Mancini heads Roma to derby victory as aerial dominance breaks records

Napoli host Roma in a big Serie A Matchday 8 fixture, with the match available free on DAZN. Napoli, coached by Allegri, are reeling after a heavy defeat at Venezia, although they have shown signs of recovery following their Champions League win over Bodø/Glimt. They now sit ninth in the table and cannot afford further slips. Roma, under Gasperini, bounced back well from a bitter defeat to Real Madrid, comfortably beating Genoa in Serie A and Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League. The Giallorossi are keeping pace with Inter, who currently top the table on goal difference... on two points, and they are level at the summit with Lazio, whose start has surprised many, with the Rome rivals sharing top spot with Chivu's side. The article also covers the probable line-ups and the current Serie A standings ahead of kickoff.

Ticket sales have opened for the away sector at the Stadio Armando Maradona for Napoli's match against Roma, which is scheduled for Saturday 24 October at 18:00. An absolute ban on ticket sales for residents of the Lazio region has been imposed for the fixture, covering all sectors of the stadium. The ban also extends to the away section, which will be accessible exclusively to holders of the AS Roma Fidelity Card (Tessera del Tifoso) who do not live in the Lazio region. The restriction is a key point for Roma supporters planning to travel to Naples, as it applies to the whole stadium and not just the away end. Tickets can be bought online through the ticketing platform www.ticketone.com, at a cost of 45 euros.

Napoli-Roma, scheduled for 24 October at 18:00, will be broadcast free of charge on DAZN, allowing fans without an active subscription to watch the big match. The game at the Maradona is one of the fixtures the platform has chosen to make freely available, as it has done in previous seasons for selected matches. The clash is among the most anticipated Serie A fixtures of the weekend, and the free broadcast will give a wider audience the chance to follow it. Roma and Napoli supporters can watch the match without signing up to a subscription, using the access method DAZN has set out for the free live stream. The free broadcast follows the same approach DAZN has taken with selected games in past seasons. The platform has opened up the Maradona fixture to viewers who do not hold an active subscription, and fans should follow the instructions DAZN provides for accessing the live stream.

Roma's injury crisis deepened as Lorenzo Pellegrini was lost against Slovan Bratislava, adding to a growing list of absentees ahead of the trip to Napoli. Gasperini is working through his options for the Maradona fixture, with Malen and Soulé almost certain to start, but the final place in the attacking midfield remains open. The Pellegrini injury is already the seventh muscular injury of the season, on top of a bone-related problem suffered by Svilar. Dybala and Koné are also on the treatment list. Rodrigo Mora has not convinced, particularly in terms of attitude, in the recent games against Genoa and Slovan Bratislava, which has opened the door for Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from a knee problem. Cristante has not played since 19 September against Inter, just over a month ago, and his availability will be decisive. If he is not fit to start, Mora would almost certainly be given the nod from the first minute, as the pairing of Castro and Malen is not part of Gasperini's plans for a game of this importance. Gasperini has emergency alternatives. He could push Mancini or Hermoso into midfield, or use Wesley as an attacking winger, a solution already seen during a match last season, with Lulli and Molina then occupying the flanks. Napoli, who appear to have found a new balance in recent outings with De Bruyne dropping into the holding role, are just two days away from the clash at the Maradona, and Gasperini still has plenty of selection questions to resolve.

Roma's central defenders Hermoso, Balerdi and Ghilardi have been named in Sofascore's Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, after a performance that kept Slovan Bratislava out completely. The three Roma defenders gave away nothing to the side coached by Yaya Touré. Roma have conceded only three goals in their first seven Serie A matches, a record built on a back line that is growing more solid despite the absence of several players who were fundamental in recent years. The arrivals of Balerdi and Koulierakis, and the continued development of Ghilardi, have given Gasperini the option to rest two first-team regulars, Ndicka and Mancini. Sofascore's selection was described as deserved. The Team of the Week's defence, drawn from the best side in the League Phase, was dominated by Gasperini's Roma backline. The selection also includes attackers Doué, Nico Paz, Foden and Ngumoha from the wider group of top clubs in the competition.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has suffered a fresh setback, leaving Roma with another injury headache as Gian Piero Gasperini's side build momentum in the Champions League. Pellegrini left the field against Slovan Bratislava with a new muscle problem, an unwelcome stop that came just after he had returned from a previous absence. The captain's latest problem adds to the fitness concerns surrounding Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala. The win marked Roma's first Champions League victory since February 2019, a run of 2807 days, when they beat Porto. Roma scored four goals, and could have scored more, which helps their goal difference in the race for a play-off place. The three points also give the squad confidence ahead of demanding European away trips to Manchester and Paris. Roma are increasingly Gasperini's side, brave and with a clear identity regardless of who takes the field. Seven players were injured or rested by choice: Svilar, Mancini, N'Dicka, Koné, Cristante, Soulé and Dybala. Bryan Cristante has just returned to availability and is pushing for a call-up for Saturday's match against Napoli at the Maradona. Gasperini's rotation options are being squeezed in key areas. In attack, Roma risk facing Allegri's side without two top-quality players, Dybala and Pellegrini. In midfield, with Koné and Cristante not fully fit, control of the midfield rests with Marten de Roon and an increasingly convincing Niccolò Pisilli. The 2004-born midfielder was outstanding against the Slovaks, enjoying an unforgettable night that included his first Champions League goal and the captain's armband, a glimpse of the future in the eyes of Roma's history.

Lorenzo Pellegrini faces at least two months on the sidelines after tests revealed a high-grade lesion at the distal musculotendinous junction of the semitendinosus in his right thigh, sustained against Slovan Bratislava. Recovery times will be assessed as the clinical picture evolves, but the midfielder could return in the first days of 2027. The setback adds to Roma's injury problems, following those of Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Roma continue preparations for their Serie A clash with Napoli on Saturday at 6pm at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Training took place at Trigoria, and there is positive news from Bryan Cristante, who has returned to regular group work despite visible strapping around his knee. The captain will be available to Gasperini for the match against the Partenopei and could even start from the first minute. Fans of both Napoli and Roma will be able to watch Saturday's match, valid for the eighth round of Serie A, free of charge on DAZN, including non-subscribers. Under the TV rights tender, five matches this season are being broadcast in free mode, and the Maradona fixture is among them. Supporters of both clubs need only log in following the instructions provided by DAZN to access the live stream. With the winter transfer window approaching, Roma have already begun identifying possible reinforcements for Gasperini. According to the English outlet Sport Witness, on Tuesday evening, while Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at the Olimpico, several Roma scouts were at the Porto against PSV match. The fixture, won 1-0 by the Dutch side, also drew the attention of several Premier League clubs. Under observation are left-winger Esmir Bajraktarević, born 2005, and midfielder Sven Mijnans, born 2000, who had already been followed in the summer. On Rome radio, the Roma-Napoli fixture has been widely discussed. Luigi Ferrajolo told Radio Radio: "The absences of Koné and Dybala are heavy: Koné is the engine of the midfield and Dybala the inspiration. If Cristante can play, he can push Pisilli a bit further forward. Or Mora plays, hoping he wakes up a bit and makes a greater contribution." Alessandro Vocalelli added: "Roma have already passed some tests: not every match can be an exam. It is a stage in a journey in which the team must perform well, because it can help distance a direct Champions League rival. Physically he seems to be better, but Napoli have resources that make the match anything but simple."

Bryan Cristante is reportedly close to a return to a more advanced role behind the strikers for Roma, with Gian Piero Gasperini considering using him as an extra option in the trequarti as the club continues to struggle with injuries. The move would see Cristante operate in the position behind the front men in a 3-4-1-2, a role he could share with Niccolò Pisilli. The idea would mark a return to a formation Gasperini used in previous meetings with Milan, when Massimiliano Allegri's side lined up with a back three. In the reverse fixture on 25 January, Gasperini, having Donyell Malen available, deployed Matías Soulé behind the centre-forward and Paulo Dybala, a display that gave Roma plenty of the play but ended in a 1-1 draw. The opponent has changed, but the thinking has not. Milan have since switched from a back three to a 4-3-3 under Allegri, but against a flat back four Gasperini has often played a trequartista, and the same approach is not ruled out against Napoli. The key message for supporters is that the trequarti role is firmly on the table for the coming fixture, with Cristante the likeliest option to fill it. Gasperini has used the flexibility of the system to adjust his attacking shape, and the change would give Roma an additional creative presence between the midfield and the front line.

Roma's radio pundits are debating how Gian Piero Gasperini should line up against Napoli, with Mora, Soulé, Malen and Castro at the centre of the discussion. Rete Sport's David Rossi backed keeping Mora in the side alongside Soulé and Malen, arguing that Mora deserves more consecutive games to gain confidence and to win over the Roma crowd, and that playing away from home would ease the pressure on him. He also suggested a more natural role for Mora than the one Gasperini gave Pellegrini against Slovan, when Pellegrini was deployed on the right, a position that is not his. Rossi said: "Contro il Napoli o metti dentro tutti i centrocampisti, con uno tra Pisilli e Cristante alto sulla trequarti, oppure confermi Mora con Soulè e Malen, che è la cosa che farei io." Fabio Petruzzi, also on Rete Sport, proposed Rensch in front of Spinazzola with Wesley on the left, and expected Gasperini to keep faith with Mora but not to rule out Malen and Castro up front together. Tiziano Moroni was more critical, saying Mora had been insufficient in the last match and had created nothing, while noting he is only 19 and urging patience with Gasperini. Gianluca Piacentini raised the idea of Wesley pushed forward in the emergency, but said he would go for the classic line-up against Napoli, with Mora and Soulé behind Malen. He said: "Mora è arrivato da due mesi e per questo gli darei un po' di tempo. Facciamogli fare dieci partite consecutive." He added: "Però se ogni volta deve giocare con questo mattone addosso, che al primo errore viene fustigato, diventa dura…" On Tele Radio Stereo, Mario Corsi said Mora should be given time despite criticism, pointing out that Diomande is also 19. Francesca Ferrazza argued that Roma are not a side in difficulty, that the atmosphere in the stadium is the best it has been, and that Champions League matches drain energy but are tests of strength. Lorenzo Pes reported that Pellegrini, even with a mild injury, will not return before the break, and that what had filtered out suggested a month out with a more significant tear in the same spot where he had surgery. He said Gasperini must hope to recover Dybala soon, with recent reports pointing to an attempt for Udinese, and suggested Cristante move forward with Pisilli in midfield. Alessio Nardo joked: "Il giorno in cui la Roma acquisterà l'esterno sinistro titolare di piede destro faremo una festa in città, perchè finalmente sfateremo un tabù. Sono due anni che cerchiamo questo giocatore senza riuscire a trovarlo…" Piero Torri said Saturday's match against Napoli would be far from easy, and that Cristante was unlikely to start, though he could come on during the game in either the No.10 role or midfield. Roberto Pruzzo said he did not expect Mora to play against Napoli, suggested Castro could partner Malen, and believed Pisilli could operate in a dual role. Nando Orsi argued that Mora must play whenever he has the chance, otherwise he never gets the opportunity to settle in and understand the system. He said: "L'esborso economico deve essere confermato, e quando c'è la possibilità deve giocare." On Castro, he said: "Pensavo a Castro: poverino, non giocherà mai." He noted that Castro has been a starter for three or four matches this season, since Malen usually starts, and that coming on from the bench is very different from starting from the first minute.

Francesco Totti tops a new Transfermarkt ranking of the all-time leading goalscorers at individual Serie A stadiums, with 160 goals at the Stadio Olimpico. Two other current or former Roma players also feature in the list. Matías Soulé is placed 20th thanks to seven goals scored for Frosinone at the Benito Stirpe. Paulo Dybala, the all-time top scorer at Juventus's Allianz Stadium with 45 goals, makes up the third Roma name in the rankings. The ranking compares the players who have scored the most goals within a single stadium in the history of the top flight, placing Totti's Olimpico record at the head of the table.

Lorenzo Pellegrini faces at least two months on the sidelines after tests revealed a high-grade lesion at the distal musculotendinous junction of the semitendinosus in his right thigh, sustained against Slovan Bratislava. Recovery times will be assessed as the clinical picture evolves, but the midfielder could return in the first days of 2027. The setback adds to Roma's injury problems, following those of Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Roma continue preparations for their Serie A clash with Napoli on Saturday at 6pm at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Training took place at Trigoria, and there is positive news from Bryan Cristante, who has returned to regular group work despite visible strapping around his knee. The captain will be available to Gasperini for the match against the Partenopei and could even start from the first minute. Fans of both Napoli and Roma will be able to watch Saturday's match, valid for the eighth round of Serie A, free of charge on DAZN, including non-subscribers. Under the TV rights tender, five matches this season are being broadcast in free mode, and the Maradona fixture is among them. Supporters of both clubs need only log in following the instructions provided by DAZN to access the live stream. With the winter transfer window approaching, Roma have already begun identifying possible reinforcements for Gasperini. According to the English outlet Sport Witness, on Tuesday evening, while Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at the Olimpico, several Roma scouts were at the Porto against PSV match. The fixture, won 1-0 by the Dutch side, also drew the attention of several Premier League clubs. Under observation are left-winger Esmir Bajraktarević, born 2005, and midfielder Sven Mijnans, born 2000, who had already been followed in the summer. On Rome radio, the Roma-Napoli fixture has been widely discussed. Luigi Ferrajolo told Radio Radio: "The absences of Koné and Dybala are heavy: Koné is the engine of the midfield and Dybala the inspiration. If Cristante can play, he can push Pisilli a bit further forward. Or Mora plays, hoping he wakes up a bit and makes a greater contribution." Alessandro Vocalelli added: "Roma have already passed some tests: not every match can be an exam. It is a stage in a journey in which the team must perform well, because it can help distance a direct Champions League rival. Physically he seems to be better, but Napoli have resources that make the match anything but simple."

Former Roma midfielder Angelo Di Livio, speaking to Retesport, said he likes the idea of playing Wesley further forward against Napoli, with Molina dropping deeper on the same flank. Di Livio believes Gasperini will be missing two important players, including Dybala, and he questioned Lorenzo Pellegrini's latest injury, asking what fault the player had for having to stop again. Di Livio said Cristante is not well and does not think he can start. He expects Gasperini to have prepared alternative plans in midfield to cover the absences. The attacking absences of Pellegrini and Dybala in the final third are what make the idea of Wesley further up the pitch appealing to him. Di Livio expects Evan Lulli...