Nela backs Gasperini to deliver Champions League consistency and Scudetto dream for centenary

Marten de Roon has quietly made himself indispensable at AS Roma, earning the trust of coach Gian Piero Gasperini, his teammates and the supporters. Working without fuss, the Dutch midfielder has put himself at the disposal of the manager and the squad, and has taken over the centre of the pitch. De Roon is a loyal lieutenant of Gasperini, whose hard work has been noticed across the club. His willingness to do whatever the team needs has made him a key figure in the middle of the park, and his performances have now won over the Roma fanbase as well as the coaching staff. The report from Forzaroma.info, written by Pierluigi Franza and published on 6 November 2026, describes De Roon as a tireless worker who has quietly built up a level of trust that now extends to the whole squad.

AS Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 7 November at 20:45, closing a demanding run of fixtures before the international break. Sassuolo's head coach Alberto Aquilani, who came through Roma's youth sector and played in the first team before his sale to Liverpool in 2009, returns to the stadium as an opponent. Nemanja Matic, Sassuolo's key midfield figure, also returns to Rome. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf problem and is expected to miss the match. Sassuolo sit 17th in Serie A with 8 points from ten matchdays, after two wins, two draws and six defeats. Their defence is the worst in the league, with 26 goals conceded. They have lost four consecutive matches since a 1-1 draw with Milan: 4-2 at Frosinone, 2-0 against Como, 6-2 at home to Lazio and 4-2 against Fiorentina. Those four games produced 16 goals conceded, and Sassuolo have taken just one point from their last five. Their last win came on 13 September, a 3-2 victory over Juventus. The club has confirmed its confidence in Aquilani ahead of the Roma game, but another heavy defeat could prompt further reflection on his position. Roma, by contrast, arrive with 28 goals in their first ten matchdays, the best attack in Serie A. After the Fiorentina defeat, Aquilani did not hide his side's difficulties. He stressed their defensive fragility and the ease with which Sassuolo are giving away chances and goals. Matic remains central to his plans. After the win over Juventus, Aquilani called him a “top player”, pointing in particular to his experience and his ability to help the team in daily training. Matic has nine appearances and two assists in this Serie A season. After the draw with Bologna, Aquilani explained that he would not have taken Matic off unless the midfielder had asked to come off. The Serbian's return also revives memories of his only season at Roma, which ended in the Europa League final lost to Siviglia in Budapest. In that match, Matic became famous for telling Dybala, who was in tears after the penalty shootout defeat, “That’s football”. This time the two are not expected to meet on the pitch. Sassuolo still have attacking threats. Domenico Berardi remains their main creative and offensive reference, while Armand Laurienté provides pace and one-on-one ability on the opposite flank. The Frenchman scored a brace against Fiorentina, though it was not enough to save the result. Sebastiano Esposito competes with Kieron Bowie for the central striker’s role, and Kristian Thorstvedt returns to midfield after serving a suspension. Vasilije Adzic, Sassuolo's top scorer in the league with three goals, also knows how to decide matches, having been decisive in the win over Juventus. Roma have the better recent record. They have won the last four Serie A meetings with Sassuolo. Sassuolo's most recent victory over Roma came in a chaotic 4-3 win at the Olimpico in March 2023. Across 24 Serie A meetings, Roma have been unbeaten in 22, with 13 wins, nine draws and just two defeats. Aquilani is expected to stick with a 4-3-3, although doubts remain at the back, where he is still searching for the most reliable combination after the 16 goals conceded in the last four matchdays. Turati is in contention with Muric for the goalkeeper’s spot. Thorstvedt is set to return in midfield, with Matic in the deep playmaking role and Bakola completing the unit. Berardi and Laurienté are expected to start either side of Esposito in attack.

Radio pundits across Rome's stations have debated whether Manu Koné should be called up by France and whether Roma are over-reliant on Malen and Dybala ahead of the match against Sassuolo. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said: "If Koné, after missing several matches, answered France's call-up, it would annoy me. He is coming back after a long stop and it would not be ideal. Everyone looks after their own interests. Zidane could also consider him available, let's see what happens, but I hope not." He added that France have plenty of alternatives and that Koné, returning from a long injury, could be rested. The debate follows the defeat to Manchester, which David Rossi of Rete Sport called unjustified. He said: "I am surprised by the negativity that has been generated after the defeat at Manchester. It is unjustifiable; you lost to teams with greater resources than yours. Wouldn't you have signed up, at this point, to have lost only to Real and Manchester? We always lose sight of the bigger picture. Roma are a very strong side, built to earn more points than last year: the starting base is 73 points. For me this is an 80-point side, which certainly means Champions League again. Contrary to what some think, that is very important. It is unacceptable to hear that Roma must leave the Champions League." Rossi also noted that a draw between Inter and Como, combined with a Napoli win over Lazio, would make the round unfavourable if Roma failed to beat Sassuolo. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport said Roma must take advantage of their chances. He said: "If that defeat to Manchester had not come, with that dynamic and yet another comeback conceded, we would now be saying Roma started clear favourites against Sassuolo. The fear is that there are more psychological than physical after-effects. The same applies as after Real: one way or another, you have to bring it home. Tactically, it is better to face Sassuolo than Genoa, because putting up barricades is not in their DNA." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said Roma need to bounce back immediately. He said: "Against Sassuolo you need to restart immediately after the disappointment of Manchester. Sassuolo have conceded 10 goals in their last two matches, Aquilani is in great difficulty, and his side does not have the strength to react. Roma must face the game in the best possible way, looking for satisfaction in attack. Malen also has the odd lapse, and I back Castro, but apart from that great goal he never plays. Maybe there is room for him too. I often refer to the transfer market: you have had only reserves, there is no first-choice player apart from De Roon." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio questioned the dependence on Malen and Dybala. He said: "If Malen is in a slump and Dybala does not play, what happens? Isn't Roma too dependent on those two? Malen was scoring a lot alongside Dybala, now he seems more in difficulty. You need alternatives, because if Malen does not score, you struggle. On Dybala, perhaps Gasperini's management was wrong, making him play ninety minutes every time to prove what..." Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Sassuolo are unpredictable and that Roma are not at their brightest. He said: "Sassuolo are a team on a rollercoaster and could wake up and become the side of three weeks ago. Roma are not going through one of their most brilliant moments; I have noticed glaring flaws. This is not the Roma of three weeks ago. Sassuolo's last outing did not leave them unscathed, but if they have recovered they can put Roma in difficulty. Roma can win, but not comfortably." On Dybala, Mattioli also questioned his diet, saying: "Are we sure he is not eating something that affects his muscle tissue? I did a lot of athletics and they even controlled your food." Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said there was something about Koné's intentions that remained unclear, asking whether he wanted to play for France. He said: "I would not sincerely send him to risk it, also because France play two real matches, one against Italy. Koné knows he has strong competition in his role for his national team, but Roma pay the price. If he gets injured again, we are back to square one." Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Koné is fit and that a call-up could be justified, while Roma would have the final say. He said Roma may prefer caution, in which case Koné would be unlikely to be called up. He added that Roma would like to keep him, while the player has recovered. Pes said the decisive day was expected to be the one that followed, and on Gollini: "It's unlikely he will be available tomorrow; he will try until the end, but until yesterday it was very complicated. So I think Vásquez will play, but I don't see that much difference." The pundits' comments centre on how Roma respond to the Manchester defeat and their Sassuolo fixture, with the Koné decision and Dybala's condition still being discussed.

Pierluigi Gollini is set to miss Roma's next match against Sassuolo, with the medical staff unable to resolve his back problem in time, barring a dramatic change. Vásquez, the former Empoli and Milan goalkeeper, is in line to start for the second match running, after the defeat to Manchester United. Koné will not be called up for France, and he is hoping to return to the matchday squad. France play Italy on 12 November and Turkey on 15 November. Zidane's side top the group with ten points, three more than the Azzurri, who can catch them in the head-to-head clash at San Siro. Ndicka will return to the starting lineup in defence. Up front, the attack will be made up of Mora, Soulé and Malen.

Gian Piero Gasperini has put his Roma players in front of the screen to work on their collapses, projecting full-screen replays of the match against Manchester, mistakes included, in intense study sessions. Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico, and the front three is confirmed as Mora, Malen and Soulé. The focus on the Manchester game reflects a wider concern at the club over losing leads and conceding late. Gasperini is using video analysis to show his players exactly where the errors came from, aiming to cure what the headline calls Roma's problem with comebacks against them before the home fixture.

Roma supporter Emanuele has described being refused entry to Old Trafford for the Champions League fixture against Manchester United on Tuesday 3 November, despite holding a valid ticket, and says he was physically removed from the area by stewards. He spoke to Retesport about the experience. According to Emanuele, the Roma fans' march was calm despite setting off late, but once they reached the car parks they were pushed and charged by English police. He said supporters were packed into a space of a few metres, side by side, barely able to breathe, and held in those conditions for about an hour and a half. Groups of only 50 people at a time were allowed through to the entrance, which he said slowed the process further and made the situation harder. "It was an endless wait," he said. It was only after 20:00 Italian time, when the match had already started, that Roma supporters were finally allowed to reach the turnstiles. Emanuele held a ticket for Section 29, close to the stand. While queuing, a steward began shouting in his ears because a fan in front of him could not get his ticket to scan. He explained in English that the fan's phone was flat, so the screen brightness was too low, but that the ticket was valid. After he presented his own ticket and received the green light from the turnstile, he said a steward grabbed him from behind by the neck. Together with another security member, he was dragged away from the stadium with no plausible explanation given. When he asked why he had been removed, he was told he would not be admitted because he had attacked a steward. He immediately asked to see the CCTV footage, given the large number of cameras in the area, but said he was shown nothing. "I was not given any evidence or any concrete explanation," he said. He added that if he had really assaulted a member of security staff, the consequences would have been far more serious, and he would have been arrested. He said that, after speaking to some Italian stewards, he was advised to go to the ticket office, about a kilometre away, to have his ticket checked and validated again. There he was told that, although the ticket was valid, the general management had already decided that, having been identified as a dangerous individual who had attacked a steward, he would not be allowed into the stadium. Emanuele said at least 20 other people were in the same situation outside. Some of them had legitimately bought tickets for the stand next to the away section, which he said was not prohibited in any way. Those fans had got in and taken their seats, but after celebrating Malen's goal they were identified, removed from their seats and thrown out of the stadium. "The reason?" he said. "They were Italian fans and they had cheered a Roma goal."

Devis Vásquez is set to start in goal for Roma again, with Pierluigi Gollini expected to miss the match against Sassuolo because of a back problem. The medical staff tried to get Gollini fit, but barring a dramatic turnaround he will not be available. Vásquez, a former Empoli and Milan goalkeeper, will make his second consecutive start after the match against Manchester United. It will be his first Serie A appearance in a year and a half; his last came in May 2025 against Verona. Ahead of him, Evan N'Dicka and Leonardo Balerdi are certain to play in defence. The only open question in the starting line-up is the central defensive berth, where Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini are competing for a place.

Matheus Cunha has drawn attention from Roma supporters after posting a one-word reply to Leonardo Balerdi's Instagram message following Manchester United's 3-2 win over Roma at Old Trafford. Roma had led twice in the first half before being pegged back after the break, and Cunha, who scored a brace, was among the protagonists of the evening. Roma wanted to put the defeat behind them. Cunha was involved in the penalty incident with Mancini and went on to score two goals, the first arriving straight after a mistake by Balerdi. Among the many messages of support under the post, the Manchester United forward wrote a single word: "Crack", an expression generally used as a compliment for a player of great talent. The comment did not go unnoticed by Roma fans, many of whom questioned whether it was a simple compliment or a provocation after what happened on the pitch. Replies to the Brazilian came quickly, and one of the most appreciated read: "Pensa alla tua squadra" ("Think about your own team"). Balerdi's message, posted on Instagram after the match, read: "Fa male. Non era il finale che volevamo. Ma ci sono cose che non cambiano mai: l'impegno, il rispetto e l'orgoglio di difendere questi colori. Ai nostri tifosi che sono venuti fino a Manchester, grazie di cuore per il vostro sostegno. Forza Roma." In English: "It hurts. It was not the ending we wanted. But there are things that never change: the commitment, the respect and the pride of defending these colours. To our fans who came all the way to Manchester, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. Forza Roma."

Roman radio pundits have debated Roma's current form ahead of their match against Sassuolo, with several insisting the club must win but cannot afford to play badly. Ugo Trani said: "Gasperini will have to deal with those who are not well. Ghilardi could play in place of Mancini, and Mora has a chance to start. Sassuolo will come to shut up shop, and Roma will have to play well in front. Right now there are three teams doing more than their value: Frosinone, Lazio and Roma. Como are doing their part, Roma are not. When de Roon arrived, people insulted whoever signed him, and now you cannot take him off the pitch." The debate also centred on Manu Koné's position with France. Piero Torri said: "There is something about Koné we do not know: does he want to go to the national team or not? Because if he wants to go to the national team, he is pushing... Honestly, I would not send him to risk it, especially since France play two real matches, one against Italy. Koné knows he has strong competition in his role in the national team, but Roma pay for it. Because if he gets hurt again, we are back to square one, and we cannot allow that." Lorenzo Pes said: "Koné is fine and in my opinion the call-up can happen. If they prefer caution, avoiding both Sassuolo and France, that would be the right choice. The final word belongs to Roma: if Roma want caution, he will hardly be called up and go to the national team. Koné, however, is not someone uninterested in the national team. On one side Roma would like to keep him, on the other there is the evidence that the player has recovered. We will see, let us wait for today, which should be the crucial one." On Gollini, Pes added: "It is unlikely he will be available tomorrow. He will try until the end, but until yesterday it was very complicated. So I think Vásquez will play, but I do not see all that much difference." Mario Mattioli said: "Given how Sassuolo are built, the rollercoaster is normal. They could also wake up. In my view, Roma are not going through one of their most brilliant moments either. I have seen cracks, and I do not know whether they come from a tiredness that is understandable or from something else. It is not, however, the Roma of three weeks ago. If Sassuolo recover, they can cause difficulties. But I believe Roma must and can win it, not comfortably, but they can do it." Asked about Dybala, Mattioli wondered: "Could the problem be diet? Are we sure he is not eating something that affects his muscle tissue?" Roberto Pruzzo said: "Roma need to bounce back immediately after the disappointment in Manchester. Sassuolo are clearly in difficulty, starting with Aquilani. The black-and-green side is not giving any more signals. This should allow Roma to manage the match or at least administer it in the best possible way. Castro is a player I back, but apart from that great goal he practically never plays: who knows, there could be room for him too." Nando Orsi questioned Roma's dependence on Dybala and Malen: "Is Roma not a little too dependent on Dybala and Malen? When Dybala was there, Malen scored a lot of goals. Today, he seems to be struggling a bit. If he does not score, an alternative is needed. Dybala will not score, but he makes assists. With Dybala, perhaps Gasperini's management was wrong, this idea of always having him play ninety minutes to prove what..."

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening (kick-off 20:45) in Serie A matchday 11, with Bryan Cristante and former Roma midfielder Nemanja Matic set to face each other in central midfield. Roma are looking to put the disappointment of Manchester behind them and collect three more league points to stay close to the top of the table, while Sassuolo are in a poor run of results and have the worst defence in Serie A. The fixture is against the Sassuolo side coached by former Roma boss Fabio Grosso, who is also a former Roma player. Cristante remains the cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma midfield, offering continuity, tactical discipline and the ability to balance the side. The 1995-born midfielder has played eight Serie A games this season, all as a starter, totalling 694 minutes, and has scored one goal and provided one assist. Both contributions came in the last away trip, against Udinese, where he also showed his ability to influence the game in the final third. Against Sassuolo he will be asked mainly to control the tempo of the midfield and shield Sassuolo's transitions, in an area of the pitch where he will line up alongside a former team-mate with whom he shared an important season in the capital. Matic, one of Sassuolo's most experienced players, is a well-known face to the Olimpico crowd. The Serbian wore the Roma shirt in the 2022/23 season, becoming one of José Mourinho's trusted men and contributing to the run that took the giallorossi all the way to the Europa League final against Sevilla. In Serie A he played 35 matches for Roma, scoring two goals and providing two assists, before leaving the capital the following summer. Now 38, he remains a reference point in midfield for Sassuolo, with nine appearances totalling 697 minutes so far, two assists and no goals, in a central role built on experience and positioning. A natural left-footer, he excels in possession management, ball protection and reading the play in advance, though he no longer has the mobility of his best years but compensates with experience and quality in his first pass. The encounter is therefore also a duel between two midfielders used to giving order rather than spectacle: on one side one of Roma's most used players, on the other a former player who left a lasting impression at the Olimpico.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma continue to battle an injury crisis ahead of their home match against Sassuolo, with Gian Piero Gasperini left with a severely reduced set of options. The latest absence is Devyne Rensch, whose instrumental tests revealed a first-degree tear of the long adductor in his right leg. He is expected to be out for around three weeks, with a return planned after the international break. Paulo Dybala will not feature. He has yet to recover and will continue personalised training, aiming to be available again directly after the national team commitments. There is slightly better news on Manu Koné, the French midfielder, who has completed individualised work on the pitch and will undergo the final decisive test today to determine whether he can be included at least in the matchday squad and start on the bench. In midfield, given the fatigue accumulated over recent weeks, Cristante and De Roon will form the pairing to lead the engine room, with Pisilli ready to contribute. The goalkeeping position also needs close monitoring. Pierluigi Gollini remains in serious doubt because of a back problem that could force him to withdraw, despite attempting to play through with infiltrations. If Gollini cannot recover, Devis Vásquez is ready to return to the starting lineup from the first minute, a place in Serie A he would win back after many months. Ndicka is set to return to the defence, while Mancini is being managed under a planned programme. Up front, Malen and Soulé will lead the attack with Mora in support.