Koulierakis on bench as Greece draw 2–2 with Netherlands in Nations League

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.

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.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.

Como's squad has accumulated more minutes in international duty during the current break than Roma's, a factor that could influence the upcoming league fixture between the two sides. Cesc Fabregas's Como squad saw 15 players called up across various national teams and age groups, while Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma contingent numbered 12. Como's representatives included Kean and Ricci (Italy), Da Cunha and Butez (France), Baturina and Smolcic (Croatia), Douvikas (Greece), Chalobah (England), Diao (Senegal), Paz (Argentina), Kambwala (Congo), Liberali (Italy Under 21), Ramon, Valle and Rodriguez (Spain Under 21). Roma's included Mancini and Ghilardi (Italy), Koné (France), Balerdi, Soulé and Castro (Argentina), N'Dicka (Ivory Coast), Koulierakis (Greece), Lulli and Pisilli (Italy Under 21), Mora (Portugal U21), and De Marzi (USA Under 19). As of yesterday evening, Como's 15 players had accumulated 770 minutes of international action, while Roma's 12 had totalled 450 minutes. Further matches remain to be played in the international window, meaning the figures will change.

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."

Donyell Malen has been named Serie A Player of the Month by the league, recognition of his immediate impact on Roma's opening fixtures of the 2026–27 season. The forward has scored six goals in the early Serie A campaign, continuing the form he showed after arriving in the capital in January. His tally has established him as one of the key attacking reference points for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side. The award validates Malen's strong start to the season, built on his consistent finishing and direct effect on Roma's attacking output. Six goals earned him the individual prize from the league. This form extends the trajectory he established in the latter part of the previous season, when Gasperini continued to rely on him as the focal point of the team's attacking play. Malen has repaid that confidence with goals throughout. Malen did not join the Dutch national team this week, held back by a knee complaint that prevented him from answering his call-up. The issue has allowed him to remain at Trigoria to recover during the international break. The injury does not appear to cause significant concern, and the objective is to have him ready when Roma resume fixtures against Como.

Donyell Malen has won the Serie A player of the month award for September (which includes August). The Dutch forward scored six goals in his first five league matches, a start that earned him the honour. Malen will receive the award during Roma's match against Genoa. A special Malen card is also being released in the FC27 video game. Malen will lead Roma's attack in the fixture against Como on Sunday, 11 October, when the team resumes their campaign. He missed international duty with a minor knee problem, but his condition is not a cause for concern. Paulo Dybala will partner him in attack, with a contest between Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé to fill the midfield role behind them.