Messi's Argentina number 10 up for grabs: Martínez backs Nico Paz over Soulé

Lorenzo Pellegrini is poised to start for Roma at Como on Sunday lunchtime as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares a tactical masterclass against Cesc Fàbregas. The Roma midfielder has spent the international break working intensively at Trigoria to restore his physical condition and has positioned himself as a strong candidate for a starting place. The fixture promises to be a refined chess match between two coaches renowned for their strategic approach; the pair already registered counter-moves and in-game adjustments in their two direct meetings last season that shifted match momentum. Pellegrini's versatility is set to be the tactical switch of the game. Should Fàbregas confirm a four-man defence in his starting 4-2-3-1, Gasperini will deploy Pellegrini on the attacking midfield line, free to move between the lines and supply the attacking pair of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. This setup is designed to remove reference points for Como's centre-backs and break the opposition's pressing lines. Roma's current strength lies in their capacity to adapt to the opponent's reading of play. In their last meeting by Lake Como, when Como switched to a three-man defence, Roma suffered from defensive escalation and had to shift Pellegrini into an unnatural wide position on the right. On Sunday, Gasperini's response will be far more fluid and effective. Should Fàbregas move to a three-man line mid-match, Roma will redraw their attacking setup without losing balance: Dybala on the right, Pellegrini in his favoured left position, and Malen as the central pivot. This variety of solutions is also supported by alternatives on the bench, where Matías Soulé and young Rodrigo Mora offer guarantees to replace either Dybala or the Dutch forward in the closing stages.

Roma travel to Como on Sunday for the sixth round of Serie A, a fixture that pits two of Italy's youngest and most dynamic squads against each other—the Giallorossi with an average age of 25.8 years, the Lariani at 24.5—but the real contrast lies on the touchline. Gian Piero Gasperini, born in 1958 and the league's most experienced coach at 68 years old, meets Cesc Fàbregas, born in 1987 and the championship's youngest manager at 39. Both are former midfielders with a goal-scoring instinct who now favour a dominant, attacking style of play, yet they have clashed repeatedly and show no warmth towards each other. The tension between them has a history. During last season's fixture, won by Roma, Gasperini called Como's persistent use of the goalkeeper in build-up play "tedious". Fàbregas replied months later after Como won at home, criticizing his rival for leaving the pitch without even a handshake at the final whistle. The pair reignited their rivalry recently at the Trento Sports Festival, where Fàbregas made a veiled jab by recalling that Gasperini had beaten him at Subbuteo, though he expressed hope for a different outcome on Sunday. Roma's preparation resumes this afternoon at Trigoria, but Gasperini will be without Bryan Cristante. The midfielder will undergo decisive scans to determine his recovery plan and the timeline for his absence following a collateral ligament injury to his knee. Speaking to Sky Sport, Gasperini reiterated his desire to involve the Friedkin Group ownership more directly in squad matters and supporter relations, with the goal of rekindling the momentum and enthusiasm evident in Roma's early-season performances.

Wesley has reached out to Endrick with an off-field manoeuvre aimed at persuading the Real Madrid forward to join Roma in January. The Brazilian, who returned to the capital after missing the World Cup through injury, has messaged the striker to convey how appealing it would be to have him at the club and share the dressing room. The contact was a spontaneous exchange between the two as friends, without any formal involvement from Roma's management — but that personal relationship could become a small advantage for the Giallorossi as they prepare to compete with AC Milan for Endrick's signature in the winter window. The reversal marks a shift from earlier in the year, when Endrick had sought out Wesley during one of the most difficult phases of his young career. Now Wesley has taken the initiative to welcome him to Roma, leveraging a friendship that may help the club stand out in a battle for the forward's services. Roma's trump card is Wesley himself — a tangible human connection and the promise of a familiar ally in the squad. The timing carries symbolic weight. Endrick will be at the Olimpico on 14 October, where he will see the stadium, the fans and the atmosphere of the capital. After Wesley's message, he may begin to genuinely imagine what it would be like to experience that environment as a protagonist.