Mora: Mourinho told me how much he loves Roma. I'm here to win titles

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.

Rodrigo Mora, the 2007-born midfielder who arrived at Roma this summer from Porto, has outlined his ambitions at the club in an interview with Sky Sport Insider. Mora praised Paulo Dybala as a player of exceptional quality who needs no words to communicate on the pitch. "With Paulo, he's a player that doesn't need words: you look at him and you understand," Mora said. "Every time he touches the ball, you can expect something that few know how to do: that pass that others don't even see, that move that changes the match. Off the pitch he welcomed me brilliantly from day one—he's a very humble and available person, and I'm truly grateful for how he helped me settle in." Mora also recalled a conversation with former manager José Mourinho upon his arrival. "When I came, we spoke a bit," he explained. "He told me how much he loves this club, how much he likes Roma and how special the relationship with the city is. It wasn't a long conversation, but he's a great coach and a great person, and I'm truly grateful for the words he spent on me. He made me feel welcome." Mourinho had previously stated that Mora possessed all the qualities to win over Roma's supporters. On his long-term objectives, Mora was clear about his ambitions: "I want to win titles. It's the most important objective I have, the one that drives me every morning when I arrive to train. I want to win them with Roma, in this city, with these fans, and I want to do it as a protagonist, giving my contribution on the pitch."

Massimo Moratti has spoken ahead of Inter's visit to Roma on 19 September at 18:00, telling La Repubblica that he expects a competitive fixture between two clubs whose strength often rises and falls in tandem. 'It is destiny that Roma are competitive when we are too. By now it is a classic, like Inter-Juventus and Inter-Milan,' Moratti said. 'In a single match it is hard to say who will have the better of it. Over the course of the season, though, I say Inter.' He praised Roma's current manager, noting: 'Chivu is capable, has good sense, knows how to hold the squad together.' Moratti reflected on his personal connection to Roma through players he signed from the club. He recalled Chivu's courage after a near-fatal head injury: 'I went to see him in hospital. He said he would come back soon, without complaining. A brave man.' On his fractured relationship with Gasperini, Moratti said: 'We have met, shaken hands, embraced. I have no grudge. He perhaps does, and it would be justified. It was an unlucky moment: we were not winning a match.' Moratti also spoke of his long-standing desire to sign Francesco Totti, Roma's all-time great. 'Totti. I tried. I told Sensi I would not make a fuss over the price. He replied that it was not to be discussed. He behaved like a Romanista, not a merchant.' Moratti went on to describe his actual Roma signing: 'I took Batistuta from Roma. He scored only one goal but I would do it again.' On the upcoming match, Moratti expects an open contest: 'A fine one. We are at the start, the teams do not have too much fear of losing points. And it can be valuable as training for the Champions League, where you cannot afford to be foolish.'

Roma host Inter on Saturday in a high-profile fixture drawing extraordinary media attention: 61 photographers, over 250 journalists, more than 50 outlets and 8 foreign broadcasters are accredited, with coverage expected from China, the United States, Brazil, Argentina and major European nations. Ed Shipley, Dan Friedkin's right-hand man, has arrived at Trigoria, and a surprise visit from Ryan Friedkin is not ruled out. Former Roma striker Marco Delvecchio has weighed in on the matchup between Roma's Donyell Malen and Inter's Lautaro Martinez ahead of the Olimpico encounter. Delvecchio said: "In the final twenty metres, today, I see Malen a step above Lautaro." He praised the Dutchman for his speed of execution and quality of first touch, while acknowledging Lautaro's superiority in aerial play. On output, Delvecchio predicted: "I say 25 goals for Malen and 20 for Lautaro." Inter's interest in Roma players stretches back years. In summer 2025, the Nerazzurri considered Mile Svilar before his contract renewal; in 2024 they came close to signing Mario Hermoso but pulled out. More recently they assessed Evan N'Dicka and Gianluca Mancini, and Nahuel Molina as a possible alternative to Dumfries. The most significant detail involves Manu Koné: in August 2025, Inter's Ausilio reportedly reached an agreement worth 40 million euros before Roma's ownership blocked the deal. In 2022, Dybala's agent also reached an understanding with Inter, which ultimately pivoted to Lukaku's return. Gasperini faces two key selection decisions before Saturday. In defence, Leonardo Balerdi, standout performer against Torino, threatens Evan N'Dicka's place, while on the right flank Emanuele Lulli could start ahead of Molina. Mario Hermoso is fit, Wesley returns at left-back, and Matías Soulé is favoured over Rodrigo Mora in the attacking midfield role. Gasperini and Inter's Chivu will meet as opponents after both having served the club they face on Saturday. Chivu once called Gasperini "an example, an innovator," and Gasperini reciprocated: "I have always held great regard for him." Gasperini carries a painful memory of his Inter spell, which ended after just five matches.

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.

Rodrigo Mora, the 2007-born midfielder who arrived at Roma this summer from Porto, has outlined his ambitions at the club in an interview with Sky Sport Insider. Mora praised Paulo Dybala as a player of exceptional quality who needs no words to communicate on the pitch. "With Paulo, he's a player that doesn't need words: you look at him and you understand," Mora said. "Every time he touches the ball, you can expect something that few know how to do: that pass that others don't even see, that move that changes the match. Off the pitch he welcomed me brilliantly from day one—he's a very humble and available person, and I'm truly grateful for how he helped me settle in." Mora also recalled a conversation with former manager José Mourinho upon his arrival. "When I came, we spoke a bit," he explained. "He told me how much he loves this club, how much he likes Roma and how special the relationship with the city is. It wasn't a long conversation, but he's a great coach and a great person, and I'm truly grateful for the words he spent on me. He made me feel welcome." Mourinho had previously stated that Mora possessed all the qualities to win over Roma's supporters. On his long-term objectives, Mora was clear about his ambitions: "I want to win titles. It's the most important objective I have, the one that drives me every morning when I arrive to train. I want to win them with Roma, in this city, with these fans, and I want to do it as a protagonist, giving my contribution on the pitch."

Paulo Dybala has been immortalised as a Superman figure in a new mural by celebrated Roman street artist Drugi, who regularly creates works celebrating the club's colours across the city. The artwork depicts Dybala as the giallorossi's superhero, cradled in the hands of a young Roma supporter. The mural arrived as Dybala prepares for tomorrow's Serie A summit clash between Roma and Inter at the Olimpico, with kickoff at 18:00. Drugi shared the work on Instagram accompanied by the caption: "Every child has his superhero."