Malen returns to where it all began; Castro eyes his first goal as Torino awaits both strikers

Niccolò Pisilli is set to make his first Serie A start of the season in Roma's trip to Torino, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini moving to deploy the midfielder alongside Bryan Cristante. The decision comes with Manu Koné sidelined by knee inflammation and training separately; Gasperini has chosen to preserve the French midfielder ahead of the Inter fixture. Pisilli, born in 2004 and a Roma academy product, has made 81 appearances for the club and has already contributed 71 minutes and a goal against Fiorentina this season. Gasperini's faith in the young midfielder reflects a wider commitment: in the summer transfer window, the coach blocked a potential sale to Porto worth approximately €25 million, convinced Pisilli could become an important rotation option. That conviction was reinforced during the Istanbul fixture when Koné was injured and Gasperini again chose Pisilli over Marten de Roon. Emanuele Lulli, born in 2007, offers a parallel story of academy development. The defender has started Roma's first three league matches and impressed against Fiorentina, Lecce, and Atalanta before being rested during the Champions League match against Fenerbahce. His availability for the Torino trip remains uncertain after a bout of influenza forced him to miss the latest training session. Should he recover, he will compete for the right-back spot where Nahuel Molina has not yet reached peak fitness and Devyne Rensch did not convince in Istanbul. Both players embody Roma's strategy of developing talent within the academy system. With a long season ahead across both Serie A and the Champions League, having two Trigoria-raised players capable of earning genuine first-team rotation represents far more than a feel-good story for the club.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering resting Paulo Dybala for the first time this season ahead of tomorrow's away match against Torino, which kicks off at 18:30 and is managed by Ignazio Abate. After starting four consecutive matches, the Argentine forward may spend at least part of the fixture on the bench as Roma's technical staff weigh his physical workload and the need to preserve his fitness. Rodrigo Mora is poised to replace him alongside Matías Soulé should Dybala not start. Gasperini would personally prefer to use Dybala in every game, but concerns about the player's injury history and the requirement to manage his muscles are pushing the coaching staff toward caution. Despite a complete pre-season that allowed him to build fitness, Dybala's management demands prudence. The situation echoes the build-up to Roma's match against Atalanta, when reports surfaced of minor physical discomfort; he played the full opening on that occasion and proved decisive, providing the assist for Soulé's goal in Roma's 2-1 success. The final decision rests with a direct conversation between Gasperini and the player. The coming hours at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will settle any remaining doubts, with Mora ready to step up the striker hierarchy if required.

Emanuele Lulli missed Roma's training session on 12 September due to flu and faces a race against time to be fit for the match at Torino. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will assess the defender's condition in training today and when the squad list is released to determine whether Lulli can travel to Piedmont and feature at the Olimpico Grande Torino. Roma's medical staff will check if the young defender has recovered from fever before deciding on his availability. Should Lulli fail to recover, Devyne Rensch and Nahuel Molina would have increased chances of starting on the flanks for the away fixture.

Gian Piero Gasperini is considering tactical adjustments for Roma's visit to Torino before the international break, with particular focus on his attacking setup. Paulo Dybala finished Roma's Istanbul fixture visibly exhausted and suffering from cramps after playing five consecutive matches as a starter, averaging 85 minutes per outing. The risk of fielding him from the start at Torino looms large, especially with the forthcoming derby against Inter at the Olimpico in mind. Matías Soulé is the only forward certain of a starting place, with Rodrigo Mora likely to feature from the opening minute to complete the forward line. A substitution swap between Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro is probable during the match, with Castro having rested during the Champions League game in Istanbul. The Torino fixture arrives at an opportune moment for Roma to restore the attacking potency displayed across their first three Serie A matches. In the league so far, Roma have scored 10 goals from 71 total shots—an average of 23.6 attempts per match. That output stands in sharp contrast to their Champions League performance in Istanbul, where they managed only one goal from eight shots. Gasperini's use of the five-substitution rule offers tactical flexibility both in the starting XI and during play, allowing the coach to manage load and seize attacking chances as the match develops.

Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen return to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on 14 September, the exact ground where their partnership first took flight. The pair made their debut together on 18 January, when Malen joined Roma and Dybala set up two chances in just 26 minutes—the first disallowed for a marginal offside. That immediate understanding came before Dybala underwent knee surgery, which sidelined the Argentine. Over the 238 days since that first meeting, Malen and Dybala have driven Roma to a perfect record at the start of the 2026-27 season. Malen has made 24 consecutive starts, scoring 20 goals and laying on 4 assists. Dybala, back in action after his operation, is chasing his next goal; his last came against Torino itself. He may be used as a substitute in tomorrow's fixture. Gasperini's final team selection will depend on fitness assessments at Trigoria this morning. The training session will determine whether midfielders Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini are available for selection ahead of the squad's departure to Piedmont.

Niccolò Pisilli is set to start for Roma against Torino on 13 September, filling the midfield slot alongside Bryan Cristante after Manu Koné suffered a slight knee injury during the Champions League visit to Fenerbahçe. The class of 2004 midfielder will make his first Serie A start of the season after three substitute appearances, stepping in as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini manages the squad across a packed fixture schedule. Gasperini opted to deploy Pisilli over Marten de Roon in Turkey, a signal of the hierarchy in midfield. Koné is likely to be rested to avoid compounding the injury ahead of the Inter fixture. Gasperini trusts Pisilli and values his offensive contribution and application without the ball, according to reports in Il Tempo. The coach is expected to make other changes across the defence and attack but will not drastically overhaul the team despite the rapid fixture congestion. Elsewhere, Leonardo Balerdi is pressing for minutes after two decent cameos in earlier games. Devyne Rensch struggled in Istanbul, leaving the right-back position uncertain, with Nahuel Molina still without a league start this season and Emanuele Lulli dealing with flu that prevented him training on 12 September, though he hopes to travel with the squad. Donyell Malen holds a clear advantage over Santiago Castro in attack. The choice among Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora remains fluid; Gasperini has difficulty leaving any of them out and may ask for an effort from one until the international break.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering resting Paulo Dybala for the first time this season ahead of tomorrow's away match against Torino, which kicks off at 18:30 and is managed by Ignazio Abate. After starting four consecutive matches, the Argentine forward may spend at least part of the fixture on the bench as Roma's technical staff weigh his physical workload and the need to preserve his fitness. Rodrigo Mora is poised to replace him alongside Matías Soulé should Dybala not start. Gasperini would personally prefer to use Dybala in every game, but concerns about the player's injury history and the requirement to manage his muscles are pushing the coaching staff toward caution. Despite a complete pre-season that allowed him to build fitness, Dybala's management demands prudence. The situation echoes the build-up to Roma's match against Atalanta, when reports surfaced of minor physical discomfort; he played the full opening on that occasion and proved decisive, providing the assist for Soulé's goal in Roma's 2-1 success. The final decision rests with a direct conversation between Gasperini and the player. The coming hours at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will settle any remaining doubts, with Mora ready to step up the striker hierarchy if required.

Gian Piero Gasperini is considering tactical adjustments for Roma's visit to Torino before the international break, with particular focus on his attacking setup. Paulo Dybala finished Roma's Istanbul fixture visibly exhausted and suffering from cramps after playing five consecutive matches as a starter, averaging 85 minutes per outing. The risk of fielding him from the start at Torino looms large, especially with the forthcoming derby against Inter at the Olimpico in mind. Matías Soulé is the only forward certain of a starting place, with Rodrigo Mora likely to feature from the opening minute to complete the forward line. A substitution swap between Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro is probable during the match, with Castro having rested during the Champions League game in Istanbul. The Torino fixture arrives at an opportune moment for Roma to restore the attacking potency displayed across their first three Serie A matches. In the league so far, Roma have scored 10 goals from 71 total shots—an average of 23.6 attempts per match. That output stands in sharp contrast to their Champions League performance in Istanbul, where they managed only one goal from eight shots. Gasperini's use of the five-substitution rule offers tactical flexibility both in the starting XI and during play, allowing the coach to manage load and seize attacking chances as the match develops.

Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen return to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on 14 September, the exact ground where their partnership first took flight. The pair made their debut together on 18 January, when Malen joined Roma and Dybala set up two chances in just 26 minutes—the first disallowed for a marginal offside. That immediate understanding came before Dybala underwent knee surgery, which sidelined the Argentine. Over the 238 days since that first meeting, Malen and Dybala have driven Roma to a perfect record at the start of the 2026-27 season. Malen has made 24 consecutive starts, scoring 20 goals and laying on 4 assists. Dybala, back in action after his operation, is chasing his next goal; his last came against Torino itself. He may be used as a substitute in tomorrow's fixture. Gasperini's final team selection will depend on fitness assessments at Trigoria this morning. The training session will determine whether midfielders Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini are available for selection ahead of the squad's departure to Piedmont.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering resting Paulo Dybala for the first time this season ahead of tomorrow's away match against Torino, which kicks off at 18:30 and is managed by Ignazio Abate. After starting four consecutive matches, the Argentine forward may spend at least part of the fixture on the bench as Roma's technical staff weigh his physical workload and the need to preserve his fitness. Rodrigo Mora is poised to replace him alongside Matías Soulé should Dybala not start. Gasperini would personally prefer to use Dybala in every game, but concerns about the player's injury history and the requirement to manage his muscles are pushing the coaching staff toward caution. Despite a complete pre-season that allowed him to build fitness, Dybala's management demands prudence. The situation echoes the build-up to Roma's match against Atalanta, when reports surfaced of minor physical discomfort; he played the full opening on that occasion and proved decisive, providing the assist for Soulé's goal in Roma's 2-1 success. The final decision rests with a direct conversation between Gasperini and the player. The coming hours at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will settle any remaining doubts, with Mora ready to step up the striker hierarchy if required.

Gian Piero Gasperini is considering tactical adjustments for Roma's visit to Torino before the international break, with particular focus on his attacking setup. Paulo Dybala finished Roma's Istanbul fixture visibly exhausted and suffering from cramps after playing five consecutive matches as a starter, averaging 85 minutes per outing. The risk of fielding him from the start at Torino looms large, especially with the forthcoming derby against Inter at the Olimpico in mind. Matías Soulé is the only forward certain of a starting place, with Rodrigo Mora likely to feature from the opening minute to complete the forward line. A substitution swap between Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro is probable during the match, with Castro having rested during the Champions League game in Istanbul. The Torino fixture arrives at an opportune moment for Roma to restore the attacking potency displayed across their first three Serie A matches. In the league so far, Roma have scored 10 goals from 71 total shots—an average of 23.6 attempts per match. That output stands in sharp contrast to their Champions League performance in Istanbul, where they managed only one goal from eight shots. Gasperini's use of the five-substitution rule offers tactical flexibility both in the starting XI and during play, allowing the coach to manage load and seize attacking chances as the match develops.

Niccolò Pisilli is set to start for Roma against Torino on 13 September, filling the midfield slot alongside Bryan Cristante after Manu Koné suffered a slight knee injury during the Champions League visit to Fenerbahçe. The class of 2004 midfielder will make his first Serie A start of the season after three substitute appearances, stepping in as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini manages the squad across a packed fixture schedule. Gasperini opted to deploy Pisilli over Marten de Roon in Turkey, a signal of the hierarchy in midfield. Koné is likely to be rested to avoid compounding the injury ahead of the Inter fixture. Gasperini trusts Pisilli and values his offensive contribution and application without the ball, according to reports in Il Tempo. The coach is expected to make other changes across the defence and attack but will not drastically overhaul the team despite the rapid fixture congestion. Elsewhere, Leonardo Balerdi is pressing for minutes after two decent cameos in earlier games. Devyne Rensch struggled in Istanbul, leaving the right-back position uncertain, with Nahuel Molina still without a league start this season and Emanuele Lulli dealing with flu that prevented him training on 12 September, though he hopes to travel with the squad. Donyell Malen holds a clear advantage over Santiago Castro in attack. The choice among Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora remains fluid; Gasperini has difficulty leaving any of them out and may ask for an effort from one until the international break.