Malen hits hat-trick as Roma crush Fiorentina 4-0 in season opener

Cesc Fabregas spoke in a press conference on the eve of Como's match against Roma on 11 October, offering substantial praise for the opposition and their head coach. Fabregas described Roma as "a very proactive, very offensive squad that allows itself many attacking players up front" and spoke of his respect for Gasperini's tactical approach. "A great squad and a great coach," Fabregas said. "He has managed for 30 years. If you look at his way of playing it is to be admired. Enormous respect. He has his own way of playing, changes little and really believes in what he does." The Como manager also discussed how both teams favour an attacking style. "We want both to be offensive, with movement. I like watching their matches," he noted. Fabregas acknowledged the challenges Roma present: they field many young players developed under Gasperini's guidance, and their attacking intent creates a tactical clash that should produce an engaging contest. On Como's injury situation, Fabregas revealed that forward Kean will be sidelined for a week to 10 days after suffering a knock during international duty against Belgium. "He took an important blow against Belgium," Fabregas explained. "Communication between the federation and the club—as happens for everyone—could be better. He played 90 minutes, with an injury identified after yesterday's scan. When he returns, he returns." Kean played the full match before the injury was confirmed by medical assessment.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Roma travel to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Sunday to face Como in a Serie A fixture that pits the division's joint leaders against a side seeking to recover from their first defeat of the season. Gian Piero Gasperini's Giallorossi won their opening four league games and were seeking a fifth consecutive victory against defending champions Inter before settling for a 2–2 draw at the Olimpico, with Lautaro Martinez's second-half brace cancelling out Manu Koné's first-half double. Roma spent the international break as joint leaders with 14 goals scored—only Inter have netted more this term—and are the only side to have scored at least two goals in all five matches so far. They bring a five-game winning away league run into this fixture, a streak only once exceeded in the club's history when Roma won 12 consecutive games between February and November 2017. Como enter the match three points behind Roma and seeking to bounce back after Frosinone's 2–0 victory halted their ten-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Cesc Fabregas' men have otherwise impressed, winning three consecutive league matches to follow their opening 1–1 draw at Udinese. Como's home record is formidable: only defending champions Inter have beaten them in their last nine games at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia (W6, D2), and they have won their last three home meetings with Roma in Serie A—as many victories as in their previous 11 such clashes combined. Como have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six home outings, a defensive strength that will test Roma's attacking prowess. Roma must contend with a potential absence: Bryan Cristante remains the only doubt after a knee injury forced him out of Italy's squad. Wesley Franca withdrew from Brazil's camp but should be fit to start. All eyes will be on Donyell Malen, who leads Serie A's scoring charts with six goals. Como's long-term absentee Jayden Addai has recently resumed full training, giving Fabregas his entire squad available. Tasos Douvikas is likely to start in attack ahead of Moise Kean, seeking to end his home drought after his last five goals all came on the road. Roma's starting XI is expected to line up as follows: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Mora; Malen. Como will deploy: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Da Cunha, Milla; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas. Despite Roma's superior attacking form and impressive away record, Como's resilience at the Sinigaglia makes this a tricky assignment for Gasperini's men. Gasperini could become only the fifth manager to oversee 300 Serie A victories should Roma add to their tally. However, Roma must avoid lapses in concentration in the second half, having conceded their last six goals after halftime.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Mile Svilar's availability for Roma's Serie A fixture against Como on 11 October is uncertain after he sustained a finger injury during the match against Inter. The goalkeeper has not trained with the squad in recent days, and optimism has diminished as the match approaches. Pierluigi Gollini, who arrived in January 2025, stands ready to deputise. Since his arrival in the capital, Gollini has played only once — against Panathinaikos in the final matchday of last season's UEFA Europa League group phase. Gian Piero Gasperini will make his final decision at today's training session. Roma face tactical decisions elsewhere ahead of the 12:30 kickoff on matchday six. Behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen, one of Rodrigo Mora, Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini will operate in the attacking midfield role. Marten de Roon will replace the injured Bryan Cristante in the centre of midfield, partnering Manu Koné. Wesley lines up at left back, with a contest between Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli for the right flank. The back three consists of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. The squad departs for Como today.

Roma travel to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Sunday to face Como in a Serie A fixture that pits the division's joint leaders against a side seeking to recover from their first defeat of the season. Gian Piero Gasperini's Giallorossi won their opening four league games and were seeking a fifth consecutive victory against defending champions Inter before settling for a 2–2 draw at the Olimpico, with Lautaro Martinez's second-half brace cancelling out Manu Koné's first-half double. Roma spent the international break as joint leaders with 14 goals scored—only Inter have netted more this term—and are the only side to have scored at least two goals in all five matches so far. They bring a five-game winning away league run into this fixture, a streak only once exceeded in the club's history when Roma won 12 consecutive games between February and November 2017. Como enter the match three points behind Roma and seeking to bounce back after Frosinone's 2–0 victory halted their ten-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Cesc Fabregas' men have otherwise impressed, winning three consecutive league matches to follow their opening 1–1 draw at Udinese. Como's home record is formidable: only defending champions Inter have beaten them in their last nine games at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia (W6, D2), and they have won their last three home meetings with Roma in Serie A—as many victories as in their previous 11 such clashes combined. Como have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six home outings, a defensive strength that will test Roma's attacking prowess. Roma must contend with a potential absence: Bryan Cristante remains the only doubt after a knee injury forced him out of Italy's squad. Wesley Franca withdrew from Brazil's camp but should be fit to start. All eyes will be on Donyell Malen, who leads Serie A's scoring charts with six goals. Como's long-term absentee Jayden Addai has recently resumed full training, giving Fabregas his entire squad available. Tasos Douvikas is likely to start in attack ahead of Moise Kean, seeking to end his home drought after his last five goals all came on the road. Roma's starting XI is expected to line up as follows: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Mora; Malen. Como will deploy: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle; Da Cunha, Milla; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas. Despite Roma's superior attacking form and impressive away record, Como's resilience at the Sinigaglia makes this a tricky assignment for Gasperini's men. Gasperini could become only the fifth manager to oversee 300 Serie A victories should Roma add to their tally. However, Roma must avoid lapses in concentration in the second half, having conceded their last six goals after halftime.

Paulo Dybala is two goals away from reaching 200 career goals across all the clubs he has played for, and Roma's away trip to Como offers a chance to achieve that landmark. The Argentine has 198 goals to his name and would need a brace at the Sinigaglia to reach the symbolic figure during the match on 10 October. Dybala has a proven record of scoring multiple goals in Serie A matches. He has managed at least two goals in 17 different league fixtures, a tally that includes hat-tricks. For Roma, he has scored braces against Parma and a hat-trick against Torino, in which he led the team to a 3–2 victory at the Olimpico with three well-taken goals. However, he is still searching for his first goal of the 2026-27 season, despite contributing to Roma's attacking play. The Como fixture represents both an important match for Roma's league campaign and a personal opportunity for Dybala to end his goalless run and move closer to the 200-goal milestone that has become an additional source of motivation.

Roma travel to Como on 11 October in a high-stakes tactical duel between two of Europe's most modern coaches. The match carries extra weight this season—both teams are contending to position themselves as legitimate Scudetto candidates behind Inter. Gasperini and Fabregas, nominally master and pupil by age, will orchestrate what promises to be an open, attacking encounter where each coach will continually counter the other's moves. Fabregas's Como play with high offensive quality but expose defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the right flank where they lack solidity. The defence is frequently caught out when attacking, and the marking of full-backs Yan Couto and Jacobo Ramon is inconsistent. Roma have identified this weakness as an opportunity: Nahuel Molina and Donyell Malen are expected to operate down the right, a zone where Molina proved decisive in Roma's 2–0 first-half display against Inter, creating multiple problems for the Inter pair of Diouf and Bisseck. Sunday's match will follow a similar pattern to that Inter fixture—both sides will seek to exploit counterattacks and the spaces that will inevitably emerge in such an open game. The backdrop adds historical weight: Roma have not won at the Sinigaglia since 1989. Both squads boast Argentine attacking talent—Nico Paz for Como and Paulo Dybala for Roma—setting up a contest between two sides unafraid to commit forward despite the defensive risks that entails.

Roma will be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar for at least a month after he suffered a stress fracture to his little toe during a training drill, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed at his pre-match press conference on 10 October. The injury is a significant blow as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures lasting until the November international break. Svilar's absence comes ahead of tomorrow's Serie A match against Como, scheduled for 12:30, with Bryan Cristante also unavailable due to a knee injury and Konstantinos Koulierakis sidelined by a contusion picked up on international duty with Greece—he will return to training on Monday. Gasperini described the setback as "a heavy blow" but noted that long seasons bring unforeseen complications. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal. Gasperini praised Gollini's professionalism, saying: "The only one to have rotated him continuously is me. He is an excellent second goalkeeper and now has the opportunity to play many matches. When he was at Atalanta he even became the third goalkeeper for the Italian national team. He has always trained well and has value. He must have everyone's confidence, but he is not a goalkeeper who has never played in his career." On the wider squad, Gasperini confirmed that Argentine players—Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and others—have only recently returned from international fixtures, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered well during the break and is ready to start. Gasperini added: "The squad has great confidence and great condition. It is an important match and we arrive with the same desire to perform well." Roma face a challenging fixture list, with Como, Juventus, Milan and Atalanta among the sides competing for top positions. Gasperini acknowledged Como's strength: "Como has shown themselves to be strong with their results. They deserve the praise and are a team of value." He noted that Roma's recent performance against Inter provided a positive foundation to build from. On squad rotation during the intensive schedule, Gasperini said: "With a tour de force—and hoping without further absences like Svilar—it will be useful to deploy everyone. Whoever is in the squad has my full confidence to play, as happened last season." Gasperini also addressed Roma's playing environment and the club's ownership. On the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, he stated: "I do not need to bring anyone to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious to me and the squad. Playing amid this passion, with a stadium always full, is something favourable and positive. The squad and players feel it." Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Gasperini reflected: "They do what they believe is most appropriate. To make a squad great, as I believe it should be, I think an important society also becomes so with an ownership that is close. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and that convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still at that idea and that vision."

Roma will be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar for at least a month after he suffered a stress fracture to his little toe during a training drill, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed at his pre-match press conference on 10 October. The injury is a significant blow as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures lasting until the November international break. Svilar's absence comes ahead of tomorrow's Serie A match against Como, scheduled for 12:30, with Bryan Cristante also unavailable due to a knee injury and Konstantinos Koulierakis sidelined by a contusion picked up on international duty with Greece—he will return to training on Monday. Gasperini described the setback as "a heavy blow" but noted that long seasons bring unforeseen complications. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal. Gasperini praised Gollini's professionalism, saying: "The only one to have rotated him continuously is me. He is an excellent second goalkeeper and now has the opportunity to play many matches. When he was at Atalanta he even became the third goalkeeper for the Italian national team. He has always trained well and has value. He must have everyone's confidence, but he is not a goalkeeper who has never played in his career." On the wider squad, Gasperini confirmed that Argentine players—Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and others—have only recently returned from international fixtures, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered well during the break and is ready to start. Gasperini added: "The squad has great confidence and great condition. It is an important match and we arrive with the same desire to perform well." Roma face a challenging fixture list, with Como, Juventus, Milan and Atalanta among the sides competing for top positions. Gasperini acknowledged Como's strength: "Como has shown themselves to be strong with their results. They deserve the praise and are a team of value." He noted that Roma's recent performance against Inter provided a positive foundation to build from. On squad rotation during the intensive schedule, Gasperini said: "With a tour de force—and hoping without further absences like Svilar—it will be useful to deploy everyone. Whoever is in the squad has my full confidence to play, as happened last season." Gasperini also addressed Roma's playing environment and the club's ownership. On the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico, he stated: "I do not need to bring anyone to my side. Enthusiasm is contagious to me and the squad. Playing amid this passion, with a stadium always full, is something favourable and positive. The squad and players feel it." Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Gasperini reflected: "They do what they believe is most appropriate. To make a squad great, as I believe it should be, I think an important society also becomes so with an ownership that is close. I came here speaking with Dan and Ryan and that convinced me that important work could be done. I hope we are still at that idea and that vision."

Roma trained on Wednesday afternoon as Gasperini's squad prepared for Sunday's midday kickoff at Como. The coach was reunited with Argentine trio Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on Tuesday morning after international duty. The session included running, small-sided matches and drills in rainy conditions as the squad readies itself for a demanding October fixture list starting with the Sinigaglia away trip. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Thursday, with Real Madrid's visit to the Olimpico following on Wednesday as the next major challenge. Away from the pitch, the Friedkin Group has announced the sale of Everton, a decision that has sparked optimism among sections of Roma's support who have long urged the ownership to concentrate fully on the Serie A club. The move has prompted contrasting reactions, with English Everton supporters responding differently to the announcement.

Roma held a training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on the afternoon of 8 October as preparation ramped up ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture at Como, which kicks off at 12:30. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere mixing athletic work, running and tactical drills, saw the final reunion of the South American contingent with the rest of the squad. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October, completed the entire session and put themselves at the disposal of the coaching staff. CEO John Galantic attended the training to show the board's proximity during this phase of preparation. Former Roma legend Antonio Tempestilli, who celebrated his 67th birthday, reflected on the approaching match in an interview. He spent 12 seasons at Roma between 1981 and 1993, split evenly with Como. Tempestilli highlighted the risks of the long international break, saying: "A break that long can cause some problems with many players away on international duty: you have to see if there has been fatigue, hope everyone has returned fit. But that applies to everyone, starting with Como. Now you have to switch back on the mentality that Roma showed before the break. Gasperini is a guarantee in that sense." Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference at Trigoria tomorrow at 13:30. Elsewhere, Vincenzo Montella's tenure as Turkey's head coach has officially ended. The Turkish Football Federation announced today that its board formally removed him from his position following a series of four consecutive defeats in the recent UEFA Nations League cycle. Montella, an ex-Roma player and former manager of the club, had held the role since September 2023.