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Messi's farewell call puts Gasperini in a bind over Dybala and Molina
·25 September 2026·45d ago

Messi's farewell call puts Gasperini in a bind over Dybala and Molina

Source: GialloRossi.net

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina have been invited to Argentina to participate in Lionel Messi's farewell match for the national team, creating a dilemma for Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of a crucial Serie A fixture. The pair, both World Cup winners with Messi, face a choice heavy with emotional and sporting weight: attend one of the defining moments in their football lives, or remain available for Roma's trip to Como just days after the international break ends.

The timing presents a genuine problem for Gasperini. The event falls only a few days before the league resumes, requiring Dybala and Molina to undertake an intercontinental journey, endure long flight times, navigate a significant time difference, and return with minimal recovery time before a match Roma cannot afford to lose. Como have begun the season as one of the most ambitious sides in Serie A and represent a direct rival for the top positions in the table. Gasperini has not yet given the green light for either player's departure; his preference would be to keep both at Trigoria during this three-week domestic break. However, a flat refusal carries its own risk. For Dybala, the personal dimension cuts deeper—he has not been called up to Argentina's official windows recently, and the chance to stand beside Messi on the day of his exit from international football holds obvious significance. For Molina, a World Cup winner and integral member of that group, the emotional pull is equally strong.

Gasperini has constructed much of Roma's strong start on group cohesion and mutual trust between coach and players. A firm rejection could leave some friction at a delicate moment. Dybala has been heavily used in this opening segment of the season, and Roma have worked extensively to restore the physical consistency that eluded him in recent years. Exposing him to a transatlantic journey and a time-zone shift so close to Como would be a risk the club's staff prefers to avoid. Molina has only recently found continuity and condition after a more complicated pre-season. A compromise solution might involve granting permission while asking both players to manage their involvement with extreme caution, avoiding any overexertion and planning travel and return in precise detail.

No definitive decision has yet been made. Gasperini knows what he wants as coach; Dybala and Molina know that opportunities like this come once in a lifetime. The tension lies not between one match and another, but between the heart of Argentina and Roma's immediate interests. A final answer is expected in the coming days.

● AI Generated Summary

This summary was generated by an AI model. Always read the source for complete and accurate information.

Story Coverage5 sources on this story

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi's farewell international match on 6 October, despite receiving invitations to attend the event honouring the Argentine legend. Both players, World Cup winners alongside Messi in 2022, faced a decision heavy with emotional significance but complicated by logistics. The journey would require over 22,000 kilometres of combined travel, more than 26 hours of flying time, and navigation of a double time-zone shift—all compressed into roughly 72 hours before Roma's Serie A fixture at Como on 11 October, a match the club views as pivotal.

The outlets differ on who initiated the block. Roma News, GialloRossi.net and Forza Roma report that AS Roma and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini jointly decided against the trip to maintain squad availability throughout the international break and into league resumption. However, GialloRossi.net also reports that Roma itself, rather than Gasperini, harbours the serious reservations, with the coach not having closed the door definitively. The club's concern centres on player welfare: Dybala has begun the season with rare physical consistency, recording four assists in five matches, and Roma does not wish to jeopardise that progress with such an arduous journey. Molina, having recently found rhythm after a slower start, faces similar risk of interruption at a critical moment.

Roma's radio stations have debated the decision intensely, with commentators divided. Some, including Roberto Pruzzo, suggest common sense dictates remaining in Rome; others, including Mario Mattioli, argue that attending a unique, unrepeatable event in football history should outweigh club concerns. Three other Roma squad members—Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi—have been called up by Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni and will attend. A final decision on Dybala and Molina is expected following discussions between club, coaching staff and players themselves in the coming days.

AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.

Testo Originale / Source Text

“Da una parte c’è Lionel Messi, l’Argentina, una partita destinata a entrare nella storia e un invito che per due campioni del mondo è quasi impossibile vivere come una semplice amichevole. Dall’altra c’è la Roma, con Como-Roma alle porte e Gian Piero Gasperini che avrebbe tutto l’interesse a tenere…”

Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.

Read original on GialloRossi.net →

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