Lorenzo Pellegrini has joined Paulo Dybala on the injury list after leaving the pitch with a muscle problem during Roma's match against Slovan Bratislava, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with only four recognised forwards. Gasperini said: "Non credo sia una cosa grave. Per quanto sia una cosa piccola, però, quando è muscolare ci vogliono 20 giorni." By that timeline, the attacking midfielder would be unavailable until after the November international break. Tests will establish the exact extent of the problem, but a return before the break currently looks difficult.
The setback highlights the numerical limits of a squad Gasperini had wanted to strengthen, particularly in attack. The coach has consistently stressed the value of having more options up front, as the fixture schedule offers no respite and the risk of losing players grows. Dybala and Pellegrini, two of the men expected to provide quality between the lines, are both sidelined once again.
Dybala's situation remains under careful watch. A small calf injury discovered in recent checks has pushed back his return, and his exact return date is uncertain. Gasperini hopes to have the Argentine back as soon as possible, but given Dybala's recent history and the need to avoid a relapse, his comeback may be managed with the utmost caution.
For now, Roma have very few natural alternatives in the forward line. Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are the main options behind the striker, while Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro are the strikers. Pisilli can be pushed forward if necessary, though that would simply shift the problem to another area, as Cristante is returning to fitness in midfield while Koné is still out. The idea of playing Malen and Castro together could therefore move from tactical curiosity to practical necessity. Gasperini had already floated using both centre-forwards at the same time, and the emergency could accelerate that experiment, with one more mobile and free to drop a few metres away from goal, and the other providing weight and presence inside the box.
Gasperini made the wider point clearly after the Slovan match: "Il reparto davanti è fondamentale ora, nei cambi, nella qualità, nel numero. Se non recuperiamo in fretta Dybala diventiamo veramente in pochi." Until now, the coach has masked absences through rotation, young players and the team's ability to stay competitive while changing many players. But depth has its limits, especially when injuries strike players from the same area at the same time.
Roma face Udinese on 31 October, then Manchester United on 3 November, and Sassuolo on 7 November before the international break. Malen, Castro, Soulé and Mora will need to carry the weight of the attack in the coming weeks while Dybala returns and Pellegrini recovers from his new muscle problem.
