Pellegrini relaxes with family in Tuscany ahead of Como return

Italy's national team coach has opted to leave ten players at the Coverciano training base ahead of a match against Turkey, among them a Roma defender. The decision affects squad selection for the upcoming fixture against Montella's side.

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for the Nations League match against Turkey on 28 September, with Italy manager Roberto Mancini electing to rest ten squad members at the federations's training base. The fixture kicks off at 20:45 at the Atatürk Spor Kompleksi in Bursa and is managed by Vincenzo Montella's side. The decision to keep the group in Italy reflects the coaching staff's wish to manage workload and avoid an arduous intercontinental journey ahead of further international fixtures. Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, however, remains in the full list of travelling players. Mancini's rotation strategy is designed to prepare the squad optimally for upcoming matches against France in Paris and a second meeting with Turkey in Bologna, while sparing the entire squad the fatigue of travel to Bursa. The ten players held back at the Coverciano training centre comprise Honest Ahanor, Nicolò Barella, Diego Coppola, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Daniel Maldini, Gianluca Mancini, Massimo Pessina, Samuele Ricci and Mohamed Alì Zoma. They will follow a targeted training programme under members of the technical, medical and performance staff, including Massimo Maccarone, Cristiano Lupatelli, Giulio Nuciari and Luca Bossi.

Gianluca Mancini will not travel with Italy for their fixture against Turkey, with national team coach Roberto Mancini deciding to leave ten players at the Coverciano training centre to continue work there. Mancini joins Ahanor, Barella, Coppola, Inacio, Kouadio, Maldini, Pessina, Ricci and Zoma in staying behind. The decision reflects uncertainty over Mancini's starting place in Italy's defensive line. Coach Roberto Mancini is considering substantial changes to the back four following matches against Belgium, Turkey and France, with Di Lorenzo, Mancini and Coppola potentially replaced by Kayode, Scalvini and Bastoni, the latter returning from suspension. Back at Roma, the fixture list after the international break presents a demanding challenge: seven matches in 23 days beginning with the away trip to Como, followed by Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari and Udinese. This run will test both Roma's ambitions and the depth of Gasperini's squad. Roma's trip to Bologna on 4 December is under observation by the ONMS owing to a Virtus Bologna Euroliga match against Partizan Belgrade scheduled the same day; the proximity of the basketball arena and the Dall'Ara stadium, just over 2 kilometres apart, raises concerns about contact between supporter groups, though a final decision will come later. The trip to Como faces no such issues.

Francesco Totti celebrated his 50th birthday on 27 September in Las Vegas, but his milestone resonated across Rome's football community and beyond. The former captain, who spent his entire career at the club and retired in 2017, holds no formal position at AS Roma despite contact and attempts in recent months to bring him back into an official role. He currently serves as an advisor to Maxima Roma, a newly promoted basketball franchise making its Serie A debut, and has recently published an autobiography titled *Oltre*. Despite his absence from the club's structure, Totti embodies the supreme symbol of Roman football identity. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has recognised and valued a unique asset in the current squad: three players developed in Roma's academy who are visceral supporters of the shirt they wear. Gasperini has demonstrated this understanding through his handling of Lorenzo Pellegrini, whom he has protected and guided through a contract renewal; Niccolò Pisilli's emergence as a significant midfielder; and his immediate block of Matteo Lulli's departure on loan to Avellino. These decisions underscore how the thread of belonging remains a determining factor for the club's present and future.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is set to end a six-month absence from Roma action, having recovered from a right thigh rectus femoris tendon injury that required surgery and forced him to miss 12 matches across the end of last season and the start of the 2026-27 campaign. The captain's last appearance came on 10 April against Pisa. He has completed his rehabilitation programme and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear he considers Pellegrini a fundamental piece, pushing decisively for him to remain in the squad. Gasperini has used Matías Soulé and young midfielder Rodrigo Mora in the left attacking midfield role without establishing a clear starter, leaving an opening for Pellegrini to claim the position as his own. The 30-year-old will target a starting berth on the left of the attack in the upcoming match against Como. His return offers Roma an experienced solution for the forward line and gives Pellegrini the chance to establish himself in the role at least until the transfer window reopens in January, when sporting director Tony D'Amico may explore the market for a classic right-footed left-side playmaker. Pellegrini's motivation has been evident: he posted a message from Trigoria training that read, "True happiness is being at peace with who you are." The captain's recuperation comes as a significant lift for Roma as the season progresses.

Francesco Totti celebrates his 50th birthday today, 27 September 2026, surrounded by loved ones in Las Vegas, but his significance to Rome and its football culture transcends the distance. The city's neighbourhoods—Porta Metronia, Trigoria, Casal Palocco, the Eur and Vigna Clara—mark the occasion, and Roma as a whole observes a tradition of birthday wishes that has endured since his playing days. Beyond football, Totti is now an advisor to Maxima Roma, a newly formed basketball club that debuts in Serie A today, and has released a new book, *Oltre*, documenting his life after football. Though he has been linked with a return to Roma's leadership structure, no such appointment has materialised. Gasperini has built something rare: a Roma squad featuring three academy graduates who are genuine supporters of the club they now represent—a strength rather than a limitation. The coach has nurtured this foundation, most notably with Lorenzo Pellegrini, whom he persuaded the board to tie down with a contract renewal, and Niccolò Pisilli, who has carved out a significant role despite limited initial expectations. The third is Emanuele Lulli, whose emergence proved important enough that the club blocked his planned loan move to Avellino. In Serie A's upper tier, few clubs can claim such a cohort of homegrown, emotionally invested players. Totti's enduring presence in Rome's consciousness—despite holding no official role—illustrates a singular bond between player and place. He carries the identity of the city even in his absence from the club structure, much as the academy graduates now do through their performances on the pitch.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a defender from Roma's Serie A championship-winning squad, shared a special anecdote about Francesco Totti on a day dedicated to marking 50 years of the club legend. Zago revealed the close bond that remains between them, saying: "I wish Francesco all the happiness in the world, he is a wonderful guy and the relationship between us has stayed very strong." Zago recalled his early days at Roma, when he and Totti were initially roomed together during a retreat. The former defender recounted: "I remember very well that when I arrived at Roma they initially put me with Francesco in a retreat room." Zago went on to describe a memorable incident from that first night, hinting at a prank Totti played that gave him quite a shock.

Rodrigo Mora produced an eye-catching performance for Portugal U21, laying on a decisive assist and displaying moments of outstanding quality as the team's number ten, though Portugal still lost 2–1 to Bulgaria. Mora was man of the match for his side in the fixture, deployed as a central attacking midfielder behind striker Varela in a 4-2-3-1 formation that appeared to suit his strengths. The performance is welcome news for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has backed Mora since the midfielder's arrival at Roma. His central attacking midfield role — his most natural position — brings out his vision of play and ability in the final pass. However, a tactical puzzle remains: while Mora's qualities are beyond question, his best position is a 4-2-3-1 setup that Gasperini employs only sporadically as a match-in-progress tactical change. Finding tactical common ground will be the crucial step in coming weeks. With the restart of the league campaign and a packed fixture list spanning Serie A and European competition, Mora will have plenty of opportunities to stake a claim for a significant role in the squad.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is set to end a six-month absence from Roma action, having recovered from a right thigh rectus femoris tendon injury that required surgery and forced him to miss 12 matches across the end of last season and the start of the 2026-27 campaign. The captain's last appearance came on 10 April against Pisa. He has completed his rehabilitation programme and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made clear he considers Pellegrini a fundamental piece, pushing decisively for him to remain in the squad. Gasperini has used Matías Soulé and young midfielder Rodrigo Mora in the left attacking midfield role without establishing a clear starter, leaving an opening for Pellegrini to claim the position as his own. The 30-year-old will target a starting berth on the left of the attack in the upcoming match against Como. His return offers Roma an experienced solution for the forward line and gives Pellegrini the chance to establish himself in the role at least until the transfer window reopens in January, when sporting director Tony D'Amico may explore the market for a classic right-footed left-side playmaker. Pellegrini's motivation has been evident: he posted a message from Trigoria training that read, "True happiness is being at peace with who you are." The captain's recuperation comes as a significant lift for Roma as the season progresses.