Pellegrini undergoes surgery to clear inflammation from previous tendon operation

Former Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has said Roma deserve to be among the title contenders and will fight for the Scudetto until the final match. Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, Sabatini praised Gian Piero Gasperini's side, which remains in the race just behind Lazio and Inter, after their comeback against Cagliari. Sabatini said: "E lo è meritatamente, sta giocando un calcio entusiasmante, è una squadra molto determinata, solida, monolite. Difficile giocarci contro e difficile soprattutto batterla. Merita quello che ha e credo che il cammino sarà coerente con quello che sta facendo adesso e combatterà certamente fino all'ultima partita per lo scudetto." He described the team as exciting to watch, determined, solid and difficult to play against, and hard to beat. Asked how much Roma's chances depend on the fitness of Paulo Dybala, Sabatini said the availability of injured players in general would be decisive, not only Dybala. He singled out the absence of Manu Koné as the most serious loss for Roma at the moment, describing him as a midfielder who alone determines the composure and completeness of a unit. Sabatini also noted that injuries are affecting many teams, with a worrying wave of muscular problems, though he stressed that this applies to all clubs. Sabatini's comments highlight the balance Roma must find in the league run-in: a side praised for its quality and cohesion, but one that will need its key players back to keep pace at the top of Serie A.

Paulo Dybala's comeback has been pushed back again, and the article suggests the long-term answer to his repeated absences lies in the transfer market. The Argentine was not called up for Roma's most recent match and, according to Gian Piero Gasperini's words, will probably also miss the trip to Udine next Saturday. His return could slip as far as 7 November, against Sassuolo, the last league match before the international break. The delay is especially awkward because Roma face a demanding Champions League trip to Manchester United on 3 November, and the chances of Dybala being available for that match now look significantly reduced. The article notes that a return that seemed imminent has become a concrete risk of missing three more matches, a considerable difference for a Roma side already fighting on several fronts and already dealing with heavy absences. After the 4-2 win over Cagliari, Gasperini was candid about the situation. He said: "Paulo always takes a little more time to recover from injuries", admitting that the optimism of recent days had not been confirmed on the pitch. He pointed to Sassuolo as a possible return date, without offering certainty. The injury was initially described as a strain to the calf's twin muscle, before a small muscle tear was detected. The article stresses that a small tear does not necessarily mean a quick recovery, particularly when the aim is to avoid a relapse in a high-intensity match, and that the medical staff's caution is understandable. The article argues that when Dybala is fit he remains hard to replace, praising his ability to read the game, find passes invisible to others, create assists and give quality to the attacking play. It recalls the early weeks of the season, when he was playing at a very high level and had become one of the team's technical reference points. He has not yet scored his first goal of the season, but his contribution to creating chances and handling the ball in the final thirty metres has been decisive. Without him, Roma lose something that cannot be replaced simply by changing a player. Soulé has talent and creativity but different characteristics, and Rodrigo Mora is growing and decided a match against Cagliari with his own moves, yet he is still very young and cannot be asked to shoulder the responsibility of a technical leader every time. The article's conclusion is that the Dybala question is now a matter of squad building rather than only a medical one. Roma should not give up on the Joya but should build a team that can afford to wait for him. Dybala's contract runs until June 2027, and the club must decide in the coming months whether to continue together, a judgement that will weigh his performance, the economic cost and his real availability over the season. Gasperini has already stressed the need to widen the options available, especially in attack, and the coming January could offer an important chance to act. The article says the aim is not a Dybala clone but another player of real standing who can offer solutions between the lines, create numerical superiority and increase the team's danger.

Paulo Dybala's return from a calf injury has been put back, and Gian Piero Gasperini is now aiming to have him available for the Sassuolo match on 7 November, the Giallorossi's last fixture before the international break. Il Messaggero reports that Roma came back from behind in their latest match with goals from Balerdi, Mora and Malen, while Ghilardi, in a surprise contribution, set up the perfect assist for the Portuguese forward. The result extends Roma's unbeaten run, which Gasperini described as following the same approach Napoli had taken. Dybala's condition is the main concern for the coach. He seemed close to a call-up on Monday, but he was not among the squad named for the game and will also miss the matches against Udinese and Manchester United. Gasperini is also worried about the fitness of Koné, and the club hopes to have Svilar back for the Champions League match due next week. Gasperini said: "I was confident after training on Sunday. Paulo takes some time to recover from injuries. We thought it would take less, but that has not been the case. For him and Koné we are aiming for Sassuolo, but I don't know if it will be possible." Dybala will undergo a decisive scan in Belgium tomorrow, after which he will return to Rome.

Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari 4-2 without a host of first-team regulars, with Lulli, Pisilli, Mora and Malen on the scoresheet. The performance was far from polished and Roma did not control the match, but the result showed the side's determination to find a win. Gollini made key saves, Lulli provided a goal and an assist, and Ghilardi, through a burst of pace, delivered a decisive cross in the style of Cafu. Mora scored and also set Malen through on goal. Roma were missing several key players, with Svilar, Hermoso, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini absent, and Wesley and Malen initially out. The win follows the reaction the side showed at Napoli, and it reinforced the belief that this group keeps fighting until the final whistle even when it is short of options. Argentine Matías Soulé was again outstanding. La Gazzetta dello Sport described his growing influence as another reason for optimism, saying his "dybalizzazione" was complete, and he was the team's technical leader on Tuesday, among the best players even without scoring or assisting. The result leaves Gasperini with encouraging signs as the squad rotates through injuries and rest. Soulé's displays suggest he is now one of the central figures in the team, not merely a promising attacker. Roma's ability to win without their senior names adds depth to their challenge across the season.

Roma beat Cagliari late on in a match they never fully controlled, with Soulé hailed as the team's technical leader in a performance that reflected the club's relentless search for a result. Without Mile Svilar, Mario Hermoso, Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and, initially, Wesley and Donyell Malen, Roma won because Pierluigi Gollini made saves, Lulli provided an assist and a goal, Ghilardi produced a sprint and a decisive Cafu-style cross, and Rodrigo Mora scored and set up Malen. Writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gian Battista Olivero said Soulé's growing influence is a further reason for optimism. He was the team's technical leader on the night and one of the best players on the pitch without scoring or assisting. Olivero argued that Soulé is widening his range of action and understands when the team needs him to take charge, just as Dybala does. Having one player of that kind in the squad is wonderful, and having two is a luxury, so Soulé must continue along this path. The result also reflects the team's character. Roma take a punch, go down, get back up and hit harder. Gasperini would probably prefer to concede less and control matches, but that is not always possible, so it is important to cling to the result and to everything the side can put on the pitch. Olivero described the win as a response to Lazio, a warning to Inter and a moment of collective hope.

Roma bounced back from their draw at the Maradona with a win over Cagliari, as goals from Mora and Malen secured three points after Maldini had equalised. The result was Gasperini's ninth consecutive positive result of this Serie A start. Speaking to Dazn shortly after the final whistle, the head coach was happy with the performance despite a flat second half. Gasperini said: "Va molto bene così. Questa sera avevamo qualche elemento in difficoltà, che non aveva recuperato al meglio. Alcuni giocatori loro, soprattutto in attacco, erano più freschi e ci mettevano in difficoltà. Il motivo è solo questo. Anche in mezzo ultimamente abbiamo giocato sempre con gli stessi uomini, per 90' ogni volta, e si è vista un po' di fatica. E' un merito ancora più grande aver vinto questa partita, un po' con i cambi e un po' con la volontà di tutti. Soprattutto sull'1-0, abbiamo avuto un ottimo momento anche di gioco. Poi anche nel finale". On the depth of the squad, Gasperini praised Ghilardi, who had recently produced strong performances. He said Ghilardi "probabilmente doveva entrare prima", but a situation made the substitution difficult, as it would have been the first change after the interval. "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto molto rispetto all'anno scorso e troverà sempre più spazio", he added. Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable, having left the Napoli match battered, and Gasperini said the team needed to recover. Gasperini also noted the absence of Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini, and said Svilar had been less impressive while Gollini was "strepitoso". Cristante had returned after a month out and played two 90-minute matches in three days. Gasperini said: "Non avrebbe fatto 112 partite con me se non fosse stato un portiere di livello (ride, ndr). In una squadra che ha raggiunto anche la Champions e traguardi importanti. All'epoca era molto più giovane e anche più esuberante, diciamo, aveva magari meno spirito di lavorare e migliorarsi ed è stato un peccato. Già all'inizio era il terzo portiere della Nazionale. Ci siamo ritrovati a Roma e non ho mai avuto dubbi sulle sue qualità e potenzialità, abbiamo rimesso un po' di puntini a posto e da un'anno e mezzo a questa parte si allena benissimo. Sono molto felice per quello che ha fatto stasera e in queste ultime partite. Da vicino è straordinario, a volte prende gol dalla distanza ed è sempre stato un suo limite. Ma è un portiere di grande valore". On the youth products, Gasperini said: "Sono ragazzi straordinari. Nel settore giovanile della Roma ci sono sempre belle espressioni". Lulli had trained on heading the day before and scored with a header on Monday night, which Gasperini described as "non è il suo pezzo migliore, ma è stato straordinario". On Mora, Gasperini said: "Gli ho visto fare gol col Porto, simile a quello di stasera. E' piccolino, ma è molto coordinato e salta molto bene, oltre a colpire molto bene. Dà una frustata alla palla, questo è un gran gol". Asked about Mora's development, he said: "Deve formarsi dal punto di vista tecnico e fisico anche per giocare 90 minuti. Utilizzato così è una mina vagante, lo è stato anche a Napoli". Gasperini acknowledged some defensive lapses, explaining: "Questa era la sesta di continuo ogni 2-3 giorni, qualche giocatore te lo trovi stanco contro un avversario fresco come Maldini". On Dybala, he said the forward was confident after training on Monday, but recovery from injury was taking longer than expected. Gasperini added: "Con lui e Koné puntiamo il Sassuolo ma non so se sarà possibile". On Malen, he said: "Abbiamo fatto 23 gol in 9 giornate è una bella cifra. Lo scorso anno erano solo 10". He also commented on changes to Serie A, saying: "Hanno favorito il gioco del calcio, non si vede più una simulazione e i finali di partita si giocano".