Koné starts for France in 4-1 rout of Belgium; focus turns to Como

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out following a back injury that forced him to withdraw from international duty, with additional knee soreness now sidelining him for a period. Moise Kean, meanwhile, was spared from Italy's final match of the international break due to an ailment and is questionable for Roma's fixture after the break. The international break brought mixed fortunes across Serie A. While some players recovered from injury, others sustained fresh problems during the two-week window. Across the league, notable casualties include AC Milan's Alexis Saelemaekers, whose ankle injury in training has raised serious concerns: the joint, which has undergone previous surgery, is no longer stable. Mediaset reports he will visit a specialist, with a new operation deemed very likely, potentially sidelining him for three to four months. Albert Gudmundsson sprained his shoulder and faces around a month out. Napoli recovered Alex Meret, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Luca Marianucci but lost Mathias Olivera to a hip strain lasting a couple of weeks and Costantino Favasuli for one and a half months due to a serious thigh issue. Bologna's Emil Holm underwent surgery to repair a torn thigh tendon and will miss most of the season. Udinese's Idrissa Gueye sustained a severe ankle injury requiring three months recovery. Pervis Estupinan suffered a minor knee sprain. Frosinone will be without two centre-forwards: Antonio Raimondo with Achilles tendonitis and Daniel Birligea with a quad strain. Cagliari's Alessandro Deiola tore a meniscus.

Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro will arrive back in Rome on Thursday after three weeks away with Argentina, leaving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini just one day to assess their fitness before the match against Como. The trio will not train on Thursday, needing time to recover from a 13–14 hour transatlantic flight and adjust to the time difference after an extended spell away from the club. Friday's training session will be Gasperini's first opportunity to evaluate their condition on the pitch—a crucial window given the toll a long absence across the Atlantic can take both physically and mentally. With so little preparation time, the initial expectation is that all three may start on the bench. Castro was already considered a candidate for such a role, though Soulé and Balerdi present greater uncertainty about their readiness. Rodrigo Mora or Lorenzo Pellegrini could replace Soulé in the squad, while Evan N'Dicka remains the most natural solution in defence. However, a match lasts 90 minutes, and all three Argentine players retain the capacity to become decisive from the bench—a possibility Gasperini clearly understands. The timeline is tight: the players depart Argentina following a farewell celebration linked to Lionel Messi, then face the long journey home and the immediate challenge of reintegration ahead of the Como fixture.

Como manager Fabregas is monitoring two fitness concerns ahead of Roma's visit in less than a week for the sixth Serie A fixture. Kean left Italy's international camp due to a physical problem, and while tests will clarify the severity, recovery in time for Sunday appears difficult. Paz, Como's young talent, is fit but must make a long overseas journey with Roma's Soulé, Castro and Balerdi, returning just three days before the match. Fabregas may opt not to risk him from the start and keep him fresh for the second half. Gasperini's Roma side arrives nearly at full strength, though Bryan Cristante is unavailable. The Roma head coach and Fabregas respect each other despite not being close. The main tactical uncertainty surrounds the Argentina internationals' condition after their late return from international duty.