Pellegrini signs one-year extension with Roma

Manu Koné returned from almost a month out with a dominant display against Sassuolo, and the numbers underline how much Roma miss him when he is absent. Gasperini blocked the midfielder's sale in the final days of the transfer window, and the midfielder's influence on the team is clear. Roma have conceded 4 goals in 7 matches with Koné on the pitch, compared with 14 in the same number of matches without him, more than three times as many. The article notes that the link is not a direct one, since Real Madrid and Manchester United are not Sassuolo, but Koné's cover, his ability to shorten the pitch and the transitions in which he excels are qualities the Roma midfield lacks badly when he is missing. Asked about the link between Koné's absence and the goals conceded, Gasperini replied: "Troppo facile così, i fattori sono tanti..." ("It's too easy like that, there are many factors..."). Koné was back after almost a month and looked rusty at times, yet he still showed why Gasperini kept him. In a game played at a low tempo, he intercepted passes, dominated physically and made runs into the area that repeatedly broke through the Sassuolo lines. His display came in only 66 minutes, against a Matic who, many felt, should have troubled him. The article's view is that the Roma midfield was short of energy and dynamism in the defeat at Old Trafford, and it leaves open whether Koné's presence would have changed the outcome there. His numbers were excellent: 56 of 56 passes completed, 11 passes into the opposition's final third, 11 passes to break an opposing line, one chance created, 3 balls recovered and 5 of 6 duels won. For Gasperini he remains irreplaceable, and Roma's task is to find other midfielders who can reduce the impact of his absence or who can play alongside him.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar continued training individually on Saturday in preparation for his return to the team after the international break, with a special guest by his side. His son Lio-Mile, aged one year and five months, was at Trigoria with him. Svilar posted a touching photo of the pair on the field together on social media, captioned: "Giorno speciale a lavoro" ("Special day at work"). Svilar's absence has been felt in some moments, and Gasperini, like all Roma fans, is eager to have him back between the posts. The rest of the squad will return to training on Wednesday, when the group resumes work ahead of the next fixture. Lio-Mile was born to Svilar and his wife June Peeters on 18 June 2025.

Leonardo Balerdi started in defence for Roma on Saturday as the club beat Sassuolo, collecting three points that matter for the table and beyond. The Argentine defender is building an increasingly important role in this Roma side, and his bond with the giallorossi continues to grow despite a costly error in Manchester. The win was Roma's last night at the Olimpico before the international break. Roma's official Instagram account, which Italian reports attribute to the club, marked the occasion with a message: "One last night at the Olimpico before the international break. A great win and many reasons to be proud. Now our minds turn to Argentina." Balerdi, who represents Argentina at international level, will now join his national squad. The three points are fundamental for Roma's league position, and the performance gave the squad plenty to take into the break.

Roma's intensive run of fixtures is over, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given the squad three days off. Training resumes on Wednesday, with Roma's next match away at Parma on 21 November, after the international break. Gasperini is hopeful of having Paulo Dybala and Mile Svilar back available. Gianluca Mancini will not join up with his national team because of a muscle strain in his right hamstring, and he will remain in Rome to receive treatment. Manu Koné will also be available to the coach for the next two weeks. Lorenzo Pellegrini's recovery is taking longer, and he is not expected back until 2027.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his side will not be drawn into talk of finishing second, after a 3-0 win over Sassuolo, and insisted the team would "stay on the perch like owls" while focusing only on their own results. Speaking to Sky Sport after the match, Gasperini praised Balerdi, who had played well at Manchester, and said the defeats in the Champions League were different from one another. "There are defeats and defeats," he said. "We lost against Real and Manchester, we had a run of wins, we drew and then always won in the league. The defeats hurt because they came late, but with performances of a high level and against teams of absolute value." Gasperini explained how Roma have been scoring goals with ease. "We reach the goal in a different way and with many players: we have reached confidence and clarity. The goal Hermoso scores is that of a quality striker. Soulé's performance was extraordinary, we have a predisposition to score, and we have done it even in defeats. This squad gives confirmations, not answers, and then you can lose." He added: "There was an unlucky episode at Manchester, that of Balerdi, and the match was born from an absurd penalty, and that must be said." Asked whether he would sign up for second place, Gasperini replied: "No. It is nice to play this championship. You must not have illusions, but neither should you be disappointed, especially when you make a journey like ours. Inter are the most accredited team, and for everything else we can compete like all the others. If you want Lazio too, I put them among these. If Inter slip up a bit, everyone else can have a go. We do not look at the others, they do not interest us: we will stay on the perch like owls." Gasperini also responded to Ciro Ferrara, who had recalled his early steps in Juventus's youth sector. "You were an incredible powerhouse, I learned a lot watching your training sessions. At that time Italian football was really strong. It was a great school." On the international break, which interrupts the league again, though only for one week this time, he said: "I hope to find the squad just as I left it. International matches please me when they play for something important. For friendlies or matches of little substance it is a shame to lose so many players, although wearing the national team shirt is always a milestone for a player." Gasperini concluded by discussing the fixture schedule: "It is difficult to play 9 matches in 27 days. We have had tough clashes against Como, Napoli, Manchester and Real Madrid. Managing the workload has not been a problem, and this allowed us to rotate the whole squad and everyone has played several times. It has also been an advantage in giving value to everyone." He turned to injuries: "The problem is injuries. We have had Svilar out for 9 matches, Cristante at the start, Dybala, Koné has returned today, and we have lost Pellegrini. Our squad is competitive but numerically it is not among the largest. We have had some injuries to strong players but not very long ones, and not many in number, at most 3-4."

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to SkySport after his side beat Sassuolo, saying the win came through patience and quality. He said Roma had been patient against a Sassuolo side that sat deep, and that the goal from Mario Hermoso, which broke the deadlock, was the key moment. Gasperini said: "Loro si chiudevano, abbiamo avuto pazienza e abbiamo vinto la partita" ("They were shutting up shop, we had patience and we won the game"). He also praised Balerdi's performance after Old Trafford, saying he had put in a strong display apart from one incident, and said Hermoso's goal was the work of a striker. Soulé also drew praise. On reacting to defeat, Gasperini said there are defeats and defeats. He noted that Roma lost to Real Madrid and Manchester United but then put together a run of wins, only dropping points in games against Como and Napoli. He said: "Sono sconfitte che bruciano per come sono arrivate ma sono state prestazioni di livello e contro due grandi squadre" ("Those defeats hurt because of how they came, but they were top-level performances against two great teams"). He said the team had increased its ability to score in different ways and with different players, and had gained important composure alongside confidence. He added that the squad keeps confirming itself and that Roma had scored plenty of goals against Real and United too. He also referred to a fortunate episode for Balerdi and a dubious penalty. Asked whether he would sign up to second place, Gasperini said: "Brutale: no." He added: "Però è bello giocarlo questo campionato. Non bisogna illudersi e nemmeno deludersi" ("But it is nice to play this championship. You must not get carried away, nor be disappointed"). He believes Inter are the most favoured side, while the rest of the table, including Lazio, can compete. On Como versus Inter, he joked that everyone is perched like owls. Speaking to DAZN, Gasperini said he was very satisfied, that winning is always enjoyable, and that the team had shown personality and quality. He recalled his time coaching Juventus youth teams, when Roma's Primavera side had beaten them, and said he had learned a great deal from watching their training sessions. Discussing the international break, he said he hopes to get the squad back in the same condition he left it, noting the break interrupts the league for just one week. He said national team call-ups are welcome when the matches are important, but that losing many players for friendlies is a shame. On the schedule, Gasperini said playing nine matches in 27 days was difficult, but the rotation policy worked and gave value to the whole squad. He said injuries were the main problem: Svilar was out for nine matches, Cristante was out at the start, Koné has returned and Pellegrini was lost. He said the squad is competitive but not numerically large, and that Roma had suffered injuries to strong players that were not long-term. Asked about improvement, he said there is always room and that the team wants to remove a few flaws, mentioning a few too many missed chances. He said the team gives its fans satisfaction, and that the club's aim is beyond results. Asked whether this is his strongest team, he said he had been unlucky in his career and that he could not make comparisons. On the transfer market, he said he is focused on the league and on getting players back, adding that Roma are clearly not well covered in attack. He said: "A gennaio si farà quel che sarà possibile, per ora non ne abbiamo parlato" ("In January we will do what is possible, for now we have not discussed it"). Gasperini confirmed Koné's return was a relief, as he had been out for seven matches. He said Koné had joined the group the previous day and was going well, and that De Roon, Cristante and Pisilli had all played a lot. He said Koné wanted to play and was given the chance. France, he noted, had made their own call-ups. Gasperini also said he would be in Genoa for an award the next day at 18:00.