Ndicka's bid to hold off Balerdi ahead of Udinese trip, with Gasperini relying on his aerial dominance and passing numbers

Roma travel to Udine on Saturday 31 October with a kickoff at 18:00, facing an Udinese side in deep decline under Kosta Runjaic, whose position is under severe scrutiny. Udinese sit on just 5 points in the table and have won only ... no, they have one point less than that suggests: the article states they are in a crisis, with their bench reportedly in danger and another slip potentially costing Runjaic his job. Udinese's 0-0 draw at Parma in midweek ended a run of defeats but did not cure their problems. They have scored only one goal in their last five outings and their play has been slow and predictable. The most worrying figure for Runjaic concerns home form at the Bluenergy Stadium, where four of their six league defeats this season have come, against Lazio, Cagliari, Lecce and Milan, and where the attack has drawn a blank in their last three home matches. Their injury list is crowded: Solet is hoped to be available for the match, while Bertola is out along with long-term absentees and Alaba. Udinese were rescued at Parma only by a late save from Okoye, who stopped a penalty. Roma have historically struggled in Friuli, regardless of form or league position. Their last meeting there came in February, a 1-0 home win for Udinese thanks to a goal from Ekkelenkamp. In 2024-25 and 2023-24 Roma won narrowly, 2-1 on both occasions, while in September 2022 Udinese won a heavy 4-0. Gasperini is expected to make some rotations but no wholesale turnover, with the focus on Udinese before the Champions League big match against Manchester United on Tuesday.

Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi is attracting attention from Serie A's big clubs, with AC Milan and Juventus reportedly monitoring his situation ahead of the reopening of the January transfer window. According to Tuttomercatoweb, Milan are the more serious suitors and are considering a possible approach during the winter session. Milan are looking for a central defender and see Ghilardi as one of the alternatives to Sporting's Gonçalo Inácio. Juventus also rate the former Verona player, but for now they do not reportedly see strengthening the defence as an immediate priority. No official offers or negotiations with Roma have been registered. The situation is an interesting one given that Ghilardi is finally earning the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini. He had already made an impression against Slovan Bratislava, and on Tuesday evening against Cagliari he needed only a few minutes to produce a superb assist for Rodrigo Mora's 3-2 goal. A possible sale in January therefore looks far from certain, as Roma need to broaden their rotation options, not reduce them. Gasperini recognised the progress of the 2003-born defender after the Cagliari match, saying: "He has grown a lot compared to last year and will find more and more space." That praise underlines how central Ghilardi has become to the coach's plans in defence. For Roma, the interest from Milan and Juventus is a sign of the player's rising value, but the club's priority is keeping a squad with enough depth for a demanding season.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar will not be available to Gian Piero Gasperini until after the November international break, with his recovery from injury still progressing. The Serbian is wearing a brace on his foot while doing gym sessions as he works back to fitness. Svilar, a Serbia international and a goalkeeper who joined Roma from Benfica in July 2022, is one of the club's first-choice options between the posts. Losing him for the coming weeks means Gasperini must rely on his other goalkeepers while the recovery continues. The report comes from Forzaroma.info, which published the update on 30 October 2026 at 15:30 and includes a video from the Deltacoaching.be Instagram profile showing the goalkeeper's rehabilitation work.

Radio pundit Simone Valdarchi expects Gian Piero Gasperini to rotate Roma's defence and flanks for the upcoming match. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà, he said Koulierakis and Mancini could drop out of the starting line-up compared with the last outing, while at least two of Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso could feature. Valdarchi also believes Gasperini would give Evan N'Dicka a rest if he had the chance, but he thinks it is not the right moment to do so. The comments come as Roma prepare for Saturday's league fixture against Udinese and the Champions League trip to Manchester. Piero Torri, also speaking on Radio Manà Manà, said: "Dell'Udinese temo la classifica. Non è una squadra che merita di essere nel punto in cui si trova per i valori che ha. Hanno recuperato quasi tutti gli infortunati Solet a parte. Tra la gara di sabato e quella di Manchester è più importante la prima." In English: "I fear Udinese's league position. It is not a team that deserves to be where it is, given the quality it has. They have recovered almost all their injured players except Solet. Between Saturday's match and the one in Manchester, the first is more important."

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing significant changes for tomorrow's trip to Udinese, with Donyell Malen returning to the starting XI. Malen's last visit to Udine was his worst performance in a Roma shirt, though he did find the net that day, sadly the wrong one: his deflection was the decisive touch on Ekkelenkamp's free kick. Behind him, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé are set to play. Marten de Roon, who needs a rest after six matches in twenty days, drops out, along with the other three midfielders who were in the previous selection. Bryan Cristante and Niccolò Pisilli will form the central midfield pairing. Roma face two games in four days, with the squad still stretched by injuries and absences. Wesley will start on the left in both fixtures. On the right, Nahuel Molina, Emanuele Lulli and Devyne Rensch are in contention, with Rensch surprisingly named in the starting line-up in Istanbul and Naples. Rotation is also on the cards at the back, the department with the most players available. Leonardo Balerdi has put behind him a tough setback and will start. Mario Hermoso has recovered after not being at his best and is also available. Gianluca Mancini is likely to miss out, having run low on energy and been among the weakest performers of the season so far, with some physical complaints picked up on international duty that have never fully cleared. Daniele Aloisi, writing in Il Messaggero, reports that Daniele Ghilardi is looking for minutes and consistency and could take Mancini's place. Evan N'Dicka is the defender in the best form, and Gasperini does not want to do without him. If N'Dicka plays, Balerdi will operate on the left of the centre-back pairing. If N'Dicka rests, Balerdi will move into the middle with Hermoso alongside him. Gasperini will settle those doubts in the coming hours. Roma's focus then turns to Old Trafford, where the hope is that, for once, the 'theatre of dreams' does not turn back into a nightmare.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing another reshuffled Roma side for Saturday's trip to Udine, kicking off at 18:00 on 31 October, with changes expected mainly in defence and midfield after the rotations used against Cagliari. Mancini and N'Dicka risk a rest, with Ghilardi and Balerdi candidates to start from the first minute. Balerdi, along with Hermoso, has recovered from the knocks that forced him onto the bench against Cagliari. Changes on the flanks are also possible, while the midfield pairing of Cristante and Pisilli is gaining ground, with De Roon initially on the bench. These are pre-match indications only, with several places still open. Up front, Malen is ready to win back his starting spot, alongside the untouchable Soulé, who has 3 goals and 3 assists to his name this season. Behind them, Rodrigo Mora could start, having been favoured for a place from the first minute after his decisive goal against Cagliari. The Portuguese impressed Gasperini with his second-half introduction and now aims to gain more consistency. The absences remain heavy. Dybala will certainly miss Udine and is seriously doubtful for Manchester United: the calf injury is reportedly now overcome, but the Argentine continues to feel discomfort and trained individually again yesterday. A return against Sassuolo on 7 November is more likely, when Gasperini hopes to also get Koné back, who has resumed individual work on the pitch. For Svilar, his return has been postponed until after the international break, so Gollini will again be in goal in Udine, in the Champions League and against Sassuolo. Gasperini is forced into fresh choices, a situation that also confirms his intention to involve the whole squad for a increasingly demanding schedule.

Wesley has been one of Gian Piero Gasperini's first-choice picks this season, and the Brazilian full-back has improved across almost every statistical measure compared with last year, according to SofaScore data. Carlo Ancelotti has kept selecting him for Brazil since taking over the national team, making him the only player who has been on the squad list throughout that period. The defender was denied a starring role at the World Cup by bad luck, but he remains one of the cornerstones of both Brazil and Roma. Personal issues involving his now ex-wife have not distracted him, and he delivered the assist for Leonardo Balerdi's equaliser in the 3-3 draw at Napoli, even though he was not one of the best players on the pitch that night. This season he has already registered two assists, while last year he had none after nine Serie A matchdays. His key passes per match have risen from 0.88 to 2.38, his cross accuracy from 26.9% to 40%, and his duel success rate from 42.7% to 52.6%. The one thing missing so far is a goal. He scored with his first touch for the club last season, in the opener against Bologna, but he is still waiting to find the net this time. Gasperini needs more from him in attack, although goals are not a problem for Roma this season. Wesley was rested for the first 45 minutes against Cagliari, but he is set to start against Udinese tomorrow and in the Champions League match at Manchester on Tuesday. He will be closely watched at Old Trafford, where Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing him. The English side, struggling after a disastrous start to the season, have reportedly made him a target. Chelsea also considered a move in the summer, but Roma rejected an offer of around 40 million euros.

Roman radio pundits have urged Roma to move quickly for Endrick, while debating the Udinese fixture and the club's attacking options. Mario Corsi (Tele Radio Stereo) said that Roma must act first, warning that AC Milan could beat them to the forward. He pointed to Roma's spending: "Dopo aver speso 60 milioni per Ramos, uno che non segna mai, se può spendere anche per questo... ecco perché dobbiamo muoverci." Corsi also claimed that Endrick would agree to join Roma if he chose the club, and he suggested Mourinho was still thinking about Roma. David Rossi (Rete Sport) raised concerns about Paulo Dybala's fitness before the international break. He said playing Dybala in the game before the break would be "una forzatura" and suggested that Matías Soulé would be used in every match, which could become a problem. Rossi also asked why Roma did not try Guaglianone in the current emergency, noting that Guaglianone had brought forwards such as Arena and Paratici but had never brought in a "mezza punta", the role where Roma are struggling. Gianluca Piacentini (Rete Sport) said that Roma now feel more confident in the strength of the squad than they did last season, when a top-four finish was essential. He said he wanted Roma to aim for first place rather than fourth, and he admitted he would now prefer AC Milan to win the derby over Inter. Lorenzo Pes (Tele Radio Stereo) expected Hermoso and Balerdi to play at Udine, and said Marten de Roon, whom he had seen declining against Cagliari, would likely start alongside Bryan Cristante with Niccolò Pisilli pushed forward. He tipped Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro to come off the bench. Pes said Mile Svilar would return after the break, and that Manu Koné had resumed training on the pitch to be available against Sassuolo. Of Dybala, he said: "Dipende da lui. Ma per Manchester mi sembra obiettivamente difficile." Alessio Nardo (Tele Radio Stereo) questioned whether Gasperini already had an XI in mind for Manchester and, consequently, for Udinese. He said: "Sia United che Udinese sono due panchine a fortissimo rischio, bisognerà capire se è un vantaggio o meno per noi." He added: "Io non dico che vincere a Udine domani sarebbe un'impresa, ma comunque sarebbe un grandissimo risultato per la Roma." Nando Orsi (Radio Radio) was the most confident of a Roma win, arguing that Udinese were in free fall. He said: "Questa è l'occasione giusta per la Roma... Non vedo un altro tipo di risultato oltre alla vittoria della Roma." Roberto Pruzzo (Radio Radio) warned that Roma must settle the match early, cautioning that Udinese had recovered Davis and Zaniolo and could cause problems if Roma conceded space. He added: "È una partita da prendere con le molle." Mario Mattioli (Radio Radio) argued that Udine would not be easy for Roma despite Udinese's crisis, and said a Roma win would be "un'altra piccola impresa di questo campionato." Ubaldo Righetti (Radio Romanista) said Roma were not tired against Cagliari, though Mancini may have been, and that De Roon was still effective because he worked through the lines rather than chasing opponents. Righetti said the problem was frenzy, with simple passes going astray. Daniele Lo Monaco (Radio Romanista) warned that Mora risked the same fate as Bojan, who never fulfilled the promise he showed after leaving Barcelona.

Radio pundit Simone Valdarchi expects Gian Piero Gasperini to rotate Roma's defence and flanks for the upcoming match. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà, he said Koulierakis and Mancini could drop out of the starting line-up compared with the last outing, while at least two of Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso could feature. Valdarchi also believes Gasperini would give Evan N'Dicka a rest if he had the chance, but he thinks it is not the right moment to do so. The comments come as Roma prepare for Saturday's league fixture against Udinese and the Champions League trip to Manchester. Piero Torri, also speaking on Radio Manà Manà, said: "Dell'Udinese temo la classifica. Non è una squadra che merita di essere nel punto in cui si trova per i valori che ha. Hanno recuperato quasi tutti gli infortunati Solet a parte. Tra la gara di sabato e quella di Manchester è più importante la prima." In English: "I fear Udinese's league position. It is not a team that deserves to be where it is, given the quality it has. They have recovered almost all their injured players except Solet. Between Saturday's match and the one in Manchester, the first is more important."

Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi is attracting attention from Serie A's big clubs, with AC Milan and Juventus reportedly monitoring his situation ahead of the reopening of the January transfer window. According to Tuttomercatoweb, Milan are the more serious suitors and are considering a possible approach during the winter session. Milan are looking for a central defender and see Ghilardi as one of the alternatives to Sporting's Gonçalo Inácio. Juventus also rate the former Verona player, but for now they do not reportedly see strengthening the defence as an immediate priority. No official offers or negotiations with Roma have been registered. The situation is an interesting one given that Ghilardi is finally earning the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini. He had already made an impression against Slovan Bratislava, and on Tuesday evening against Cagliari he needed only a few minutes to produce a superb assist for Rodrigo Mora's 3-2 goal. A possible sale in January therefore looks far from certain, as Roma need to broaden their rotation options, not reduce them. Gasperini recognised the progress of the 2003-born defender after the Cagliari match, saying: "He has grown a lot compared to last year and will find more and more space." That praise underlines how central Ghilardi has become to the coach's plans in defence. For Roma, the interest from Milan and Juventus is a sign of the player's rising value, but the club's priority is keeping a squad with enough depth for a demanding season.

Radio pundit Simone Valdarchi expects Gian Piero Gasperini to rotate Roma's defence and flanks for the upcoming match. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà, he said Koulierakis and Mancini could drop out of the starting line-up compared with the last outing, while at least two of Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso could feature. Valdarchi also believes Gasperini would give Evan N'Dicka a rest if he had the chance, but he thinks it is not the right moment to do so. The comments come as Roma prepare for Saturday's league fixture against Udinese and the Champions League trip to Manchester. Piero Torri, also speaking on Radio Manà Manà, said: "Dell'Udinese temo la classifica. Non è una squadra che merita di essere nel punto in cui si trova per i valori che ha. Hanno recuperato quasi tutti gli infortunati Solet a parte. Tra la gara di sabato e quella di Manchester è più importante la prima." In English: "I fear Udinese's league position. It is not a team that deserves to be where it is, given the quality it has. They have recovered almost all their injured players except Solet. Between Saturday's match and the one in Manchester, the first is more important."

Roma's radio pundits have been weighing up the team ahead of tomorrow's trip to Udinese, and Lorenzo Pes on Teleradiostereo 92.7 says Paulo Dybala is unlikely to feature in the Champions League against Manchester United. Pes said: "Balerdi and Hermoso have recovered. I expect de Roon to start again. Svilar will return against Parma, the medical staff have decided not to take a risk and the goalkeeper could go back to work in Belgium. Koné trained on the pitch yesterday, his goal is to return with Sassuolo and then go to the national team. Dybala wants to be there against Manchester, but it will depend on him. He also did personalised work yesterday, and for now it is difficult to see him in the Champions League." The broadcasters are unanimous that Roma must win in Udine, and several pundits warn that the fixture is no formality. Francesco Balzani on Teleradiostereo 92.7 said: "I fear everyone. Roma are clearly stronger and must win in Udine, but when there are these closely spaced matches... And Udinese at home have always caused problems for the giallorossi. My mind is on Manchester on Sunday, and I hope the players do the same. The most important path for me remains the one in Italy, the goal is the Scudetto, and you must not fail these games against the 'small' sides." Roberto Pruzzo on Radio Radio Mattino 104.5 noted that Udinese have recovered Davis and Zaniolo and could cause problems, adding: "Roma must immediately steer the game tomorrow. In the last match Gollini made some saves and the giallorossi must be careful. In midfield Roma have few alternatives. This point of the season is delicate." The panel's predictions on the line-up vary. Ugo Trani on Teleradiostereo 92.7 said: "I think the certainties like Wesley and Malen will surely play tomorrow, the doubt is at the back. If Balerdi is well he could play him at centre-right, but if he is not at 100% he will not risk him. On the right flank, in my opinion, Lulli plays. Up front Soulé and Mora from the start, but they could also field a midfielder. I don't think they will force Koné's return before the break, also because France are there too. The Udine game frightens me, Manchester is whatever comes. But against Udinese I consider it the hardest of the three matches." Trani also said: "Ghilardi has learned a lot from Mancini, sometimes he even gives the impression he could play as a winger because he has an explosive pace." He added: "I really hope for Endrick, Milan are out. If he leaves, he comes here." Felici said on Teleradiostereo 92.7: "We need some attention towards Udinese, but we also need a sense of reality, and the conclusion is that Roma cannot afford not to win in Udine. Against Cagliari, even though the win came 4-2, it was not a stroll. In Udine you may not have to score a goal-fest, but to win you have to win." Balzani expected "two changes in defence", with Ghilardi and Balerdi alongside Hermoso, and suggested Mora could start with Cristante pushed forward and de Roon behind. Simone Valdarchi on Radio Manà Manà 90.9 expects rotation in defence and on the flanks, pointing out that Koulierakis and Mancini could be left out compared with the last outing, while at least two of Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso could play. He said: "If he had the chance, I think Gasp would give Ndicka a rest too, but maybe it is not the moment." Nando Orsi on Radio Radio Mattino 104.5 was the most confident: "There is too great a gap between Roma and Udinese. All games are difficult, but on the pitch you see the differences in value. I do not see any other result besides a Roma win."