Pellegrini awaits contract renewal as Roma seek agreement

Roma have named their squad for the Napoli fixture at the Maradona, with the match less than 24 hours away. Gian Piero Gasperini's list was released shortly after Napoli's own squad announcement by Allegri. Paulo Dybala is out, though he hopes to be back in contention against Cagliari. Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mile Svilar are also unavailable. Bryan Cristante could return to the starting line-up. Two Primavera players feature in the squad. Di Nunzio made his debut against Genoa last weekend, and Mandjou Camara, a 2009-born striker, was already named in the squad for the game against the Rossoblù. The full squad is: goalkeepers Vásquez, De Marzi and Gollini; defenders Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi; midfielders Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora; and forwards Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The selection gives Gasperini a largely established back line, with Cristante's availability a boost in midfield as Roma travel to face Napoli.

Former Napoli and Roma player Luciano Marangon has spoken to Retesport, praising Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching and saying Roma have shown they are stronger than Napoli. Marangon said Gasperini has transmitted his footballing mentality, as he did at Atalanta, which he has taken to extraordinary levels. He added that Gasperini is a man of football who gets the best out of his players, calling it the strongest part of his game, and said he reminds him of Bagnoli from his own era. Looking ahead to Napoli v Roma, Marangon said Gasperini's side have proven they are strong enough to be fighting for first place. He described the match as a test for Roma given the many absences. He also noted that Napoli, coached by Allegri, are facing many problems, though he said he cannot know exactly what they are because he is not inside the club. On Lulli, Marangon said the coach does not worry about the age of his players and will give a game to a young player if he sees quality. He said in Italy a player must be given minutes at the right moments without being made to feel untouchable. He added that Lulli now has the perfect coach to build prospects with the Italian national team. Asked about a Serie A player he identifies with, Marangon said: "No, I haven't seen one for several years."

Former Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has praised Roma's Dutch duo Donyell Malen and Marten de Roon and assessed Mile Svilar's standing among Europe's top goalkeepers. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, the 2011–2013 Roma keeper said he follows all his former clubs. Stekelenburg said: "Seguo tutti i miei ex club anche se non sono un tipo che sta a casa a vedere il calcio, devo dire che ho tante cose da fare." Translated: "I follow all my former clubs, even though I'm not the type who stays at home watching football. I have a lot to do." He was full of praise for the two Dutchmen in Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Stekelenburg said: "Ma de Roon e Malen sono perfetti per la Roma, Donny in particolare ha trovato la sua dimensione ideale. Malen è molto veloce e gioca sempre sul filo del fuorigioco. E devo dire che appena ho saputo che sarebbe andato alla Roma l'ho immaginato con gli assist di Dybala e ho pensato che sarebbero potuti essere una bella coppia. Spero continui così come sta facendo ora, è preziosissimo per la Roma." Translated: "But de Roon and Malen are perfect for Roma. Donny in particular has found his ideal role. Malen is very fast and always plays on the edge of offside. And I have to say, as soon as I heard he was going to Roma, I imagined him with Dybala's assists and thought they could be a good pair. I hope he keeps going the way he is now, he is extremely valuable to Roma." On goal, Svilar is currently unavailable, so Pierluigi Gollini is stepping in as first choice. Stekelenburg said: "Mile sta facendo molto bene, non conosco così tanto Gollini ma penso che possa sostituirlo in questo periodo." Translated: "Mile is doing very well. I don't know Gollini that well, but I think he can stand in for him at this time." Asked whether Svilar could already be counted among Europe's top five goalkeepers, he said: "Se dovessi inserirlo tra i primi cinque… no, non ancora. Dopotutto ci sono Courtois, Neuer e altri. Ma è un ragazzo giovane e sta facendo un ottimo lavoro. Deve solo continuare a crescere." Translated: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and doing an excellent job. He just needs to keep growing." The interview also touched on his memories of Luis Enrique, the coach who brought him to Rome fifteen years ago and who now manages Paris Saint-Germain.

Roma have named their squad for the Napoli fixture at the Maradona, with the match less than 24 hours away. Gian Piero Gasperini's list was released shortly after Napoli's own squad announcement by Allegri. Paulo Dybala is out, though he hopes to be back in contention against Cagliari. Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mile Svilar are also unavailable. Bryan Cristante could return to the starting line-up. Two Primavera players feature in the squad. Di Nunzio made his debut against Genoa last weekend, and Mandjou Camara, a 2009-born striker, was already named in the squad for the game against the Rossoblù. The full squad is: goalkeepers Vásquez, De Marzi and Gollini; defenders Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi; midfielders Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora; and forwards Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The selection gives Gasperini a largely established back line, with Cristante's availability a boost in midfield as Roma travel to face Napoli.

Napoli host Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday in the 159th Serie A meeting between the sides, a fixture known as the Derby del Sole. Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri faces a difficult start to his tenure, with Saturday's clash offering either a chance to turn things around or added pressure on his position. Last weekend Napoli lost 1-0 to basement side Venezia, their third defeat in seven league matches this season (D1, L3), leaving them nine points behind early pacesetters Inter. Napoli bounced back in midweek Champions League action with a 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, their first points in this season's league phase after losses to Arsenal and Villarreal. Roma, by contrast, are enjoying their best Serie A start since 2014/15, with 17 points from seven matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini's side eased past Genoa last weekend despite the absence of Donyell Malen, maintaining a near-flawless league record this term (W5, D2). Malen returned to the scoresheet on Tuesday as Roma thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home for their first Champions League victory this season (D1, L1). History favours Napoli. The Partenopei have avoided defeat in their last eight home meetings with Roma in Serie A (W4, D4), their longest such streak since 1982. In 158 previous top-flight meetings the sides have shared the spoils 55 times (W50, L53). Napoli have lost three of their opening seven Serie A matches for the first time since 2009/10, and they are looking to record three consecutive league clean sheets at the Maradona for the first time since October 2021. Their scoring is a concern: they have netted one goal or fewer in five of their last seven outings. The only two exceptions came at this stadium, where they beat Bodo/Glimt and Frosinone by a combined 7-3. Roma return to the win column after back-to-back Serie A draws, and they have not won away at Napoli since March 2018. Roma had won four successive away league matches before being held to a scoreless draw by Como on their last Serie A trip, keeping three clean sheets in that run. They are the only Serie A side yet to concede a goal away from home this term, and could register four road shutouts to open a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Napoli's team news includes Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos on the sidelines, while Antonio Vergara's return from injury gives Allegri a timely boost. Rasmus Hojlund, the hosts' first-choice striker, has scored just two goals this season. Malen is available for Roma after serving a one-game suspension against Genoa. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf injury and will miss the match, along with Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund. Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The preview judges Roma to be in far better shape than their rivals, though home advantage and Napoli's historical edge in this fixture remain significant. Prediction: Draw.

Former Roma striker Ciccio Graziani has said Donyell Malen would be his choice over Højlund, speaking to Romanews.eu on the eve of Napoli-Roma at the Maradona. Asked which of the two he would sign as a sporting director, Graziani said: "Malen without thinking twice. Hojlund I like a lot, and sometimes he seems to me like a 'little Lukaku' the way he runs the attack and the hold-up play he takes, and he also has a great sense of goal; but Malen is my ideal striker, for the way he attacks space, his dribbling, the acceleration he has in the last twenty metres, and because he can roam across the whole front line." The match carries weight for both sides. Graziani noted that a win would mean a fresh start for Napoli after their Champions League success, while for Roma it would mean continuing to push for the top. He said Napoli's recent form had been shaky, pointing to a defeat at Venice that had left them on the brink, before they managed a tricky cup game against Bodø Glimt. He added that this showed the team wanted to bounce back and that its senior players had not given up on Allegri. On Roma, Graziani said: "Both sides risk something, as every time teams of this level meet. Roma are strong thanks to their team identity, which goes beyond the names Gasperini can pick." Asked whether injuries had left Gasperini's squad stretched, Graziani said: "I'm very sorry for Pellegrini, it seemed the injury was less serious. That said, Cristante's return is fundamental, while we wait for Dybala too, then Svilar and Koné in chronological order. Back to the word I used before: identity. Roma have it, and that makes them dangerous even with the forced rotations the coach has to resort to." Graziani also compared the two coaches. He said: "Allegri has a trophy cabinet that speaks for him and a past at the highest level, between scudetti and Champions League finals. Gasperini is someone who shapes teams around his principles of play, and when you have to face him you must be careful both with the collective identity and with the form of each individual, because with him players improve, as we have seen for years. Allegri we could call a 'manager of minds', since he has often governed dressing rooms full of great players; Gasperini instead produces ideas, which the players then turn into performances. It is a clash between two coaches whom the facts speak for."

Roma have named their squad for the Napoli fixture at the Maradona, with the match less than 24 hours away. Gian Piero Gasperini's list was released shortly after Napoli's own squad announcement by Allegri. Paulo Dybala is out, though he hopes to be back in contention against Cagliari. Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mile Svilar are also unavailable. Bryan Cristante could return to the starting line-up. Two Primavera players feature in the squad. Di Nunzio made his debut against Genoa last weekend, and Mandjou Camara, a 2009-born striker, was already named in the squad for the game against the Rossoblù. The full squad is: goalkeepers Vásquez, De Marzi and Gollini; defenders Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi; midfielders Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora; and forwards Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The selection gives Gasperini a largely established back line, with Cristante's availability a boost in midfield as Roma travel to face Napoli.

Former Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has praised Roma's Dutch duo Donyell Malen and Marten de Roon and assessed Mile Svilar's standing among Europe's top goalkeepers. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, the 2011–2013 Roma keeper said he follows all his former clubs. Stekelenburg said: "Seguo tutti i miei ex club anche se non sono un tipo che sta a casa a vedere il calcio, devo dire che ho tante cose da fare." Translated: "I follow all my former clubs, even though I'm not the type who stays at home watching football. I have a lot to do." He was full of praise for the two Dutchmen in Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Stekelenburg said: "Ma de Roon e Malen sono perfetti per la Roma, Donny in particolare ha trovato la sua dimensione ideale. Malen è molto veloce e gioca sempre sul filo del fuorigioco. E devo dire che appena ho saputo che sarebbe andato alla Roma l'ho immaginato con gli assist di Dybala e ho pensato che sarebbero potuti essere una bella coppia. Spero continui così come sta facendo ora, è preziosissimo per la Roma." Translated: "But de Roon and Malen are perfect for Roma. Donny in particular has found his ideal role. Malen is very fast and always plays on the edge of offside. And I have to say, as soon as I heard he was going to Roma, I imagined him with Dybala's assists and thought they could be a good pair. I hope he keeps going the way he is now, he is extremely valuable to Roma." On goal, Svilar is currently unavailable, so Pierluigi Gollini is stepping in as first choice. Stekelenburg said: "Mile sta facendo molto bene, non conosco così tanto Gollini ma penso che possa sostituirlo in questo periodo." Translated: "Mile is doing very well. I don't know Gollini that well, but I think he can stand in for him at this time." Asked whether Svilar could already be counted among Europe's top five goalkeepers, he said: "Se dovessi inserirlo tra i primi cinque… no, non ancora. Dopotutto ci sono Courtois, Neuer e altri. Ma è un ragazzo giovane e sta facendo un ottimo lavoro. Deve solo continuare a crescere." Translated: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and doing an excellent job. He just needs to keep growing." The interview also touched on his memories of Luis Enrique, the coach who brought him to Rome fifteen years ago and who now manages Paris Saint-Germain.

Napoli host Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday in the 159th Serie A meeting between the sides, a fixture known as the Derby del Sole. Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri faces a difficult start to his tenure, with Saturday's clash offering either a chance to turn things around or added pressure on his position. Last weekend Napoli lost 1-0 to basement side Venezia, their third defeat in seven league matches this season (D1, L3), leaving them nine points behind early pacesetters Inter. Napoli bounced back in midweek Champions League action with a 4-3 win over Bodo/Glimt, their first points in this season's league phase after losses to Arsenal and Villarreal. Roma, by contrast, are enjoying their best Serie A start since 2014/15, with 17 points from seven matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini's side eased past Genoa last weekend despite the absence of Donyell Malen, maintaining a near-flawless league record this term (W5, D2). Malen returned to the scoresheet on Tuesday as Roma thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home for their first Champions League victory this season (D1, L1). History favours Napoli. The Partenopei have avoided defeat in their last eight home meetings with Roma in Serie A (W4, D4), their longest such streak since 1982. In 158 previous top-flight meetings the sides have shared the spoils 55 times (W50, L53). Napoli have lost three of their opening seven Serie A matches for the first time since 2009/10, and they are looking to record three consecutive league clean sheets at the Maradona for the first time since October 2021. Their scoring is a concern: they have netted one goal or fewer in five of their last seven outings. The only two exceptions came at this stadium, where they beat Bodo/Glimt and Frosinone by a combined 7-3. Roma return to the win column after back-to-back Serie A draws, and they have not won away at Napoli since March 2018. Roma had won four successive away league matches before being held to a scoreless draw by Como on their last Serie A trip, keeping three clean sheets in that run. They are the only Serie A side yet to concede a goal away from home this term, and could register four road shutouts to open a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Napoli's team news includes Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos on the sidelines, while Antonio Vergara's return from injury gives Allegri a timely boost. Rasmus Hojlund, the hosts' first-choice striker, has scored just two goals this season. Malen is available for Roma after serving a one-game suspension against Genoa. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf injury and will miss the match, along with Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund. Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The preview judges Roma to be in far better shape than their rivals, though home advantage and Napoli's historical edge in this fixture remain significant. Prediction: Draw.

Roma lost Celik in the transfer market, a departure that many considered painful, but the positive side has been the emergence of Pierluigi Lulli, who has moved from the Primavera to scoring his first Serie A goal. The development has been described as the defining 'sliding door' of the window. The Italian coverage frames Lulli's breakthrough as the positive counterweight to losing Zeki Çelik, whose exit was widely viewed as a painful one for the club. Lulli's first league goal marks a significant step for a player who has come through the youth ranks to the first team. The report was published on 19 October 2026 and is headlined around the idea that Lulli is the key figure to emerge from the market, as Roma look to build on his progress.

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.