. With two matches in four days and a squad under pressure, Gian Piero Gasperini must manage his resources and rotate heavily. Neither Dybala nor Koné is in the squad for the trip to Friuli. Donyell Malen starts up front, with Soulé alongside him, while the wide positions will see alternating options such as Celik, Rensch and Wesley on the left. Balerdi and Hermoso are fully recovered. Ghilardi is pushing for a place and could start at Udine, allowing Ndicka or Mancini to rest ahead of the Champions League night in Manchester.

Roma head into the international break with a string of absences, and Nicolò... no. Roma head into the international break with injuries and fitness doubts, and Gian Piero Gasperini has found a new leader in Santiago... no. Roma head into the international break with a long list of absences, and Matías Soulé has become the player Gasperini is relying on most. Paulo Dybala will miss the trip to Udine, which is set to be the first of three matches before the break, as he continues to undergo individualised training. Leggo's Francesco Balzani reports that Dybala no longer has calf injuries, but he still has minor discomfort. Dybala wants to return at least on the bench against Manchester United next Tuesday, but this is difficult for now. Returning against Sassuolo is more likely, when Gasperini hopes to also recover Manu Koné. There is no such good news for Mile Svilar. His checks after the fracture of his fifth toe, carried out yesterday, call for caution and mean he must wait another couple of weeks. Gollini therefore remains in goal. Soulé continues to impress at the start of the season after a summer in doubt and his long-awaited debut for Argentina. He has scored 3 goals and provided 3 assists. His average shots on target per match (2.78) and successful dribbles (2.22) have both more than doubled compared with the same stage last year. This development pleases Gasperini and means Roma do not miss Dybala too much. Soulé is expected to partner Malen against Udinese, in a round that also features the Milan derby, with Rodrigo Mora behind them after his joy against Cagliari. In defence, Ghilardi and Balerdi are likely to replace Mancini and N'Dicka, while de Roon will rest in midfield.

Mile Svilar will not return before the international break, with doctors refusing to clear the goalkeeper early despite new instrumental tests on his foot injury, which had been examined with a view to a return for the Champions League clash with Manchester United. He will miss the trips to Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo, with a probable comeback after the break in the match on 21 November at Parma. Roma continue a demanding run of fixtures, and they travel to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 with further important absences. Paulo Dybala will not be available for the match at the Bluenergy Arena. Despite Gasperini's optimism and his partial return to group training, the Argentine has been held back as a precaution. He has suffered no setback and the injury has fully healed, but he had felt a slight discomfort before the Cagliari game and the medical staff preferred not to take a risk. The goal is his availability for the Champions League match against Manchester United on 3 November. Roma's attack remains a target in the market, with Endrick, the Brazilian talent of Real Madrid, a name of interest. Despite Mourinho's wish to keep him, the player is weighing offers received in recent weeks, and Serie A would be a welcome destination. AC Milan and Roma remain among the interested clubs, and the player's camp does not rule anything out for January. Michael Yormack, president of Roc Nation Sports International, said: "It is an evolving process. We will see how things go until the end of the year. Endrick is very talented and wants to play. He loves Madrid and his teammates, but a career is short and he wants to make the most of it." With the winter window approaching, further names linked to Roma are circulating. German reports revive interest in Federico Chiesa, who is finding little space at Liverpool and is now willing to sell him for around 15 million euros. The winger is reportedly unhappy with the limited minutes given to him by the new coach Iraola and has begun looking at the Italian market. Initial contacts with Inter were reportedly made without reaching an agreement. Atalanta, Lazio and Milan are also interested alongside Roma. On Rome radio, Alessandro Vocalelli praised the way the substitutes have come on. He said: "I like the way the players coming off the bench enter. The latest was Gollini, who seemed not up to it and instead came on and did very well, as did Balerdi and Mora. It is a Roma that is confirming what was said on the eve of the match." Luigi Ferrajolo added: "On an individual level I really like Lulli: he is growing and deserves to play all the time. Against Cagliari Roma played with fire, not only in terms of the result but also in terms of the game they played."