Pellegrini targets playing time as he targets Soulé and Mora's midfield spots

Lorenzo Pellegrini has prolonged his Roma contract on reduced terms and is preparing for his comeback after six months out injured, with Como the likely stage for his return to first-team action. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushed to keep the midfielder at the club, and Pellegrini accepted the deal despite what had seemed a permanent rupture in his relationship with the Giallorossi. His last match came on 10 April against Pisa, when a thigh problem forced him to stop. A recurrence followed, an unsuccessful attempt to recover for the end-of-season derby, and then surgery in Finland in early June. Should he play against Como, 184 days will have elapsed since his last official appearance—the longest absence of his entire career. Pellegrini offers solutions to problems Roma has carried into the new season. Gasperini had requested an attacking player capable of starting from the left and moving infield during the summer window—a major signing that never materialised. Now, in the revamped setup, Pellegrini can become a natural solution in that zone alongside Rodrigo Mora, simultaneously allowing Matías Soulé to return more consistently to the right-centre, where he can alternate with Paulo Dybala. There is also another tactical possibility: when facing teams lined up in a four-man defence, Gasperini often deploys a central attacking midfielder behind two forwards—a position where Pellegrini can rediscover freedom to make runs, deliver the final pass and, above all, that proximity to goal which in his best years allowed him to impact scoring. Last season, Gasperini himself redeployed him in that zone against Lazio, a match in which Pellegrini responded with the decisive goal and one of his best recent performances. Pellegrini has returned to squad selection in the last two matches against Torino and Inter, but Gasperini chose not to rush his return. The extended international break now offers the perfect opportunity to complete the work. Gasperini explained before the Inter match: "The long break will be an opportunity to do something more." The number 7 is now increasing his training load at Trigoria, and if friendly matches are organised by the staff, he will finally accumulate the minutes no training session can truly replace. Pellegrini carries qualities the squad desperately needs: experience, knowledge of the environment, ability to play between the lines and an attacking output that, even in a complicated season, saw him finish with seven goals across all competitions. Gasperini retained Pellegrini not out of nostalgia but because he believes he can still be useful. Pellegrini's second chance with Roma has begun with a contract signature; the real one will arrive when he returns to playing. Como could be the opening chapter of the new story. Roma may employ a 3-4-1-2 formation against Como, and the coming three weeks could prove decisive in Gasperini's decisions. Pellegrini will continue daily work at Trigoria with Gasperini, whilst Mora is engaged with Portugal's Under 21 side.

Bryan Cristante has been withdrawn from Italy's Nations League squad after sustaining an injury in Roma's Serie A match against Inter, forcing manager Roberto Mancini to call up Samuele Ricci as his replacement. Cristante was originally selected for the campaign but the physical problem forced him to withdraw from the squad for the clash against Belgium, which marks the start of Italy's new Nations League cycle. The absence provides an opportunity to examine Cristante's relationship with the Nations League and Italy's overall performance with and without him. Across 22 Nations League matches in the period examined, Cristante has appeared eight times. In the other 14 occasions, he has been unavailable: 12 times through non-selection and twice through remaining on the bench. When the Roma midfielder has featured, Italy have recorded four wins, two draws and two defeats. In the 14 matches where Cristante did not play, the Azzurri collected seven wins, six draws and just one loss. Looking specifically at the last six Nations League Finals matches analysed, Cristante appeared in exactly half of them—three times—while not being selected twice and remaining on the bench on one occasion. With Cristante on the pitch, Italy faced Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, securing two victories and one defeat. A notable detail involving Roma's current squad emerged from the Netherlands match: Cristante started that fixture while Donyell Malen started for the opposition. Both players now share Roma's dressing room under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. In the three matches of that cycle where Cristante was not used, Italy recorded two losses against Germany and Spain, alongside a draw against Germany.

Lorenzo Pellegrini is closing in on a competitive return after a lengthy absence. The midfielder, who has not featured in any match for Roma this season, last played in April against Pisa. Gasperini's coaching staff has designed targeted tests during the international break to rebuild his match fitness and rhythm as Pellegrini gradually increases his training workload. Pellegrini's comeback will give Gasperini an added resource in the attacking midfield area, a department so far built around Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora. The 29-year-old is determined to repay the manager's faith and prove himself on the pitch. Beyond the immediate Roma picture, Pellegrini harbours a second objective: returning to the Italian national team and reclaiming his place under Roberto Mancini after two years away. According to Corriere della Sera, Pellegrini has been sidelined for roughly six months and remains the only outfield player in Roma's squad yet to debut in the 2026–27 campaign. His push for match sharpness and a return to previous form represents a significant boost to Gasperini's squad depth as the season progresses.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has prolonged his Roma contract on reduced terms and is preparing for his comeback after six months out injured, with Como the likely stage for his return to first-team action. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushed to keep the midfielder at the club, and Pellegrini accepted the deal despite what had seemed a permanent rupture in his relationship with the Giallorossi. His last match came on 10 April against Pisa, when a thigh problem forced him to stop. A recurrence followed, an unsuccessful attempt to recover for the end-of-season derby, and then surgery in Finland in early June. Should he play against Como, 184 days will have elapsed since his last official appearance—the longest absence of his entire career. Pellegrini offers solutions to problems Roma has carried into the new season. Gasperini had requested an attacking player capable of starting from the left and moving infield during the summer window—a major signing that never materialised. Now, in the revamped setup, Pellegrini can become a natural solution in that zone alongside Rodrigo Mora, simultaneously allowing Matías Soulé to return more consistently to the right-centre, where he can alternate with Paulo Dybala. There is also another tactical possibility: when facing teams lined up in a four-man defence, Gasperini often deploys a central attacking midfielder behind two forwards—a position where Pellegrini can rediscover freedom to make runs, deliver the final pass and, above all, that proximity to goal which in his best years allowed him to impact scoring. Last season, Gasperini himself redeployed him in that zone against Lazio, a match in which Pellegrini responded with the decisive goal and one of his best recent performances. Pellegrini has returned to squad selection in the last two matches against Torino and Inter, but Gasperini chose not to rush his return. The extended international break now offers the perfect opportunity to complete the work. Gasperini explained before the Inter match: "The long break will be an opportunity to do something more." The number 7 is now increasing his training load at Trigoria, and if friendly matches are organised by the staff, he will finally accumulate the minutes no training session can truly replace. Pellegrini carries qualities the squad desperately needs: experience, knowledge of the environment, ability to play between the lines and an attacking output that, even in a complicated season, saw him finish with seven goals across all competitions. Gasperini retained Pellegrini not out of nostalgia but because he believes he can still be useful. Pellegrini's second chance with Roma has begun with a contract signature; the real one will arrive when he returns to playing. Como could be the opening chapter of the new story. Roma may employ a 3-4-1-2 formation against Como, and the coming three weeks could prove decisive in Gasperini's decisions. Pellegrini will continue daily work at Trigoria with Gasperini, whilst Mora is engaged with Portugal's Under 21 side.

Gasperini has cancelled training on 25 September, giving the squad an extra day's rest before Roma's match at Como on 11 October. The head coach will spend the coming days away from Rome. Lorenzo Pellegrini's physical condition is improving and he should be available for the Como fixture after two spells on the bench during matches against Torino and Inter. Wesley, Bryan Cristante and Donyell Malen are not a concern. The central issue, however, is the planned Argentina trip by Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina. Both have been invited by the Argentine Football Federation to attend Messi's farewell match for the national team on 6 October at the Monumental stadium. All members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad will be present, but Gasperini would prefer not to release them. With Roma's fixture at Como scheduled for 11 October, the coach wants to avoid an intercontinental journey for two players who would not even be taking the field. Both Dybala and Molina are keen to attend an occasion that will be historic for all Argentines.

Roma have reached the top of Serie A alongside Inter and Lazio after the opening phase of the season, but attention has already turned to a gruelling month ahead combining league and Champions League fixtures with no respite until November. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has relied heavily on the established core of the squad in the early weeks, with the summer signings introduced gradually, rotating between starting roles and substitute appearances. The intensity of the coming period will require him to call on the full squad of twenty-two players. Among the summer arrivals, Leonardo Balerdi has made an immediate impact, supported by strong performances from Nahuel Molina, the former Atlético Madrid player who provided his first assist against Inter and impressed on the left flank against Torino despite arriving with delayed pre-season preparation due to World Cup commitments. Rodrigo Mora has shown promise in two starts against Fiorentina and Atalanta, though he has found reading the game more difficult as a substitute—though he did score from the bench at Lecce. Gasperini is focused on unlocking the Portuguese midfielder's potential as a player capable of making a difference through his quality. The squad refresh is completed by Koulierakis, Lorenzo Pellegrini and especially Marten de Roon, a signing Gasperini strongly advocated for to strengthen and provide balance to the midfield.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has prolonged his Roma contract on reduced terms and is preparing for his comeback after six months out injured, with Como the likely stage for his return to first-team action. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushed to keep the midfielder at the club, and Pellegrini accepted the deal despite what had seemed a permanent rupture in his relationship with the Giallorossi. His last match came on 10 April against Pisa, when a thigh problem forced him to stop. A recurrence followed, an unsuccessful attempt to recover for the end-of-season derby, and then surgery in Finland in early June. Should he play against Como, 184 days will have elapsed since his last official appearance—the longest absence of his entire career. Pellegrini offers solutions to problems Roma has carried into the new season. Gasperini had requested an attacking player capable of starting from the left and moving infield during the summer window—a major signing that never materialised. Now, in the revamped setup, Pellegrini can become a natural solution in that zone alongside Rodrigo Mora, simultaneously allowing Matías Soulé to return more consistently to the right-centre, where he can alternate with Paulo Dybala. There is also another tactical possibility: when facing teams lined up in a four-man defence, Gasperini often deploys a central attacking midfielder behind two forwards—a position where Pellegrini can rediscover freedom to make runs, deliver the final pass and, above all, that proximity to goal which in his best years allowed him to impact scoring. Last season, Gasperini himself redeployed him in that zone against Lazio, a match in which Pellegrini responded with the decisive goal and one of his best recent performances. Pellegrini has returned to squad selection in the last two matches against Torino and Inter, but Gasperini chose not to rush his return. The extended international break now offers the perfect opportunity to complete the work. Gasperini explained before the Inter match: "The long break will be an opportunity to do something more." The number 7 is now increasing his training load at Trigoria, and if friendly matches are organised by the staff, he will finally accumulate the minutes no training session can truly replace. Pellegrini carries qualities the squad desperately needs: experience, knowledge of the environment, ability to play between the lines and an attacking output that, even in a complicated season, saw him finish with seven goals across all competitions. Gasperini retained Pellegrini not out of nostalgia but because he believes he can still be useful. Pellegrini's second chance with Roma has begun with a contract signature; the real one will arrive when he returns to playing. Como could be the opening chapter of the new story. Roma may employ a 3-4-1-2 formation against Como, and the coming three weeks could prove decisive in Gasperini's decisions. Pellegrini will continue daily work at Trigoria with Gasperini, whilst Mora is engaged with Portugal's Under 21 side.

Roma's league-leading position rests not only on 14 goals scored—six of them by Donyell Malen and four assists from Paulo Dybala—but fundamentally on their command of dribbling, a technical foundation where the club struggled badly last season. Roma's successful dribbling rate has soared from 39.2% in the 2025–26 campaign to 61.73% in this opening stretch of Serie A, precisely the area Gasperini identified for improvement. The coach hopes to accelerate that progress further in January, when sporting director D'Amico will attempt to secure a left-footed attacking midfielder playing on the right side. The scale of the transformation is stark. Last season Roma ranked 19th overall in dribbling completion; they now lead the league. This tactical shift reflects Gasperini's complete commitment to an attacking-minded approach, beginning with high pressure and ball recovery, and relying on instinct, pure technique and creative play rather than conventional structure. Malen and Soulé top Roma's individual dribbling charts with 2.6 completed dribbles per match apiece. Rodrigo Mora ranks third with 2.1 per match, and Daniele Ghilardi—a defender—sits fourth with 1.9. Dybala, despite his four assists, ranks eighth in the Roma squad with a modest 0.9 dribbles completed per match, converting only 30.8% of his attempts.

AS Roma have established themselves as Serie A's most effective dribbling team this season, recording a successful dribble rate of 61.73% — a dramatic improvement that has placed them ahead of Inter (58.56%), Como (54.14%), Torino (53.88%) and Lazio (53.73%). The turnaround represents a radical shift from the previous season, when Roma finished near the bottom of the same metric with 39.23%. Donyell Malen and Matías Soulé lead Roma's dribbling statistics with 2.6 successful dribbles per match. Malen, who tops the league's scoring charts with 6 goals from Roma's 14, maintains an efficiency rate of 66.7%, while Soulé operates at 51.5%. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical approach has extended dribbling responsibility throughout the side: Rodrigo Mora averages 2.1 successful dribbles with 60% accuracy despite limited minutes, Wesley completes 1.7 per game at 66.7% efficiency, and defender Daniele Ghilardi has emerged as a surprising contributor with 1.9 dribbles per match at 73% success, reflecting an attacking system that involves defenders in the offensive push. Paulo Dybala trails the trend at 0.9 successful dribbles per match with 30.8% effectiveness, though he compensates through his playmaking, having already recorded 4 assists this season. Looking ahead, Gasperini intends to strengthen the attack further. For the January transfer window, he is seeking a trequartist with strong one-on-one dribbling abilities to increase the unpredictability of Roma's offensive play.