Mancini commits to Roma for life and reflects on derby heroics

Leonardo Balerdi is expected to start in defence for Roma's match against Inter, taking a place ahead of either Evan N'Dicka or Mario Hermoso. Wesley will operate on the left, while Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala are set to play behind Donyell Malen in the forward line. A battle between Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli remains unresolved ahead of the fixture. Gasperini said of the challenge: "Inter nettamente più forte, ma proveremo a inserirci. Massa? Sarà perfetto" (Inter are markedly stronger, but we will try to insert ourselves. Massa will be perfect). The match at the Olimpico is expected to draw over 60,000 supporters, with gates opening from 15:30.

Roberto Mancini has named his Italy squad for four upcoming Nations League matches, with three AS Roma players included in the 34-man group. Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante and Daniele Ghilardi have been selected for fixtures against Belgium (25 September), Turkey (28 September), France (2 October) and Turkey again (5 October). Mancini and Cristante are established members of the Italian national team, but for Ghilardi, a 2003-born defender, this represents his first call-up to the senior squad. The squad announcement marks the beginning of a new era under Mancini, who returns to the Italy job following the team's third consecutive World Cup qualification failure.

Roma supporters hoping to travel to Como for the match on Sunday 11 October at 12:30 will face a new restriction: only fans in possession of a Roma fidelity card will be permitted to buy tickets for the away section. The club has continued its policy of limiting away allocations, though this time without territorial restrictions based on geography. Ticket sales for the away section open on 2 October at 12:00 and close on 10 October at 10:00. In addition, the club has banned ticket sales to residents of Lazio in all other stadium sections.

Roberto Mancini has named his Italy squad for four upcoming Nations League matches, with three AS Roma players included in the 34-man group. Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante and Daniele Ghilardi have been selected for fixtures against Belgium (25 September), Turkey (28 September), France (2 October) and Turkey again (5 October). Mancini and Cristante are established members of the Italian national team, but for Ghilardi, a 2003-born defender, this represents his first call-up to the senior squad. The squad announcement marks the beginning of a new era under Mancini, who returns to the Italy job following the team's third consecutive World Cup qualification failure.

Roberto Mancini has named a 30-player Italy squad for the Nations League, including Roma defenders Daniele Ghilardi and Gianluca Mancini, midfielder Bryan Cristante, and nine players receiving their first national team call-up. Among the newcomers is Daniele Ghilardi, who earns his debut call after joining Roma from Torino. Cagliari forward Daniel Maldini also features in the squad despite being involved in a drink-driving incident in recent days. Ghilardi's inclusion marks recognition of Roma's defensive investments this summer, while Cristante continues as a regular fixture in Mancini's midfield plans. The three Roma players form part of an extended squad assembled to rebuild confidence after Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup. Mancini has opted for a large group to manage what he faces: four matches in eleven days, a demanding schedule designed to restore enthusiasm and belief. The nine first-time international calls are: goalkeepers Massimo Pessina (Bologna); defenders Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), and Daniele Ghilardi (Roma); midfielders Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP) and Alessandro Romano (Cagliari); and forwards Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), and Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nürnberg). Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zaniolo return after absences since October 2024, while Rolando Mandragora is recalled for the first time since March 2021.

Roberto Mancini has named 34 players for Italy's Nations League campaign in his second spell as head coach. Three AS Roma players feature: Daniele Ghilardi, Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante. Ghilardi's inclusion marks his first call-up to the senior squad. Italy's opening Nations League fixture comes on Friday 25 September against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The squad will begin their first training session at Coverciano on Monday 21 September. After the Belgium match, Mancini's side travel to Turkey to face them on 28 September at the Atatürk Spor Kompleksi in Bursa, then play France on Friday 2 October at Saint-Denis. The window closes with a second home match against Turkey on Monday 5 October at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna. The full squad includes goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus). Defenders include Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta) and Alessandro Bastoni (Inter). Midfielders feature Nicolò Barella (Inter), Sandro Tonali (Tottenham) and Davide Frattesi (Lazio). Forwards include Moise Kean (Como), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) and Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese).

Roma will host Inter on 19 September at 18:00 at the Stadio Olimpico in a top-of-the-table fixture. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini held his pre-match press conference on 18 September and confirmed that Manu Koné, Evan N'Dicka, Wesley and Lorenzo Pellegrini are all available for selection. Gasperini described the occasion as a source of satisfaction given Roma's strong start to the season and praised the environment at the stadium. Gasperini acknowledged Inter's standing in Serie A, saying: "Without any doubt Inter is the reference team for our league. Over time they are doing extraordinary things both in Italy and in Europe. For other teams, trying to get closer and compete with them is certainly a reference." He framed the fixture as an opportunity rather than a burden, stating that positive energy and desire to perform are forces to harness. The head coach also ruled out complacency, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the tactical battle ahead. On the injury front, Gasperini delivered encouraging news: "I continue to cross my fingers. We are all available for tomorrow, so everyone is fit. This is already an extraordinary result." Pellegrini, recovering from injury, has now completed a second consecutive week of full training with the squad and is ready to play. Gasperini also expressed confidence in young defender Emanuele Lulli, saying: "He is a player who has come through in recent matches and needs a development process, perhaps accelerating through certain steps. I am very satisfied with what he is doing." Regarding the referee appointment, Gasperini added: "Tomorrow Massa will be perfect. There will be no more controversy."

Roma face Inter at the Olimpico on 19 September with kickoff at 18:00 in a sold-out fixture, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirming his full squad is available for the match. Both sides arrive with perfect records, but Gasperini acknowledged Inter's status as the benchmark in Serie A. "Inter is the reference team for our championship and everyone else's," he said. "It's a team doing extraordinary things in Italy and in Europe, with two finals in recent times, it's very strong, recognised by everyone. Then for the others it's a reference point, to try to get closer and compete with them, it's an ambition for everyone because their strength is recognised." Gasperini framed Roma's ambition within realistic terms, describing the task as one of insertion into an ever-higher band of the league rather than overtaking Inter. "We're looking to insert ourselves into an increasingly higher tier of the championship," he explained. On Inter's advantage over Roma specifically, he said: "I think against everyone they have something more, the results show it and they are striking. You have to also have the serenity to recognise it. We look at ourselves, not others: I'm satisfied with what we're doing." The coach also reflected on his record against Inter, noting that results have shifted in their favour in recent seasons despite changes in their managerial personnel. "It can be that they've been my kryptonite," he said. "There was a period where I found results with Inter, in recent years that hasn't been the case. The coaches have also changed: Conte, Inzaghi, Chivu, and the result hasn't changed." On team news, Gasperini confirmed that Manu Koné, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley are all available for selection, with Lorenzo Pellegrini also fit after training with the squad for two consecutive weeks. "It's extraordinary because it happens rarely," Gasperini said of having his full complement. "Then of course, there's someone who is better and worse, there was also some flu. Today is the final training session, but we'll all be there." He backed young defender Emanuele Lulli as capable of performing at this level, noting: "If he plays in the league he's able to do the same in the Champions League. He's young, he's making a path, skipping stages quickly. I look at the present and yes, I'm satisfied with him." On tactical flexibility for the Inter match, Gasperini indicated willingness to adapt his approach. When asked whether Niccolò Pisilli or Bryan Cristante might play in an attacking midfield role, he said: "For me it's fundamental to try to do everything for the result. Every match is different, performances change, players change. It's fundamental to read the situation at the right moment. Against Atalanta I put two defenders to win it, for example. Even changes between defenders must be considered."

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini addressed the media on the eve of Roma's fixture against Inter, acknowledging the scale of the challenge ahead while expressing satisfaction with his team's start to the season. Gasperini framed the match as a significant occasion for both clubs: "It is a satisfaction to arrive at an appointment in this league position, with the matches and victories we have obtained, just as Inter have done. It is an important appointment: a full stadium, a great atmosphere, lots of enthusiasm, two teams that are getting important results." He praised the competitive energy around the fixture while warning against over-reliance on early momentum, noting that setbacks are inevitable in a balanced Italian league. Gasperini was direct about Inter's standing in Serie A. "Without any doubt, Inter is the reference team for our league and for everyone," he said. "It is a team that over time is doing extraordinary things in Italy and in Europe, because it has played two finals in recent times. It is a very strong team and this I think is recognised by everyone. For the other teams, seeking to get closer and compete with them is certainly a reference point." He acknowledged Roma's progress from the previous season while explaining that the club's ambition is to narrow the gap with the champions. Gasperini also confirmed that all key players—Manu Koné, Evan N'Dicka, Wesley, and Lorenzo Pellegrini—would be available for selection: "I continue to cross my fingers. We are all here for tomorrow, so we are all available. This is already an extraordinary result, because it rarely happens." On the tactical challenge posed by Inter, Gasperini reflected on historical patterns. "There was a period in which we managed to get results against Inter, then in recent years it has not been that way; instead there have always been defeats," he said. "It can be a bit the tactical aspect, although the coaches have changed: there was Conte, then Inzaghi arrived and now Chivu has arrived. The result has not changed." He drew a parallel to Juventus's period of dominance, suggesting that such runs are cyclical. Gasperini stressed that his approach remains outcome-focused: "For me it is fundamental to always try to do things for the team's result, so to achieve the result. Every match is different: the performances of the players can be different, as can those of the opponents. It is fundamental to read the situation moment by moment, because today it is unpredictable what can happen tomorrow in the ninety minutes." Gasperini noted that Pellegrini, who has been sidelined, is now available for selection after training regularly with the squad for the second consecutive week. The coach indicated that the upcoming international break might provide an opportunity for additional recovery or friendly matches for players with limited recent playing time, though no specific plans were announced.