Moreira slips away as Roma push on; Gasperini to address media tomorrow

Nicolò Tresoldi has attracted widespread interest after scoring a hat-trick against Inter in the most recent UEFA Champions League game, with multiple clubs preparing bids for the January transfer window. Roma attempted to sign the striker last summer with an offer of €35M, but Club Brugge rejected the bid as insufficient. The capital club has since withdrawn from the race after pivoting toward Santiago Castro to provide backup to Donyell Malen. Tresoldi, who represents Germany U-21 and has been tracked by Barcelona, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, is now valued between €54M and €63M following his recent performances. Club Brugge's position has strengthened considerably after selling Christos Tzolis to Arsenal for €40M, which will allow them to hold out for a premium fee. The article suggests the window for Serie A clubs to acquire Tresoldi has closed: he is now beyond their financial reach, and moves abroad in January or at the end of the season are more likely. Tresoldi has bagged nine goals already this season. While he is reportedly a massive Milan fan, AC Milan have not shown serious interest, having made a splash for Gonçalo Ramos with Francesco Camarda as backup. Tresoldi stated that he remains undecided about which national team to represent, as Italy are attempting to convince him to switch from Germany U-21. He indicated he would face less competition in Jürgen Klopp's side.

José Mourinho has made clear he has no intention of letting Endrick leave Real Madrid, directly warning rival clubs including Roma that they will have to contend with him to sign the Brazilian forward. Endrick was a long-standing Roma target last summer under Gasperini, and came close to joining the club in August before Mourinho intervened and persuaded him to stay at Madrid, where he has since received minimal playing time. At a press conference on 13 October ahead of Roma's match against Real Madrid, Mourinho was asked directly about Endrick's future and responded bluntly: "I club interessati dovranno lottare con me per ingaggiarlo. Lo adoro, ha un potenziale di altissimo livello ed è molto importante per noi. Non ha bisogno di essere ceduto in prestito, farà grandi cose e avrà un grande successo qui. Giocherà presto." Roma continue to monitor the 21-year-old, who impressed during a six-month spell at Lyon in France, where he scored 8 goals in limited appearances. Milan and Aston Villa are also credited with interest. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico is meanwhile evaluating other concrete options to strengthen the club's attack in January.

Roma have begun planning reinforcements for the January transfer window and have set their sights on Daniel Banjaqui, a 2008-born right-back at Benfica considered one of Europe's most promising young talents in his position. The interest comes as the club looks ahead to both immediate needs and longer-term recruitment options. Banjaqui has already attracted attention from several clubs, including Juventus, according to German transfer outlet Transfersfeed. The move would form part of Roma's broader strategy to strengthen the squad in the coming window, with ambitious signings under consideration beyond their existing targets.

Roma's full-backs have become a cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's push to the top of Serie A, a marked shift from last season when they proved problematic. Wesley and Nahuel Molina are now among the club's key strengths, and both will start when Roma resume the league campaign against Como, where they will face manager Fabregas. The turnaround reflects Gasperini's tactical evolution since arriving at the club: in his first season, Wesley was the only defender fully convincing on the flanks, while Zeki Çelik had to make do elsewhere. Now the picture is entirely different. Gasperini has uncovered Emanuele Lulli in the course of the season, and Molina has gradually built his fitness, delivering quality and assists to Roma's attacking phase. For the Como fixture, Gasperini plans to deploy Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. The selection reflects not just Roma's attacking ambitions but also Gasperini's defensive strategy: by using two attacking full-backs, he aims to stretch Como's wide players—Baturina on one flank and Diao on the other—and occupy them throughout the match. Wesley, the more naturally offensive of the pair, will be tasked with driving forward and supporting the build-up play. Molina is likely to carry greater defensive responsibility, balancing his own contributions with the need to contain Como's threats on the wing.

Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy Nahuel Molina and Wesley as twin wingers in Roma's visit to Como, harnessing simultaneous attacking thrust down both flanks to counter Cesc Fabregas's side. With Molina fully recovered and Wesley in continued form, Roma will field two genuine wide operators capable of delivering width, high pressing and chances for the attacking midfielders. The tactical choice targets Como's possession-based play built around Baturina and Diao's unpredictability; Molina and Wesley are instructed to close down Como's wide references and attacking midfielders immediately, forcing them away from build-up play into long balls. In possession, the overlapping runs of Molina and Wesley will create lateral chains with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, opening space for crosses and inside passes. Last season Roma's right wing relied solely on Wesley alongside the converted Zeki Çelik, but the club now possesses one of Serie A's strongest selections of wide midfielders. Gasperini's side has already created thirteen goalscoring actions from wide midfielders this season—second in the league behind Inter's fourteen. Wesley leads with seven goal contributions, followed by Molina on four and eighteen-year-old Emanuele Lulli, an academy product promoted to the first team, who has added two decisive contributions and demonstrates the depth of alternatives available on the flanks. A key feature of Gasperini's system is the tactical flexibility of both players. Wesley and Molina can interchange wings during matches without loss of effectiveness, alternating deep play and crosses with cuts inside on their stronger foot to link with the attacking midfielders. This constant switching prevents opposing defences from finding fixed reference points and allows Roma to vary attacking approaches throughout the game.

Zeki Çelik produced a costly error in Turkey's match against Italy in Bursa, clearing a corner kick directly to Alessandro Bastoni, who opened the scoring for the Azzurri. Italy dominated the fixture in a redemptive performance after losing to Belgium on Friday. Çelik's mistake was immediately seized upon by social media users, with Roma supporters among those criticising the defender's display. One Roma fan wrote: "La spazza Celik" (Çelik the sweeper), while others joked about whether a 'Çelik-cam' video would emerge—a reference to footage released by DAZN following Çelik's first friendly for Juventus. The Turkish international has endured a difficult start to his spell in Serie A, facing criticism not only from Roma fans but also from his country's supporters.

Roma's dream of a successful return to the Champions League at home ended in heartbreak as Real Madrid scored three times in seven minutes to overturn a 3–1 deficit and win 4–3 at the Olimpico. Marten de Roon opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but Mbappé equalised five minutes later. Donyell Malen then put Roma 3–1 ahead with goals in the 51st and 58th minutes before the collapse. Espì restored parity in the 83rd minute, Endrick made it 3–3 in the 85th, and Rüdiger clinched victory in the 90th minute. It was Roma's first home fixture in the competition for seven years. Gasperini's side had controlled much of the match and came within touching distance of a victory that would have made a statement in the Champions League. Instead, they leave the competition with a single point after suffering an inconceivable turnaround orchestrated by José Mourinho's Madrid. The defeat underlines the fine margins at the elite level: Roma were the better team for long stretches but could not hold their advantage when it mattered most. Gasperini set up Roma in a 3–4–1–2 formation with Pierluigi Gollini in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, Wesley and Nahuel Molina on the flanks, Marten de Roon and Manu Koné in midfield, and Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Malen in attack. Molina won the selection battle with Devyne Rensch to start. Mancini and Wesley were later cautioned, as was Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Roma return to Champions League football at the Olimpico for the first time in seven years, facing Real Madrid, the competition's most successful winner. Gasperini opts for a three-at-the-back formation with Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence. Wesley and Molina patrol the flanks, with Koné and De Roon in midfield. Soulé plays behind Dybala and Malen in attack. Roma (3-4-1-2): Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Wesley, Koné, De Roon, Molina; Soulé; Dybala, Malen. Substitutes: De Marzi, Vásquez, Balerdi, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Rensch, Lulli, Pisilli, Mora, Castro, Pellegrini. Manager: Gasperini. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Rüdiger, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouaméni; Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé. Substitutes: Lunin, Mestre, Dumfries, Huijsen, Carreras, Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, Brahim Díaz, Diomandé, Endrick, Espí, Pitarch. Manager: Mourinho.

Roma defeated Real Madrid 3–1 in the Champions League League Phase second matchday at the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October 2026, with goals from Marten de Roon, Donyell Malen (twice) and a response from Kylian Mbappé. The hosts made an aggressive start, forcing Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into saves before de Roon's powerful effort from the edge of the box broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. Mbappé equalised five minutes later after capitalising on an error from Mario Hermoso, but Roma regained control in the second half. Rodrigo Mora entered at half-time to replace Paulo Dybala, and the tactical shift paid immediate dividends when Mora fed Malen to restore Roma's lead at 51 minutes. A Malen goal was initially ruled out for offside before the VAR overturned the decision, and the replayed sequence confirmed Matías Soulé's assist had left him in a legal position—the score became 3–1 in the 57th minute. Real Madrid manager José Mourinho, returning to face his former club, made changes to try to reduce the deficit: Arda Güler and Endrick replaced Matthijs Dumfries and Vinícius Junior at 58 minutes, and Bernardo Silva came on for Aurélien Tchouaméni at 70 minutes. Roma lost Manu Koné to injury after 15 minutes, with Niccolò Pisilli entering to replace him. Gianluca Mancini received a caution for a foul on Mbappé at the hour mark, and Wesley was booked at 69 minutes. The Giallorossi had opened their European campaign with a 1–1 draw away at Fenerbahçe; Real Madrid won their opener 2–1 at home against Inter. The match was refereed by François Letexier of France, with Dennis Higler operating as VAR. Roma's line-up saw Pierluigi Gollini in goal, with Devyne Rensch competing for a place against Nahuel Molina in the full-back role. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Malen as the focal point up front, Dybala and Soulé operating as attacking midfielders, and the midfield two of de Roon and Koné (before his injury).

Paolo Condò analysed Roma's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in an exclusive interview, emphasising the growth the club demonstrated despite the loss. Roma were the strongest of the four Italian sides to lose in the competition this week, and held Real Madrid at bay for 80 minutes before conceding twice more to lose what Condò described as a painful collapse. Condò highlighted the defensive vulnerability that emerged when Mancini and Hermoso were substituted. "When they came off, the defence fell apart," he said. "We were missing the player who, at 3–3, would say 'we're not playing this game any more and we finish it like this'. Ultimately the pitch seemed to slope in Real Madrid's favour—they always have at least four world-class players fresh on the pitch at the end." He argued that Endrick, the Spanish club's young forward, decided the match and that Mancini's absence was critical: "I believe if Mancini had been on the pitch Roma would not have conceded three goals from corners." Condò noted that Roma's character was evident in midfielders Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné, defender Gianluca Mancini, and goalkeeper Mile Svilar, though he felt their personalities were not fully deployed in the closing stages. On Roma's standing in Serie A, Condò was clear: "Roma remains the most credible anti-Inter candidate, and there are two proofs: they are the only side to have taken points from Inter, and they drew against Como with ten men." He assessed that Roma went closer to victory when at full strength, while in numerical disadvantage they conceded little. Condò also observed that Como, under Fabregas, has fallen behind Gasperini's Roma since that match.

Roma face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 17 October at 20:45 in Serie A matchday seven, aiming to return to winning ways after a 4–3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. The Giallorossi drew 0–0 against Como and 0–0 against Inter before the Real Madrid loss; they have not won since facing Torino. Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi, won their first match of the season last time out, beating Fiorentina 2–1. Gasperini will make changes to his squad following injuries sustained against Real Madrid. Manu Koné left the pitch in the first half with a muscle problem, while Paulo Dybala was substituted at half-time with a muscular strain; both remain under assessment as of 15 October, with recovery timings unclear. Mile Svilar is out with a fractured toe, Bryan Cristante with a knee problem, and Donyell Malen suspended following his red card against Como. Roma last won on matchday six against Torino. In Gasperini's 3–4–2–1 formation, Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in the three-man defence. Emanuele Lulli and Wesley are set for the full-back positions, with Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli in midfield. Santiago Castro will lead the attack in place of the suspended Malen, Matías Soulé will play behind him, and Rodrigo Mora is favoured to complete the attacking line if Dybala cannot recover; Lorenzo Pellegrini is an alternative. De Rossi's Genoa are likely to line up in a 4–4–1–1 with goalkeeper Bijlow, but a 3–5–2 with Vitinha alongside the striker remains possible. Roma hold a dominant record at the Olimpico against Genoa: across 65 official matches played in the capital, the Giallorossi have won 48, Genoa 9, with 8 draws. Most recently Roma won 3–1 on 29 December 2025; before that, on 17 January 1990, Genoa last won at the Olimpico, prevailing 1–0. The official lineups will be confirmed before kickoff. The match will be broadcast on DAZN and Sky Sport, with streaming available through NOW and Sky Go according to subscription level.

Real Madrid won 4-3 against Roma on 14 October in a match that carried special significance for José Mourinho, who returned to Stadio Olimpico as an opponent for the first time since his spell in charge of the club. Roma supporters demonstrated their affection for the former manager with dedicated banners honouring him throughout an intense encounter. After the final whistle, Mourinho greeted three Roma players — Gianluca Mancini, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala — in conversation in the plaza outside Stadio Olimpico near the team coaches.