Mancini recalled for Italy v France as Ghilardi dropped

Italy's national team coach has recalled Gianluca Mancini for Thursday's match against France on 2 October at 20:45, after the Roma defender missed the recent trip to Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi has been dropped and will miss his second fixture in the last three. The coach's selection pattern continues to involve rotation, with nine players omitted from the squad; Romano is also absent. Mancini's return provides a boost for Roma's central defender as Italy prepare to build on their victory over Turkey. The fixture against France represents a significant test for the national team, with the coach seeking to add momentum to the campaign.

Argentina defeated Bolivia 4-0 in a friendly on 1 October 2026, with Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) the only AS Roma player to take the field. Balerdi came on at the start of the second half, replacing Cristian Romero at the 45-minute mark. Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro remained unused on the bench throughout the 90 minutes, contrary to pre-match indications that Soulé might start. Argentina's next fixture is against Burkina Faso on Sunday at 02:00 Italian time. The Argentina squad will then prepare for a forthcoming match against Benin, which will serve as the backdrop to Lionel Messi's farewell celebration. Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not be available for that encounter.

Donyell Malen is falling in love with Rome both on and off the pitch. The Dutch forward, recovering from a minor injury during the international break, visited the Tre Fontane on 30 September to support Roma's women's team, then spent a romantic afternoon with his wife Delisha touring the city centre and visiting the Colosseum. He posted photos on social media with the caption "Love story in Rome", reflecting his deepening connection to the club and the city. The Roma fanbase has embraced him warmly, and he is repaying that affection with performances on the field. In five matches, Malen has scored six goals—a striker's return that suggests better is still to come. His time in the capital has clearly struck a chord with both supporters and the player himself, who arrived at the club already carrying the momentum to make an immediate impact.

Italy's national team coach has recalled Gianluca Mancini for Thursday's match against France on 2 October at 20:45, after the Roma defender missed the recent trip to Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi has been dropped and will miss his second fixture in the last three. The coach's selection pattern continues to involve rotation, with nine players omitted from the squad; Romano is also absent. Mancini's return provides a boost for Roma's central defender as Italy prepare to build on their victory over Turkey. The fixture against France represents a significant test for the national team, with the coach seeking to add momentum to the campaign.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.

Manu Koné addressed speculation over his Roma future while on international duty with France ahead of a Nations League match against Italy on Friday 2 October at 20:45. Speaking in a press conference before training, the midfielder acknowledged transfer interest during the summer window but confirmed his commitment to the club. "For me some things happened, but I am at Roma, I am focused," Koné said. "What happened has happened. I give 100% for this club, I will give everything to meet expectations, and that is all." Koné joined Roma on loan with an obligation to buy from Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2024. The midfielder has become a regular fixture in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad this season and reflected on his development since arriving in Italian football at age 23. "Coming to Italy brought maturity to my playing style," he explained. "I became more focused. Tactically I did not have the abilities I have now. I also improved energy management, which made me the player I am today. I was going through a difficult period at Borussia Mönchengladbach (where I played from 2021 to 2024) and Roma sought me out; I am very grateful to them." Koné also discussed his recent performance at defensive midfield for France against Turkey. "A midfielder must be able to play anywhere," he said. "I have already played in that position, several times at my previous clubs, but also at Roma. It is not something that changes much for me; I enjoyed it. It was a fairly complicated match, with different demands, especially in terms of duels, so I think I tried to be up to the situation. I manage my matches based on the squad and I was asked to contribute to a certain style of play. I try to give my best and I am very proud of myself." Teammates Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante, both Roma players, have told him that Friday's match against Italy will be important, and Koné expects France to focus on their own performance rather than their opponents' current difficulties.

Italy's national team coach has recalled Gianluca Mancini for Thursday's match against France on 2 October at 20:45, after the Roma defender missed the recent trip to Turkey. Daniele Ghilardi has been dropped and will miss his second fixture in the last three. The coach's selection pattern continues to involve rotation, with nine players omitted from the squad; Romano is also absent. Mancini's return provides a boost for Roma's central defender as Italy prepare to build on their victory over Turkey. The fixture against France represents a significant test for the national team, with the coach seeking to add momentum to the campaign.

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal) stole the spotlight during the international break, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 21st minute of Portugal Under 21's 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. The goal unlocked the match and secured Portugal's mathematical qualification for the 2027 Under 21 European Championship. Mora played until the 61st minute and created further opportunities, including a cross in the second half that Rafael Nel narrowly missed. Leonardo Balerdi (Argentina) made his mark in a 4-0 demolition of Bolivia in a friendly at Córdoba, entering the pitch at the 56th minute in place of Cristian Romero and playing the final half-hour comfortably in Argentina's dominant display. Evan N'Dicka (Ivory Coast) continued as a defensive cornerstone, playing all 90 minutes in a 2-0 qualifier victory against Somalia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; the Ivorian defence produced a flawless performance, with the opposition unable to register a single shot on target. N'Dicka has now completed two consecutive matches without conceding, following a 2-0 win over Ghana. Manu Koné (France) appeared only in the closing stages of France's 1-0 victory in Belgium, coming on at the 90th minute to replace Lucas Da Cunha immediately after Olise's decisive goal—too brief a cameo for meaningful assessment. Gianluca Mancini (Italy) remained at Coverciano for a specialized training programme alongside other Italy squad members and missed the 4-1 win against Turkey, while Daniele Ghilardi (Italy) stayed on the bench throughout. The international window continues with further fixtures: Niccolò Pisilli and Emanuele Lulli are set to feature for Italy Under 21, Konstantinos Koulierakis for Greece, and Giorgio De Marzi for the United States Under 19.

Como's squad has accumulated more minutes in international duty during the current break than Roma's, a factor that could influence the upcoming league fixture between the two sides. Cesc Fabregas's Como squad saw 15 players called up across various national teams and age groups, while Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma contingent numbered 12. Como's representatives included Kean and Ricci (Italy), Da Cunha and Butez (France), Baturina and Smolcic (Croatia), Douvikas (Greece), Chalobah (England), Diao (Senegal), Paz (Argentina), Kambwala (Congo), Liberali (Italy Under 21), Ramon, Valle and Rodriguez (Spain Under 21). Roma's included Mancini and Ghilardi (Italy), Koné (France), Balerdi, Soulé and Castro (Argentina), N'Dicka (Ivory Coast), Koulierakis (Greece), Lulli and Pisilli (Italy Under 21), Mora (Portugal U21), and De Marzi (USA Under 19). As of yesterday evening, Como's 15 players had accumulated 770 minutes of international action, while Roma's 12 had totalled 450 minutes. Further matches remain to be played in the international window, meaning the figures will change.