Malen chases third elite scalp as he aims for derby glory

Mile Svilar is edging closer to a return, with Roma's goalkeeper still at Trigoria on Sunday continuing his recovery from a fracture to his right foot that has kept him sidelined for the past month. Roma resume training on Wednesday. The Belgian had hoped to speed up his return, but after checks ten days ago, caution prevailed. Svilar is set to be ready to reclaim his place between the posts for the match at Parma, having been replaced by Gollini, who defended the goal well up to Manchester. A back problem also forced the Roman club's number ninety-five to miss the last two matches. The two-week international break, writes Gabriele Turchetti in Il Tempo, presents the perfect opportunity for Paulo Dybala to recover his best form. The Argentine's layoff caused by a calf tear sustained against Real Madrid has been longer than expected, but his condition is now improving and, barring setbacks, he will be available again for the Parma game. Together, the returns of Svilar and Dybala would give Roma a significant double boost ahead of the trip to Parma, with the break allowing both players the time needed to get back to full fitness.

Rodrigo Mora's time has arrived, with the Portuguese teenager scoring in a third consecutive Serie A match against Sassuolo, following earlier goals against Cagliari and Udinese. In the past few hours he has also earned his first call-up to the Portugal senior national team, in the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era. The Corriere della Sera's Simone Valdarchi writes that there is no crown to inherit and no blasphemous comparison to make; this is simply the story of a teenager who has handled the normal difficulties of arriving in Italian football with brilliance, in an important city like Rome and in a season when Gasperini wants to aim for the top of the league. For weeks, things were not going so well for Mora, but he has kept working and waiting for his moment. In recent weeks, with Dybala out and set to return after the international break in Parma, Mora has found space in the trequartista role, adding flair to matches with his touches in the final 30 metres. Alongside his three consecutive Serie A goals, he produced the assist for Soulé's opening goal for Roma against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Tuesday. It was his second assist of the season, after the one against Real Madrid for Malen. Those were not ordinary fixtures. With the goal against Sassuolo, the Portuguese now has four goals, making him the club's second-highest scorer alongside Pisilli and Soulé, behind Malen, who is on 12. Valdarchi's point is that Mora is a teenager, born in 2007, who is adjusting to a new league and a demanding city. Mora's first senior call-up with Portugal marks a further step in a rapid rise, and the youngster now combines international recognition with a growing role in Gasperini's attacking options.

Roma are set to welcome back key players after the international break, with Mile Svilar and Paulo Dybala both close to returning from injury, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The break arrives at a convenient moment for the club, which has come through a difficult run of closely spaced matches and numerous injuries. In 27 days Roma played nine games with a limited number of players available, but the injury list is finally emptying and Gian Piero Gasperini will regain fundamental pieces for the second half of the season. The Roman side has managed to cope thanks to the depth of the squad and the early return of Manu Koné against Sassuolo. Svilar's influence is shown clearly by the numbers: with him in goal, Roma had conceded just four goals in six matches, a very low average that inevitably changed during his absence. Dybala's return, meanwhile, will bring back the special quality seen in the first part of the season, even as Roma appreciate the growth of Matías Soulé. Gasperini can also count on Gianluca Mancini and Devyne Rensch, both ready to return to availability, ahead of the trip to Parma on 21 November. Lorenzo Pellegrini will not return until January. Despite that, the overall picture is very positive, with Roma recovering all their players and preparing to become even more competitive.

Rodrigo Mora's time has arrived, with the Portuguese teenager scoring in a third consecutive Serie A match against Sassuolo, following earlier goals against Cagliari and Udinese. In the past few hours he has also earned his first call-up to the Portugal senior national team, in the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era. The Corriere della Sera's Simone Valdarchi writes that there is no crown to inherit and no blasphemous comparison to make; this is simply the story of a teenager who has handled the normal difficulties of arriving in Italian football with brilliance, in an important city like Rome and in a season when Gasperini wants to aim for the top of the league. For weeks, things were not going so well for Mora, but he has kept working and waiting for his moment. In recent weeks, with Dybala out and set to return after the international break in Parma, Mora has found space in the trequartista role, adding flair to matches with his touches in the final 30 metres. Alongside his three consecutive Serie A goals, he produced the assist for Soulé's opening goal for Roma against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Tuesday. It was his second assist of the season, after the one against Real Madrid for Malen. Those were not ordinary fixtures. With the goal against Sassuolo, the Portuguese now has four goals, making him the club's second-highest scorer alongside Pisilli and Soulé, behind Malen, who is on 12. Valdarchi's point is that Mora is a teenager, born in 2007, who is adjusting to a new league and a demanding city. Mora's first senior call-up with Portugal marks a further step in a rapid rise, and the youngster now combines international recognition with a growing role in Gasperini's attacking options.

Roma are third in Serie A, still unbeaten in the league and just two points behind capolista Lazio, and the Gasperini side have five good reasons to believe they can overtake them before Christmas. Their 31 goals in the first eleven matchdays represent a record in Roma's history. The Gazzetta dello Sport highlights that record as the most striking statistic. Roma have scored 31 goals in eleven matches, an average of 2.82 per game. No Roma side had ever scored as many after eleven league rounds. The goals are not down to Donyell Malen alone, who already has 11 league goals this season. Gasperini has seen 14 different players score, including defenders and midfielders, and the team finds the net in many ways and through many players. Gasperini has come through a gruelling spell of nine matches in less than a month with a squad decimated by injuries. Koné has already returned against Sassuolo, while Svilar and Dybala are expected back when the league resumes, both described as fundamental to the team's balance. Mancini is aiming to return against Parma, while Rensch still has some doubts. Pellegrini's recovery will take longer, and he will not return until January. Getting back players of this calibre could significantly increase the coach's options. Beyond the pitch, there is a great deal of enthusiasm among the team, the coach, the club and the fans. The Olimpico continues to push the giallorossi, while at Trigoria there appears to be a harmony that was not always taken for granted in recent years, a unity of purpose that could prove decisive in the most delicate moments of the season. The squad also has plenty of room to improve thanks to its many talents. Soulé, Mora, Wesley, Ghilardi, Lulli, Pisilli and Castro are gaining experience and personality. The most obvious case is Rodrigo Mora, still just nineteen, already decisive in the league and also featuring in the Champions League. When the league resumes, Roma face Parma away and Monza at the Olimpico, two fixtures that look manageable on paper. In the same period Lazio play Lecce and Torino, while Inter face Atalanta and Genoa. The calendar could allow the giallorossi to close the gap on their rivals and perhaps reach December at the top of the table. Gasperini does not want to settle for second place, and the January transfer window could add further options to a squad already considered competitive.

Roma are dreaming of the Serie A summit after a dominant start to the 2026-27 campaign, with the club scoring freely and sitting third in the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side have scored 31 goals in 11 matchdays, the best start in the club's history, averaging 2.82 goals per game. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma sit just behind Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Leipzig among the leading European leagues' goalscoring rankings, ahead of PSG, Real Madrid and Brighton. Dusan Malen has been the standout, already on eleven goals, but the scoring is spread across the squad: fourteen players have found the net, which the paper describes as a truly collective idea of football. Roma are third, just two points behind capolista Lazio, and both Rome clubs are unbeaten after eleven matchdays, a historic first. After the international break, Roma face what look like easier fixtures against Parma and Monza, while Lazio and Inter have tougher assignments. That scenario opens the door to Roma reaching the top of the table by December. The mood inside the club is also improving. Past tensions appear to have been put aside, and Trigoria, the team, the fans and the board are pulling in the same direction. La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that this energy is becoming the invisible engine behind a dream that is taking clearer shape with each passing day.