Malen on Ronaldo comparisons, his favourite goal and why he chose Roma

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has received a new injury setback, with Devyne Rensch suffering a muscle injury and expected to return after the international break. The club's pause for the national team fixtures comes at a useful time to recover several players and prepare for upcoming commitments. The defeat at Manchester has left Gasperini with clear lessons, particularly the need to widen the options available in the squad. Until the derby in mid-December, the fixture list contains no other big league match. Gasperini will not speak at a press conference on the eve of the match against Sassuolo. From the English trip, a message came from Matías Soulé, who urged the team to learn from the defeats and keep working with the same commitment. The Argentine is now one of the main attacking reference points alongside Malen, but it is precisely this dependence that worries the coach. Even without Svilar, the team has shown fragility: goals conceded have increased and the save percentage has dropped noticeably.

Roma midfielder Emanuele Lulli has been named in Italy Under-21 coach Carlo Baldini's squad for two friendlies against France and Belgium. The call-up comes during the international break, which has also brought recognition for Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli, who have been called up to the senior Italy squad by head coach Roberto Mancini. The Under-21 fixtures are high-profile international tests against peers from France and Belgium, and will help the young side continue its development after qualifying for the European Under-21 Championship finals, to be held in 2027 in Albania and Serbia. Lulli's inclusion is a further sign of the progress of the club's young players, with Lulli representing Roma in the Azzurrini squad. Baldini's provisional squad lists the following players. Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna). Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia M'Gladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino). Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruna), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina). Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Vavassori (Palermo).

Roma defender Emanuele Lulli has been called up by Italy Under-21 coach Baldini for two prestigious friendlies against France and Belgium, after Italy qualified for the 2027 European Championship in Albania and Serbia. While Ghilardi and Pisilli have been summoned by Roberto Mancini to the senior national team, Lulli is the only Roma player in the Under-21 group. Baldini's squad includes three players making their first Under-21 appearance: Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina, Monza defender Eddy Kouadio and Borussia Dortmund striker Samuele Inacio, all of whom came through the senior Italy set-up last October. Filippo Mane of Borussia Dortmund returns in defence, while Lorenzo Amatucci returns in midfield. Three players return in attack: Alessio Cacciamani of Torino, who has been absent since March 2026, Jeff Ekhator and Dominic Vavassori. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna). Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino). Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruña), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina). Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Vavassori (Palermo).

Roma are reportedly back in contact over Real Madrid forward Endrick and Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens as possible January reinforcements, while Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné are still absent from training ahead of Saturday's match against Sassuolo. According to Matteo Moretto, D'Amico continues to talk with the entourage of Endrick, who has been little used by Mourinho. Roma would be ready to take him on loan in January, but the Portuguese coach does not want to let him go. Milan and foreign clubs are also interested in the player. For Gittens, the Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma are targeting a quick attacking winger capable of beating his man, and that the Chelsea player is one of the main objectives. D'Amico is also tracking Leweling of Stuttgart and Kvernadze of Frosinone. The idea is to take advantage of a loan opportunity, without ruling out a move for a midfielder. Dybala and Koné did not appear in the images of Friday's training at Trigoria, and their recovery for Saturday remains difficult. Gasperini is considering starting Mora alongside Soulé, with Malen as the centre-forward. Ndicka is expected to return in defence, while Molina is the favourite on the right after Rensch's injury. Rensch is set to be out for about three weeks with a right adductor injury picked up at Manchester. Gollini is recovering from a back problem and could be available against Sassuolo; if not, Vásquez will continue in goal. Svilar has no chance of returning before the international break. Fabio Capello analysed the collapse at Old Trafford, where Roma dominated the first half before becoming unrecognisable. He pointed to a drop in concentration, fatigue and United's intensity as the main causes. His verdict on the squad is that it is competitive in Italy but still needs completing to face Europe's biggest sides. Elsewhere, Marten de Roon spoke about his arrival in the capital after Gasperini's call. Given his rivalry with Roma during his Atalanta days, he had expected a difficult dressing room, but his first impressions proved those fears wrong. On the sales side, Eintracht Frankfurt are following Sangaré, the young Spanish full-back who has been sold permanently to Elche for €4.5m. Moretto reports that the German club have begun initial contacts with his entourage. Roma retain 20% of any future sell-on fee and could therefore profit from a further transfer. No official offer has been made so far.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has received a new injury setback, with Devyne Rensch suffering a muscle injury and expected to return after the international break. The club's pause for the national team fixtures comes at a useful time to recover several players and prepare for upcoming commitments. The defeat at Manchester has left Gasperini with clear lessons, particularly the need to widen the options available in the squad. Until the derby in mid-December, the fixture list contains no other big league match. Gasperini will not speak at a press conference on the eve of the match against Sassuolo. From the English trip, a message came from Matías Soulé, who urged the team to learn from the defeats and keep working with the same commitment. The Argentine is now one of the main attacking reference points alongside Malen, but it is precisely this dependence that worries the coach. Even without Svilar, the team has shown fragility: goals conceded have increased and the save percentage has dropped noticeably.

Roma have repeatedly let leads slip in recent matches, a problem that has exposed the thinness of their squad and led to worrying dips in energy, according to Corriere dello Sport. The most glaring examples came against Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter, while the Giallorossi also dropped points or momentum against Lecce, Torino, Cagliari and Udinese, though they still managed to win those games. The data back up the trend. Roma have taken 20 fewer shots in second halves than in first halves, and their xG, ball recoveries and touches in the opposition box also decline after the interval. Defensively the cost has been clear: they have conceded just 3 goals in the first 45 minutes, 15 after the interval and 9 in the final portion of games. Management is planning to be active in January, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, and the club will look to repeat the approach that brought Donyell Malen to the club in the winter window last year, targeting players unhappy with their minutes elsewhere. Roma have navigated the simultaneous absences of Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné better than in the past, but the spell still left its mark. The capital club is interested in Jamie Gittens and Endrick, who are in that situation. Giorgi Kvernadze and Jamie Leweling, meanwhile, are fixtures for Frosinone and Stuttgart. Roma also intend to add a central midfielder. Overall, the club have done well outside their clashes with the very best sides, but a couple more options would help a coach who likes to make changes from the bench. A midfield powerhouse would be more useful than an extra attacker, assuming Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro keep developing.