Roma not overly concerned by FFP investigation; fine deemed most likely outcome

Manu Koné has won praise from French football legend Marcel Desailly, who told Corriere della Sera: "Manu is a fantastic player." Koné has been a regular starter for Roma over two years and holds an important role in France's squad under Zinedine Zidane's management. Chelsea made a late attempt to sign Koné during the summer transfer window, while Atlético Madrid moved for him in June, but Roma retained him. He has begun the season in strong form, delivering top-level performances including a double against Inter. Koné will face Italy in the Nations League on 2 October, followed by a match against Belgium on 3 October, before returning to Gasperini's side for the challenging fixture against Como on 11 October.

Roma's radio stations debated the midfield makeup for the upcoming Como fixture, with Rodrigo Mora's recent form and Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential return from a six-month absence at the centre of discussion. Gianluca Piacentini argued Mora deserves backing despite underwhelming recent performances: "He's a player worth continuing to put faith in. He's only 19 years old and at that age you have to give him room for ups and downs. The qualities are there without much doubt." Fabio Petruzzi suggested Gasperini might surprise with Pellegrini, noting the captain "hasn't played in six months, but he's had four weeks of work with the group now and could be the shock." He also praised Mora's form for his national team and his physical build as an advantage against Como's four-man defence, but acknowledged the young midfielder had been more convincing as a starter than when brought off the bench. Other panellists offered contrasting views on the squad's summer decisions. Piero Torri expected Gasperini to rotate all 20 players in the squad before the next international break, suggesting the coach deliberately gave Soulé more minutes to signal to Mora that "the position has to be earned." Torri added: "He seemed a bit reluctant and somewhat out of Roma's mindset when he came on against Turin." Meanwhile, discussion turned to summer transfers: Checco Oddo Casano said Endrick "was really a step away from Roma in the summer and could arrive here in January," while Nando Orsi and Roberto Pruzzo debated whether established players should have age limits, with Pruzzo recalling: "I couldn't wait to finish—everything felt heavy to me, even getting on the bus or sleeping in a hotel." On the Manu Koné situation, Lorenzo Pes reported Chelsea made a late push in late August and early September with "an important offer," but Roma showed no interest and Gasperini was unwilling to release him. Roma sources expressed no strong concern over UEFA sanctions, with the "most likely" scenario being "a heavy fine" rather than competition bans.

Former Roma forward Jeremy Menez has backed the club to challenge for the Serie A title this season and hailed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a tactical genius. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Menez reflected on his time in the Giallorossi shirt and offered his assessment of Roma's current trajectory under Gasperini's leadership. Menez, who arrived at Roma as a generational talent under the Sensi regime, spoke fondly of his spell at the club. "I had a blast," he said. "It wasn't easy arriving at such an important squad, but for me it was home. I only have good memories. This year Roma is title material: Gasp is a genius." On his playing days, Menez acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into an established dressing room but emphasised the emotional connection he felt to the club throughout his time there. When asked which clubs he would see himself at today, Menez named Como and Roma. "They play very well and have strong identities," he explained. "Fabregas, then, is one of the most talented coaches." Menez also reflected on his relationship with former Roma manager Spalletti, saying: "He valued me a lot, but he was tough on me. He knew my character and sometimes made me do exercises for half an hour at the end of training." He also commented on the broader state of attacking football, noting that creative players are increasingly rare in modern football and singling out Milan under Amorim as lacking imagination.

Rodrigo Mora (19) starred for Portugal Under 21 in a 4–0 qualifying victory over Gibraltar for the Under 21 European Championship. Playing 60 minutes, the Roma midfielder opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick from around the penalty spot and delivered playmaking displays throughout the match, earning a standing ovation when he was substituted. Mora's performance underlined his quality as a creative midfielder and reinforces Roma's depth in the position. His contribution to Portugal's qualifying campaign continues his development at club level.

Roma's radio stations debated the midfield makeup for the upcoming Como fixture, with Rodrigo Mora's recent form and Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential return from a six-month absence at the centre of discussion. Gianluca Piacentini argued Mora deserves backing despite underwhelming recent performances: "He's a player worth continuing to put faith in. He's only 19 years old and at that age you have to give him room for ups and downs. The qualities are there without much doubt." Fabio Petruzzi suggested Gasperini might surprise with Pellegrini, noting the captain "hasn't played in six months, but he's had four weeks of work with the group now and could be the shock." He also praised Mora's form for his national team and his physical build as an advantage against Como's four-man defence, but acknowledged the young midfielder had been more convincing as a starter than when brought off the bench. Other panellists offered contrasting views on the squad's summer decisions. Piero Torri expected Gasperini to rotate all 20 players in the squad before the next international break, suggesting the coach deliberately gave Soulé more minutes to signal to Mora that "the position has to be earned." Torri added: "He seemed a bit reluctant and somewhat out of Roma's mindset when he came on against Turin." Meanwhile, discussion turned to summer transfers: Checco Oddo Casano said Endrick "was really a step away from Roma in the summer and could arrive here in January," while Nando Orsi and Roberto Pruzzo debated whether established players should have age limits, with Pruzzo recalling: "I couldn't wait to finish—everything felt heavy to me, even getting on the bus or sleeping in a hotel." On the Manu Koné situation, Lorenzo Pes reported Chelsea made a late push in late August and early September with "an important offer," but Roma showed no interest and Gasperini was unwilling to release him. Roma sources expressed no strong concern over UEFA sanctions, with the "most likely" scenario being "a heavy fine" rather than competition bans.

Pes reported that Manu Koné was honest about external interest in him during the transfer window, saying: "Koné was sincere, he didn't hide. He could have said '0-0', but he told the truth. Someone was interested in him, more or less. On the last day there was a Chelsea bid, which Roma rejected. The Blues' interest was significant: between 31 August and 1 September Roma had some hesitation, but then didn't flinch." Chelsea's attempt came late in the window but was turned down. Pes added that Gasperini considers Koné very important to his plans, and that Roma would not have let him depart in the final days of the market had he been surplus to requirements. On UEFA matters, Pes indicated that Trigoria is not deeply worried about potential sanctions, with Roma's expectation being no major penalties. He assessed that the club has reduced costs and that a heavy fine is the most likely outcome. Radio commentators discussed rotation in the squad ahead of upcoming fixtures, with Torri noting that Roma have more quality this season compared to the previous year: "There's no one you'd say doesn't play. Everyone can rotate, and I think Gasperini will have them all play in these next matches." Valdarchi and Rossomando both highlighted Marten de Roon as a tactical asset for upcoming games. Valdarchi stated: "De Roon is useful both as a starter and as a substitute: there's no one like him for tactical intelligence in Gasperini's concepts." Rossomando suggested De Roon could start against Como, saying: "For me this time against Como Mora can start. Watch out also for De Roon: that way you have an extra midfielder. I see De Roon against Como. For one reason or another, against Como the others aren't at 100%: Pellegrini, Soulé and Mora. That's why I see De Roon, and then you push Cristante forward." Rossomando noted that Soulé will have limited training time before the Como match.