Radio pundits split on Dybala injury, Gasperini's rotation and Roma's Champions League test against Slovan Bratislava

Udinese defender David Alaba is at risk of missing the match against Roma after suffering a muscle strain in his right calf. The Giallorossi travel to the Dacia Arena on 31 October at 18:00 for the fixture. Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini will be without some players for the trip to Udine. Mile Svilar and Manu Koné are certain to miss the match against the bianconeri. Paulo Dybala's availability is also in doubt. Bryan Cristante, however, is set to return to the squad on Saturday for the match against Napoli. The absences add to the selection headaches Gasperini faces as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures, with the Napoli game coming before the trip to Udinese.

Paulo Dybala's return from injury has been pushed back after Roma discovered a small tear in the twin calf muscle of his right leg, which was hidden by swelling in the first scan. The Argentine forward had come off at half-time of the match against Real Madrid. Initial sensations were reassuring and the first tests showed no lesions, so in the following days there was talk of a quick recovery and even a possible call-up for the Champions League game against Slovan Bratislava. The problem had not fully disappeared, however. On Sunday and Monday Dybala tried to increase his training loads again at Trigoria, but during the session he felt a slight discomfort in the calf again. The medical staff then decided not to take any risks and ordered a new magnetic resonance scan. It was the second check that clarified the situation: a very small tear to the gemello, already in the healing phase, which had been concealed in the first scan by the presence of oedema. This is why the problem was initially classified as simple fatigue. The good news is that there is no serious alarm. The tear is mild and is not considered comparable to the muscle problems that in the past forced Dybala into much longer spells out of action. However, the timetable inevitably changes: Dybala will miss the Slovan game and his recovery will be managed with greater caution. The precise timing will be set in the coming days, including through further checks. Corriere dello Sport indicates a possible return in about a week, with the Udinese match and then the trip to Manchester as the targets. Roma will not force his comeback. Gasperini will therefore have to wait a little longer before having the Dybala and Malen partnership available again. This time the scare seems to have lasted only as long as needed to establish what was really behind the discomfort. No drama, but a lesson in caution: the calf was not yet ready, and the second scan explained why.

Roma need a win against Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, with only one point from their first two Champions League league-phase matches. Following a draw in Istanbul against Fenerbahce and a painful late comeback by Real Madrid at the Olimpico, the Giallorossi arrive at the third matchday with just a single point, which is too little for those hoping to continue their European journey. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has set out the target clearly: at least 10 points, and probably 10 to 11, will be needed to secure a place in the playoffs. Roma-Slovan Bratislava therefore already carries the weight of a fixture that cannot be lost. The points dropped in the first two matchdays mean Roma must make the most of their home games. Gasperini has warned his players not to regard the match as already won. Slovan are a dynamic side, physically well prepared and with some interesting individual talents. Slovan are still on zero points after two defeats in their opening two matchdays, and Roma cannot allow them the chance to get off the mark at the Olimpico. Compared with the win over Genoa, Gasperini will return to some of his trusted options. Malen, who was suspended in the league, will take back his place in the centre of attack, while Wesley is ready to return to the starting line-up on the flank. A return to the XI for some players rested on Saturday is also possible. Svilar, Koné, Cristante and Dybala will not be available. Cristante's return to group training is approaching, and the aim is to have him back for Napoli. Dybala's timeline is longer: Gasperini had initially hoped to have him back against Slovan, possibly at least on the bench, but the latest scan revealed a small muscle tear in the calf. The complication will extend his recovery by about another two weeks. Dybala's absence also reopens the question of attacking options. Santiago Castro scored against Genoa with a goal that showed all of his qualities, and Gasperini has not ruled out playing him alongside Malen, although he is unlikely to change a department that has found important balance so far. The two-striker system could become a weapon to use during the match if more presence in the box is needed. Gasperini must balance the need to win with the need to manage energy, because after Slovan comes another demanding away trip, to Napoli. The article's message is that Roma have already shown against Real Madrid that they can compete with Europe's strongest sides. Now they must win matches in which they are the favourites. Qualification will not be built only on big nights against Real Madrid, Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain, but mainly by not wasting the chances the fixture list provides. Roma-Slovan Bratislava is one of those chances, and Roma need to win it.

Udinese defender David Alaba is at risk of missing the match against Roma after suffering a muscle strain in his right calf. The Giallorossi travel to the Dacia Arena on 31 October at 18:00 for the fixture. Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini will be without some players for the trip to Udine. Mile Svilar and Manu Koné are certain to miss the match against the bianconeri. Paulo Dybala's availability is also in doubt. Bryan Cristante, however, is set to return to the squad on Saturday for the match against Napoli. The absences add to the selection headaches Gasperini faces as Roma prepare for a demanding run of fixtures, with the Napoli game coming before the trip to Udinese.

Former Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini has said the club will push hard from the opening minutes tonight in the Champions League, aiming to overwhelm the opponent and force them back into defence and into mistakes. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Giannini also said that with Paulo Dybala absent, Roma are relying on Matías Soulé. Giannini highlighted the need to manage the final minutes carefully. He pointed to the recent game against Real Madrid as a lesson: when tiredness sets in late on, Roma risk losing their shape and conceding. His message is that intensity must be sustained for the whole match, not just the opening stages. Giannini said: "Certainly the team will press the accelerator from the first minutes to stun the opponent and force them onto the defensive and into making mistakes. It will be important to manage the final minutes well too, because, as the game against Real taught us, when a bit of tiredness sets in, you run a risk."

Mati Soulé is increasingly central to Roma under Gian Piero Gasperini, with his goals, decisive touches and consistency making him the man to spark the attack while Paulo Dybala is out injured. Soulé took over the creative role as soon as Dybala left the pitch, first in the second half of Roma's match against Real Madrid and then against Genoa. Those two performances restored the energy the Argentine showed in the first half of last season, before a groin problem (pubalgia) began to affect him. Gasperini will ask for an extra effort from Soulé again today, as Roma face Slovan Bratislava and must win at all costs. The match is followed by two daunting away trips: first to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, then to the Parc des Princes to play PSG. That is why, in the paper's view, anything other than victory tonight is not an option for Roma. Soulé's task is to create numerical superiority, beat his man and add a touch of imagination to the Giallorossi attack. Soulé will probably play as a second striker, since Gasperini tends to use a 1-2 formation rather than a 2-1 against teams that defend with four at the back. Soulé is most comfortable when he can operate on the touchline, but he has learned to play further inside the pitch as well.

Roma need a heavy win against Slovan Bratislava tomorrow, according to Lorenzo Pes of Teleradiostereo, who said a comfortable victory would be important for goal difference and that a goalfest is required. Roma face Slovan in tomorrow's match, and the Roman radio pundits gathered their views on the fixture and the wider table picture. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino - 104,5, said: "The matches are very many. Roma will have to be careful, Slovan are stronger than Genoa. But Gasperini's team has already shown it can do well even with rotation." Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà - 90,9 looked at the league table, saying: "I believe 10 points will be needed to reach the playoffs. Last year the last two teams qualified with 9. In any case, tomorrow it will be fundamental to win, so you can reach the last three with the chance of getting to ten." Pes expects Pellegrini to start from the first minute against Slovan, with Soulé alongside him. He described the opponents as modest and said: "It is impossible that Totti stays out of the celebrations for the centenary. It is difficult that he becomes a director." He added: "There will be absences, but Roma have the possibilities to score many goals."

Lorenzo Pellegrini returns to the starting XI tonight as Roma face Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Champions League, 2,806 days after the club last won a Champions League match. Roma have not competed in Europe's premier competition for seven years, and Malen and his team-mates aim to return to winning ways after points slipped away against Fenerbahce and Real Madrid. The last Roma win came on 12 February 2019, when the Giallorossi beat Porto 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico. Porto progressed on the return leg after a 3-1 victory. Pellegrini started that evening too, and he is the only survivor from that side. The squad around him has changed completely since then. Di Francesco's 4-3-3 that night included Cristante, who is missing tonight through injury, and Daniele De Rossi in midfield. Dzeko led the line, with El Shaarawy alongside him and Zaniolo, who scored twice, in support. The defence was made up of Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio and Kolarov, with Mirante in goal. Santon, Kluivert and Nzonzi came off the bench. Seven years on from that night, Roma want to win in the Champions League again.

Roma return to action tonight looking for their first win in the Champions League League Phase, with kickoff at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico against Slovan Bratislava, who are still on zero points after two matches. The Slovaks come to Rome after Roma's win over Genoa in Serie A. Mancini, Hermoso, Wesley and Malen all return to the starting line-up from the first minute, while Evan N'Dicka is expected to be rested. Gian Piero Gasperini's side is set to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, according to the main Roman dailies. The predicted XI is largely the same across the papers. Mile Svilar is not included; Pierluigi Gollini starts in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso forming the back three. Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli operate in the middle, with Wesley on the right of midfield and Lulli or Nahuel Molina on the left, depending on the newspaper. Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini support Donyell Malen up front. Molina is named in the lineups of two outlets, Il Corriere dello SportRoma and La Gazzetta dello SportRoma, and in Leggoroma, while Lulli is picked by the rest. For Roma, a win tonight would be a first points gain in the Champions League league phase and a chance to build on the momentum from the weekend victory over Genoa. The return of Wesley and Malen gives Gasperini a fully fit attacking and midfield core, while the decision to rest N'Dicka offers a rotation option for a team playing regularly across competitions. Mancini and Hermoso's return restores experience to the defensive line.

Roma return to action tonight looking for their first win in the Champions League League Phase, with kickoff at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico against Slovan Bratislava, who are still on zero points after two matches. The Slovaks come to Rome after Roma's win over Genoa in Serie A. Mancini, Hermoso, Wesley and Malen all return to the starting line-up from the first minute, while Evan N'Dicka is expected to be rested. Gian Piero Gasperini's side is set to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, according to the main Roman dailies. The predicted XI is largely the same across the papers. Mile Svilar is not included; Pierluigi Gollini starts in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso forming the back three. Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli operate in the middle, with Wesley on the right of midfield and Lulli or Nahuel Molina on the left, depending on the newspaper. Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini support Donyell Malen up front. Molina is named in the lineups of two outlets, Il Corriere dello SportRoma and La Gazzetta dello SportRoma, and in Leggoroma, while Lulli is picked by the rest. For Roma, a win tonight would be a first points gain in the Champions League league phase and a chance to build on the momentum from the weekend victory over Genoa. The return of Wesley and Malen gives Gasperini a fully fit attacking and midfield core, while the decision to rest N'Dicka offers a rotation option for a team playing regularly across competitions. Mancini and Hermoso's return restores experience to the defensive line.

Roma are chasing their first win in the Champions League as they prepare to face Slovan Bratislava, with Gian Piero Gasperini set to be without Svilar, Cristante, Koné and Dybala. Malen is the only player returning from the Genoa league fixture and will start tonight, with Soulé and Pellegrini behind him. Evan N'Dicka may be rested. On the right side of the defence, Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli are in a straight fight for a place. The Italian newspapers' predicted line-ups are split on the pick: Corriere dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Il Tempo and Corriere della Sera all name Lulli, while La Gazzetta dello Sport and Leggo go with Molina. All of them set Roma up in a 3-4-2-1 with Gollini in goal, Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso across the back three, and Wesley, de Roon and Pisilli in midfield alongside the right-back option. The home side are without several first-team regulars, so the selection call on the flank and the rotation of N'Dicka will shape how Gasperini sets his back line. Roma are still searching for their first Champions League victory of the season, and tonight's fixture gives them the chance to address that.

Roma look for their first win in the Champions League League Phase when they host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday 20 October at 21:00, in the third matchday of the competition. Gian Piero Gasperini's side have collected just one point from their opening two games, drawing 1-1 at Fenerbahçe and losing 4-3 to Real Madrid after leading 3-1 until the closing stages. Victory is therefore vital to revive their European standing. Slovan Bratislava are still without a point and have conceded nine goals already: a 6-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain and a 3-0 loss to Stuttgart. The Slovaks arrive in Rome after a heavy 3-0 league win over Spartak Trnava. Roma, however, face a significant injury crisis in goal and midfield. Mile Svilar remains unavailable, so Pierluigi Gollini is set to be confirmed in goal. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné are also not fit. Gasperini hopes to have Cristante back for the next league match against Napoli, while Koné will need more time after a muscle injury. The biggest blow concerns Paulo Dybala. His recovery will take longer than expected: the latest scan revealed a small tear in the calf, and Gasperini spoke of around two additional weeks before his return. La Joya will certainly miss the Slovan match. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are expected to return from the start in defence, after rotation against Genoa, although Balerdi could give the Ivorian N'Dicka a rest. Molina and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, with Lulli a possible option on the right. In midfield, Pisilli and De Roon are set to form the central pairing again. Gasperini has confirmed that Lorenzo Pellegrini could be deployed deeper if needed, but the pre-match signals place him mainly in the attacking midfield role. Donyell Malen returns up front after missing the league game against Genoa through suspension. Soulé and Pellegrini are expected to play behind him, with Rodrigo Mora initially on the bench. Gasperini has admitted the match could allow him to try a double striker system with Malen and Santiago Castro together, particularly once the game is underway. For Slovan Bratislava, Yaya Touré is expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1. Takáč will be in goal, with Blackman, Bajrić, Marković and Sandro Cruz in defence. Pokorný and Ibrahim will occupy central midfield. The player Roma must watch most closely is Tigran Barseghyan, one of the most dangerous and creative players in the Slovak side. Christian Martínez and Suleiman Camara are expected to support Andraž Šporar. UEFA has listed only Čerepkai as doubtful. The match will be broadcast live on Sky and streamed on NOW, shown on Sky Sport Arena, Sky Sport 253 and Sky Sport 4K, as well as via Sky Go and NOW. Fabio Caressa will provide commentary with expert analysis from Beppe Bergomi. Paolo Assogna and Angelo Mangiante will be pitchside. Bookmakers make Roma strong favourites. A Roma win is priced between 1.11 and 1.15, a draw between 7.50 and 8.75, and a Slovan Bratislava win between 14.00 and 19.00. The odds reflect the defensive problems Slovan have shown in Europe, having conceded nine goals in the first two matchdays and allowed more chances and shots than almost every other competing side. Roma, without Dybala and the important midfielders Cristante and Koné, have a very favourable opportunity to secure their first three European points. A Roma win with No Goal is offered at around 2.00. Among correct scores, 2-0 is among the most fancied and is also the score chosen by Sisal's analysis, at 8.00.