Pellegrini out for two months as Gasperini turns to Mora and wants more goals

Matías Soulé has been entrusted with Roma's attacking play for the trip to the Maradona, with Gian Piero Gasperini relying on him as the last available genuine creative option. Paulo Dybala is absent, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is injured, leaving the attack severely depleted for what is billed as a championship supermatch. According to Il Messaggero, Roma are rallying around their last available true playmaker. With the injury list full and the attack stripped bare, Gasperini is placing his faith entirely in Soulé, who must carry the team in a setting that holds particular meaning for him. It was at Napoli a year ago that his outstanding start to the previous season was abruptly halted by a fierce groin injury (pubalgia), which forced months of pain, time on the bench and rest after a start of seven goals and seven assists. Despite a summer dominated by transfer speculation and the possibility of a sale, Soulé has won back the trust of the club's environment and reclaimed his place in the side through his performances. Now, without his usual partners, he is ready to take centre stage: he must play in Donyell Malen and lead the team on a night that carries the feel of a major test.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Lorenzo Pellegrini will be sidelined for at least two months after suffering a high-grade tear to the semitendinosus in his right thigh, an injury picked up in Roma's Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava, Il Tempo reports. The midfielder's latest setback effectively ends his 2026 and leaves Gian Piero Gasperini facing a serious shortage ahead of the big match against Napoli. The Slovan Bratislava injury is Pellegrini's third in the same area this year, following a relapse in April, a surgical procedure in Finland and a summer spent in rehabilitation and contract renewal. He has played just 150 minutes and missed 14 matches, and he now risks missing the next 12 fixtures up to the December break. The run of injuries began last winter. With the Napoli trip approaching, Gasperini has limited options. Only Mora and Soulé are available in the attacking midfield zone, while Cristante's condition in midfield will need to be assessed, with De Roon and Pisilli already heavily relied upon.

Gian Piero Gasperini is standing by Rodrigo Mora despite a recent dip in the young Portuguese's form, with the coach and the club viewing the slowdown as a normal part of his development rather than a cause for concern. The Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Mora is now handling the step up in level and the pressure of a demanding Roman crowd, with his form having dipped in recent weeks after a promising start to the season. Mora's performances against Genoa and Slovan Bratislava were described as hesitant, with some errors in front of goal slowing his progress and leaving him temporarily behind a more consistent and convincing Matías Soulé. Gasperini is carefully weighing how to use him ahead of the tricky trip to Napoli at the Maradona. The club's position, however, remains clear: Mora is an important investment and must be protected. He is young, has obvious quality and needs time to complete his physical and tactical development. There is no rush and no alarm, only a determination to develop him the right way. The report stresses that Mora arrived in Rome through a complex transfer operation handled by the Friedkin group. The club's approach is to be patient and manage his workload carefully rather than drop him over a few poor displays, with the focus on giving him the time he needs to mature into a key figure for the club.

Roma are reportedly considering Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde as a January target, after agent Jorge Mendes proposed the 23-year-old to the Giallorossi. Il Messaggero reports the move would be an addition to Roma's interest in Jayden Oosterwolde, a name the club has pursued for some time. Mendes also represents Rodrigo Mora, who is on Roma's books. The approach reportedly stems from Balde's limited playing time under Hansi Flick at Barcelona. The numbers back up that picture. Balde, who turned 23 on 18 October, has made very few appearances in La Liga and the Champions League this season, after being one of Barcelona's key players in previous campaigns. In 2025-26 he made 42 official appearances, 31 of them as a starter, despite two muscle problems. The left-back is Masia-trained and left-footed, stands 177 centimetres tall, and relies mainly on pace, acceleration and the ability to carry the ball. He likes to attack space and create overloads down the flank. Rather than a conventional full-back who stays deep, Balde plays more like a full-width winger. He is explosive with the ball, gains ground quickly and often looks to reach the byline or the edge of the box. That profile could suit the aggressive, vertical football Gian Piero Gasperini demands from his side. The main obstacle is financial. Balde is under contract at Barcelona until 30 June 2028, and his deal includes a release clause of one billion euros. His market value is still very high, with current estimates ranging roughly between 40 and 50 million euros. Those figures make a permanent move in January difficult, barring particularly favourable terms. The format of any proposal is therefore central. A loan, perhaps with an option to buy or a more complex arrangement, would change the picture entirely, and the key questions are what structure Mendes has put forward and what Barcelona's position is.

Former Roma defender Zago believes Roma and Inter will fight for the Scudetto, and that Gian Piero Gasperini's side have everything needed to bring the title back to the capital, he told Il Tempo. Napoli and Roma are going through two very different moments, and Zago was asked who he sees as the favourite for the clash. Zago said: "If the match had been at the Olimpico, I would have told you Roma would win 100%. At the Maradona it will be a bit more difficult, Napoli will do everything to get out of this difficult situation. For them it can be the match that turns things around." Asked what Gasperini has brought that is different, he credited a winning mentality. "He works a huge amount, he bases his game on intensity and triangular play. I consider him one of the three best coaches of recent years. For me, moreover, Roma have done an excellent market this summer." Zago was also asked whether Gasperini should trust Rodrigo Mora at Napoli. "I believe Mora can be the ideal replacement for Dybala. He has started well, showing he is a strong player." On Endrick, he said: "He still has to fully prove his value and find his ideal role on the pitch. He would suit Roma, and I have no doubt he would grow a lot working with Gasperini."

Matías Soulé has been entrusted with Roma's attacking play for the trip to the Maradona, with Gian Piero Gasperini relying on him as the last available genuine creative option. Paulo Dybala is absent, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is injured, leaving the attack severely depleted for what is billed as a championship supermatch. According to Il Messaggero, Roma are rallying around their last available true playmaker. With the injury list full and the attack stripped bare, Gasperini is placing his faith entirely in Soulé, who must carry the team in a setting that holds particular meaning for him. It was at Napoli a year ago that his outstanding start to the previous season was abruptly halted by a fierce groin injury (pubalgia), which forced months of pain, time on the bench and rest after a start of seven goals and seven assists. Despite a summer dominated by transfer speculation and the possibility of a sale, Soulé has won back the trust of the club's environment and reclaimed his place in the side through his performances. Now, without his usual partners, he is ready to take centre stage: he must play in Donyell Malen and lead the team on a night that carries the feel of a major test.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.

Matías Soulé has been entrusted with Roma's attacking play for the trip to the Maradona, with Gian Piero Gasperini relying on him as the last available genuine creative option. Paulo Dybala is absent, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is injured, leaving the attack severely depleted for what is billed as a championship supermatch. According to Il Messaggero, Roma are rallying around their last available true playmaker. With the injury list full and the attack stripped bare, Gasperini is placing his faith entirely in Soulé, who must carry the team in a setting that holds particular meaning for him. It was at Napoli a year ago that his outstanding start to the previous season was abruptly halted by a fierce groin injury (pubalgia), which forced months of pain, time on the bench and rest after a start of seven goals and seven assists. Despite a summer dominated by transfer speculation and the possibility of a sale, Soulé has won back the trust of the club's environment and reclaimed his place in the side through his performances. Now, without his usual partners, he is ready to take centre stage: he must play in Donyell Malen and lead the team on a night that carries the feel of a major test.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.