DAI QUOTIDIANI | Pellegrini riparte da zero: ora può diventare il jolly che cambia la trequarti

Roma's travelling support snapped up approximately 1,000 tickets for the away fixture at Como in a matter of hours on 2 October, ending a nine-month absence from away matches. The Como club website was overwhelmed by the volume of traffic as Roma fans rushed to secure their allocation, with some complaints on social media about technical issues on the platform, though the high number of concurrent users at 15:00 generated the problems. Roma supporters have been unable to travel for Serie A away matches since the bans imposed for the Lecce and Torino fixtures. This fixture marks their first opportunity to follow the team away from the Stadio Olimpico in the current campaign. The last time Roma fans travelled was for the match against Torino on 18 January, a date that also coincided with Paulo Dybala's most recent goal.

Roberto Pruzzo, Roma's most prolific striker before Francesco Totti with 106 goals, has spoken about his ten-year spell at the club, describing it as a family that won a league title, four Coppa Italia trophies and saw him finish as top scorer three times. Yet a single night remains unhealed: the European Cup final lost on penalties to Liverpool in front of an astonished Olimpico. Pruzzo told Il Foglio that the early years brought struggle but the group eventually became granite-like, bound by identity and belonging under president Dino Viola and manager Nils Liedholm. "The Baron was, before anything else, a life teacher. He knew how to turn concepts into action. He'd put something in your head and you'd do it. Roma was a family, a way of being and feeling, and I will remain tied to it forever," Pruzzo said. He recalled teammates including Agostino Di Bartolomei and Aldo Maldera, some of whom are no longer alive. When the old squad reunites in Rome, the atmosphere in the dressing room stays with them forever—one glance between old friends and they return to those shared moments, that hunger to move mountains, the feeling of strength and never being alone. Among his many cherished goals, Pruzzo highlighted an acrobatic overhead kick against Juventus and a double in a semi-final comeback against Dundee, but the one that meant most was at Marassi, the goal that won the Scudetto. "A cross from Ago on the left, me rising above everyone and delivering the final blow. It was a triumphal campaign, with four Coppa Italia wins and the league title sealed. Then came the opposite pain." That accursed night saw the European Cup slip away on penalties before their own fans. "If we had won, every 30 May would have been a celebration. Instead, 42 years later, it is a disappointment we still carry: a grief we have not yet processed." Pruzzo clarified he did not return after half-time because of a blow that knocked him out, not stomach trouble as rumoured—something that had never happened under Liedholm until the worst possible day. "We were convinced we could close the circle, but we lacked the strength to win it on the pitch, and the great Roma we had been ended there."

Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma a three-day break before the squad returns to work on Tuesday afternoon at Fulvio Bernardini to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will be sidelined for around two weeks with a lateral collateral ligament problem, forcing him to miss approximately five matches with a target return date of 24 October against Napoli. To manage the midfield absence, Gasperini is considering Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon, with the Dutch midfielder poised to make his starting debut at Como alongside Manu Koné. National team commitments will complicate preparations, with players returning to Trigoria in stages. Evan N'Dicka will be the first arrival back after his involvement with Ivory Coast. The final players to return will be the Argentine trio of Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are not expected at the training ground until Thursday. The staggered returns mean Gasperini must manage a gradual integration of the international contingent while addressing the pressing issue of Cristante's absence in midfield.

Bryan Cristante has been ruled out with inflammation of his right knee and will miss at least the upcoming matches against Como and Real Madrid, forcing Gasperini to reshuffle his midfield options. Gasperini had previously avoided discussing his squad's fitness in detail, but the injury to Cristante leaves Roma without one of their key players at a critical moment in the season. Two paths lie open to fill the void: Niccolò Pisilli's pace and youth, or the experience of Marten de Roon, who was signed to bolster the squad and previously worked with Gasperini during important years at Atalanta. The situation will ease slightly soon, as Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to availability, giving Gasperini another midfield option despite playing a different role.

Roma continued their preparation at Trigoria on 2 October with a session focused on the international break, as head coach Gian Piero Gasperini worked with a reduced squad while players were away on national team duty. The club's next fixture is a trip to Como on Sunday 11 October at 12:30, where they will face the Serie A side at the Stadio Sinigaglia. Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and has recovered from injury, though he remains without competitive minutes this season. The Como match could offer him an opportunity to return to action, with Gasperini to assess his readiness based on the coming days' training. Wesley and Donyell Malen are expected to return to full training in the next few days as staff monitor their condition, while Bryan Cristante will miss the Como fixture due to a knee problem. Roma's sporting director Tony D'Amico attended the session at Trigoria to oversee preparations for the away trip.

Gianluca Mancini will start and wear the captain's armband for Roma's trip to Como, restoring him to the leadership role after a mixed opening to the season. The centre-back has faced criticism from supporters for defensive errors against Fenerbahce and Inter, though he was a standout performer in the victory over Torino. He also received scrutiny in international play for his marking on Godts during Belgium's goal at the Olimpico. Gasperini retains full faith in Mancini, who remains a trusted figure at the club. With Bryan Cristante unavailable and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the bench, the captain's armband passes to Mancini for the fixture. Como, managed by Fabregas, will present a stern test, particularly against Ramon—the midfielder with whom Mancini clashed in their previous meeting last season. The contest carries significant weight in the title race. Mancini reflected on that earlier confrontation: "There was a collision in play with Ramon, normal things. He grabbed me by the neck, and at 20 years old I had far more respect for older players, otherwise I would have taken a few slaps in the tunnel. I told Ramon to stay calm and not get angry. It happens after the match." After the previous fixture, Fabregas approached Mancini to discuss the incident, though the exchange lasted only seconds. The two will face each other again in the coming match.