Mora stakes claim for attacking midfield spot after impressing Gasperini

Roma are close to securing a contract renewal with Emanuele Lulli after the defender emerged as a standout performer in the club's opening weeks of the 2026-27 season. Lulli impressed Gasperini during a pre-season friendly against Dortmund in mid-August, confirming his credentials for the campaign ahead. The club is now moving to tie down his future. With Lulli's contract set to expire in 2027, Roma's management and the player's representatives are in final negotiations. The proposed deal would extend his terms until 2031 on a salary of €500,000 annually, with performance bonuses to increase the package further.

Bryan Cristante will miss Roma's away fixture against Como this weekend due to a knee problem. The midfielder has been Gasperini's most-used outfield player so far this season but is working to accelerate his recovery, targeting a return to the squad for the Champions League match against Real Madrid on 14 October. The Como–Roma clash pits two of Serie A's best-resourced ownership groups against each other. The Hartono family have invested approximately €390 million in Como's project, while Dan Friedkin has already exceeded €1 billion in Roma investment since 2020, reaching €1.06 billion when combining the club's acquisition and financial support. Roma's losses have fallen significantly from €219 million in 2021–22 to €54 million in 2024–25. The club remains committed to its new stadium project at Pietralata, scheduled for completion in 2029. The match is shaping up to be an international affair, with only one Italian—Gianluca Mancini—potentially among the 22 starting players, representing 13 different nationalities. Gasperini is evaluating Rodrigo Mora as a possible surprise inclusion, with the midfielder's stock rising particularly because Matías Soulé only returned to full training yesterday and will train with the group today alongside Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi. In defence, the trio of Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso is expected to return.

Como and Roma will take the field at the Sinigaglia with a combined squad representing thirteen different nationalities, a striking illustration of Serie A's globalization. Among the twenty-two starting players, Gianluca Mancini could be the only Italian on the pitch, a detail that underscores how heavily Italian clubs now lean on international recruitment. The match will pit Cesc Fabregas's Como side, built around a Spanish core including Milla, Ramon, Valle and Roma's Mario Hermoso, against Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma—a tactical and mental duel of the highest calibre. The broader context reveals that nearly 72 per cent of players deployed across Serie A so far this season are foreign, confirming the league's decisive shift towards international profiles. Both Como and Roma maintain some of the youngest average ages in Italian football despite their cosmopolitan squads. The encounter promises individual battles throughout the pitch: Wesley and Couto's pace against the craft of Paulo Dybala and Nico Paz. With international breaks forcing late team evaluations, Gasperini faces decisions including a possible move to deploy young Rodrigo Mora in an attacking midfield role. The Sinigaglia is preparing to reveal the true alternative to Inter in the title race.

Bryan Cristante will miss Roma's away fixture against Como this weekend due to a knee problem. The midfielder has been Gasperini's most-used outfield player so far this season but is working to accelerate his recovery, targeting a return to the squad for the Champions League match against Real Madrid on 14 October. The Como–Roma clash pits two of Serie A's best-resourced ownership groups against each other. The Hartono family have invested approximately €390 million in Como's project, while Dan Friedkin has already exceeded €1 billion in Roma investment since 2020, reaching €1.06 billion when combining the club's acquisition and financial support. Roma's losses have fallen significantly from €219 million in 2021–22 to €54 million in 2024–25. The club remains committed to its new stadium project at Pietralata, scheduled for completion in 2029. The match is shaping up to be an international affair, with only one Italian—Gianluca Mancini—potentially among the 22 starting players, representing 13 different nationalities. Gasperini is evaluating Rodrigo Mora as a possible surprise inclusion, with the midfielder's stock rising particularly because Matías Soulé only returned to full training yesterday and will train with the group today alongside Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi. In defence, the trio of Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso is expected to return.

Gian Piero Gasperini is within touching distance of a landmark achievement ahead of Roma's visit to Como on Sunday. A victory would take the 68-year-old into an elite group of Serie A managers—alongside Trapattoni, Allegri, Spalletti and Rocco—with 300 top-flight wins. The milestone will come from 157 victories with Atalanta, 49 with Roma, 88 with Genoa, and six with Crotone and Palermo combined. Yet Gasperini's priority is restoring Roma to the form shown in the first part of the season after a dip in their title chase. The fixture carries intrigue beyond the standings: Gasperini, the oldest manager in Serie A at nearly 69, faces Como's Carles Fabregas, the youngest at 39. The pair share a past as midfielders and faced some tension last season. Both sides have positioned themselves among Serie A's most prolific attackers after five matches. Roma lead for touches in the opponent's penalty area with 219, ahead of Como's 209; the two clubs rank alongside Inter as the league's most productive in terms of shots, shots on target and Expected Goals. Fabregas's side will offer no soft target at the Stadio Sinigaglia. Gasperini told Corriere di Bergamo: "The plan is to win the Scudetto within three years, but maybe we could do it sooner. We are aware the road is long. In football there are no straight paths. There will be ups and downs. If we can manage them, who knows." Rodrigo Mora is pushing for a starting place alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matías Soulé in attack, with Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala also in contention. Manu Koné and Wesley returned to training during a closed friendly with Sorianese; Santiago Castro, Balerdi and Soulé—back after attending Lionel Messi's farewell celebration—will rejoin the group today.

Roma prepare for Sunday's 12:30 kickoff against Como at the Sinigaglia with fresh tactical notes from a recent friendly. In a training session against Sorianese, Gasperini tested Rodrigo Mora as a starter alongside Paulo Dybala, with Donyell Malen completing the attacking trio. Mora is therefore in contention for a first-minute place. Malen and Wesley completed full training and are confirmed fit to start, while Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro completed only recovery work and will not be deployed from the outset against Como. José Mourinho will arrive at the Stadio Olimpico as an opponent in six days when his Real Madrid face Roma in the second round of the Champions League. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho reflected on his time in the giallorossi colours, calling the bond "unique and special". He recalled the fans' reception, the Conference League triumph and the Budapest final, while noting that the split with the ownership came after UEFA sanctions imposed in the aftermath of that match. On returning to the Olympic Stadium: "It will be different. I will have to prepare myself to enter that stadium without the passion of the Roma fans." Mourinho spoke of his relationship with former clubs and his affection for Francesco Totti. Santiago Castro spoke to TNT Sports of his emotions after his Argentina debut and witnessing Lionel Messi's final international match up close. The Roma forward explained that the group aimed to win "out of respect for the fans", stressing that with Messi "there are no friendlies". Castro said he had not fully processed the moment: "I looked at the photos all night." He emphasised the importance of daily work at Roma to ensure continued selection: "Getting to the national team is the maximum. I want always to be there, but I have to earn it." Roma had identified Endrick as an ideal attacking reinforcement, but Real Madrid appeared intent on retaining him. According to Fabrizio Romano, no final decision has been reached and the next two months will be decisive. Should the Brazilian's playing time remain low, Real could reopen the possibility of a loan in January, similar to what happened last year with a move to Lyon.

Bryan Cristante will miss Roma's away fixture against Como this weekend due to a knee problem. The midfielder has been Gasperini's most-used outfield player so far this season but is working to accelerate his recovery, targeting a return to the squad for the Champions League match against Real Madrid on 14 October. The Como–Roma clash pits two of Serie A's best-resourced ownership groups against each other. The Hartono family have invested approximately €390 million in Como's project, while Dan Friedkin has already exceeded €1 billion in Roma investment since 2020, reaching €1.06 billion when combining the club's acquisition and financial support. Roma's losses have fallen significantly from €219 million in 2021–22 to €54 million in 2024–25. The club remains committed to its new stadium project at Pietralata, scheduled for completion in 2029. The match is shaping up to be an international affair, with only one Italian—Gianluca Mancini—potentially among the 22 starting players, representing 13 different nationalities. Gasperini is evaluating Rodrigo Mora as a possible surprise inclusion, with the midfielder's stock rising particularly because Matías Soulé only returned to full training yesterday and will train with the group today alongside Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi. In defence, the trio of Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso is expected to return.

Roma face a relentless stretch of nine matches in 28 days with no break, forcing coach Gian Piero Gasperini to deploy his full squad after limiting rotation heavily in the opening weeks. The campaign begins on Sunday with a top-of-the-table fixture against Como, followed within nine days by an encounter with Genoa and then Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Parma. Five of the nine fixtures will be away from home, with minimal recovery time between matches. Gasperini will be without Bryan Cristante for at least another week, but the rest of the squad is available. The first significant change will see Marten de Roon make his competitive debut. The most anticipated rotations will come in attack and midfield. Santiago Castro has featured sparingly while Donyell Malen remains in excellent form, but cannot play every game. In the attacking midfield positions, Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini are all fit and ready; Soulé has been the most frequently used of the three so far this season, Mora has sat on the bench three times in succession, and Pellegrini has not appeared since April but is at full fitness. Gasperini will assess Rodrigo's training performance before deciding the team for Sunday—the Argentine trained in a recovery session on 8 October. The manager is leaning towards starting Mora at Como, deploying Soulé in the following match against Real Madrid, and selecting Pellegrini for the Genoa fixture. Such rotations are necessary given the congested fixture list.

Gian Piero Gasperini is within touching distance of a landmark achievement ahead of Roma's visit to Como on Sunday. A victory would take the 68-year-old into an elite group of Serie A managers—alongside Trapattoni, Allegri, Spalletti and Rocco—with 300 top-flight wins. The milestone will come from 157 victories with Atalanta, 49 with Roma, 88 with Genoa, and six with Crotone and Palermo combined. Yet Gasperini's priority is restoring Roma to the form shown in the first part of the season after a dip in their title chase. The fixture carries intrigue beyond the standings: Gasperini, the oldest manager in Serie A at nearly 69, faces Como's Carles Fabregas, the youngest at 39. The pair share a past as midfielders and faced some tension last season. Both sides have positioned themselves among Serie A's most prolific attackers after five matches. Roma lead for touches in the opponent's penalty area with 219, ahead of Como's 209; the two clubs rank alongside Inter as the league's most productive in terms of shots, shots on target and Expected Goals. Fabregas's side will offer no soft target at the Stadio Sinigaglia. Gasperini told Corriere di Bergamo: "The plan is to win the Scudetto within three years, but maybe we could do it sooner. We are aware the road is long. In football there are no straight paths. There will be ups and downs. If we can manage them, who knows." Rodrigo Mora is pushing for a starting place alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matías Soulé in attack, with Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala also in contention. Manu Koné and Wesley returned to training during a closed friendly with Sorianese; Santiago Castro, Balerdi and Soulé—back after attending Lionel Messi's farewell celebration—will rejoin the group today.

Como and Roma will take the field at the Sinigaglia with a combined squad representing thirteen different nationalities, a striking illustration of Serie A's globalization. Among the twenty-two starting players, Gianluca Mancini could be the only Italian on the pitch, a detail that underscores how heavily Italian clubs now lean on international recruitment. The match will pit Cesc Fabregas's Como side, built around a Spanish core including Milla, Ramon, Valle and Roma's Mario Hermoso, against Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma—a tactical and mental duel of the highest calibre. The broader context reveals that nearly 72 per cent of players deployed across Serie A so far this season are foreign, confirming the league's decisive shift towards international profiles. Both Como and Roma maintain some of the youngest average ages in Italian football despite their cosmopolitan squads. The encounter promises individual battles throughout the pitch: Wesley and Couto's pace against the craft of Paulo Dybala and Nico Paz. With international breaks forcing late team evaluations, Gasperini faces decisions including a possible move to deploy young Rodrigo Mora in an attacking midfield role. The Sinigaglia is preparing to reveal the true alternative to Inter in the title race.

Wesley was one of the standout performers in Roma's campaign last season, playing a decisive role in the drive to third place, but the Brazilian winger has endured a tougher start to the 2026-27 campaign, hampered by physical issues that have affected his consistency and output. During the international break, he chose to remain at Trigoria and work intensively with Gasperini rather than accept a Brazil call-up, prioritising his recovery ahead of Sunday's away trip to Como. The Como fixture carries particular weight for Wesley. In December last season at the Olimpico, he decided the match with a brilliant volley beneath the Curva Sud. In the return game, however, Como staged a comeback and Wesley was sent off for a second yellow card in a highly disputed incident—the contact with Diao was barely perceptible, perhaps only a slight touch involving Rensch. Those moments are now behind him. With just one assist in five league matches this season, Sunday offers the ideal platform for redemption. Roma need the true Wesley, and the winger has everything required to become a decisive force on the flank within Gasperini's system.

Gian Piero Gasperini is within touching distance of a landmark achievement ahead of Roma's visit to Como on Sunday. A victory would take the 68-year-old into an elite group of Serie A managers—alongside Trapattoni, Allegri, Spalletti and Rocco—with 300 top-flight wins. The milestone will come from 157 victories with Atalanta, 49 with Roma, 88 with Genoa, and six with Crotone and Palermo combined. Yet Gasperini's priority is restoring Roma to the form shown in the first part of the season after a dip in their title chase. The fixture carries intrigue beyond the standings: Gasperini, the oldest manager in Serie A at nearly 69, faces Como's Carles Fabregas, the youngest at 39. The pair share a past as midfielders and faced some tension last season. Both sides have positioned themselves among Serie A's most prolific attackers after five matches. Roma lead for touches in the opponent's penalty area with 219, ahead of Como's 209; the two clubs rank alongside Inter as the league's most productive in terms of shots, shots on target and Expected Goals. Fabregas's side will offer no soft target at the Stadio Sinigaglia. Gasperini told Corriere di Bergamo: "The plan is to win the Scudetto within three years, but maybe we could do it sooner. We are aware the road is long. In football there are no straight paths. There will be ups and downs. If we can manage them, who knows." Rodrigo Mora is pushing for a starting place alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matías Soulé in attack, with Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala also in contention. Manu Koné and Wesley returned to training during a closed friendly with Sorianese; Santiago Castro, Balerdi and Soulé—back after attending Lionel Messi's farewell celebration—will rejoin the group today.