Radio pundits urge Roma to take advantage of Udinese's slump

Radio pundits across Rome's airwaves have made Roma's home clash with Udinese a must-win fixture, with several arguing that a victory would allow the club to push on in a manageable run of fixtures. Carina, speaking on Radio Radio, said: "On paper it is a round that should help the two Roman clubs. I am convinced Milan can win this derby. Udinese are a big unknown: last year Roma played a bad game, and if Udinese manage to produce a match like that, Roma can run into difficulties. Malen is incredible: he scores a goal a game. Roma were "Svilar-dependent", this year that is not the case, they score a lot. It is a more "Gasperinian" side than last year's and it is bearing fruit. What surprises me is not so much the play as the number of injuries. It would surprise me to see De Roon start, because against Cagliari he seemed tired to me. It seems to me a game to play with two behind Malen. This is a game Roma must win: if they win today, they have an affordable schedule and can push on emphatically." Sabatini, also on Radio Radio, said Udinese are going through a negative period. "Seeing them rack up five or six defeats seems an anomaly to me for a side that is not destined for last place. Roma have every chance of winning, but beware: Udinese can wake up." Pruzzo, on the same station, said Roma's game is within reach and could help them move closer to the top, noting that Inter have not won the derby in seven matches. He added that Pisilli adapts to anything and must play, and that the team seems capable of a less physical game: "If you get into a physical battle with them it can become complicated. You have to focus on technique and quality." Orsi, also on Radio Radio, said: "Udinese come off five defeats, and they lost them deservedly: this is the worst Udinese of recent years. Roma must take advantage. I am sorry, because Udinese are a tough side, but Roma cannot waste this match."

Former Roma striker Abel Balbo believes Gian Piero Gasperini's side can mount a serious challenge for the Serie A title, while identifying Inter as the main rival. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Argentine, who also played for Udinese, gave the current squad a strong endorsement but drew a firm line when comparisons with the club's 2001 champions were raised. Balbo said Roma have a solid group of players and praised the coach's influence. "Roma are strong, really strong. They have a solid group, made up of players with balls. Gasp gets the best out of them, they would throw themselves into the fire for him." Asked whether Roma can win the Scudetto, he answered: "Yes, although they will battle with Inter, who at the moment are better equipped both in their starting XI and in their reserves. Roma will play the role of the antagonist until the end. If the Nerazzurri slip up, Roma must be there ready to take advantage." He was far more cautious on comparisons with the 2001 title-winning side. "No... go easy on the comparisons. That team was a different thing. We had champions in every department. I was the fourth striker and in front of me I had Batistuta, Totti and Montella. We could only win." Balbo credited the title to the club's then president. "The merit for that victory belongs to Franco Sensi, an enlightened president. There are no longer men like him in football..." Balbo also looked back fondly on his time in Rome, describing the move from Udine as moving from a small town of 100,000 people to a city of millions. "Everything changes. In giallorosso I lived spectacular years, especially with Mazzone on the bench. For me Carletto was like a father."

Former Udinese and Roma striker Abel Balbo says Roma are genuinely title contenders this season, and that Matías Soulé has become a leader on the pitch. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Udinese v Roma, Balbo described the match as the one closest to his heart, saying he became a man in Friuli, where he was welcomed like a son. He reached Udine thanks to a tip from Marino, who had come to watch him in secret in Argentina. On Roma, Balbo was effusive. "Roma are very strong, really very strong. They have a solid group, made up of players with real backbone. Gasp gets the best out of them, they would throw themselves into the fire for him." Asked who had surprised him most, he named Soulé first, saying: "He has become a leader, he knows how to carry the team on his shoulders." He also singled out Balerdi as "the perfect player for a coach like Gasp." Balbo believes Roma can win the Scudetto, although he acknowledged Inter are better equipped at present, both in their starting eleven and in their reserves. "Roma will play the role of the antagonist until the end. If the Nerazzurri slip up, they will have to be ready to seize the opportunity." He was less comfortable with comparisons to the Roma side that won the title in 2001: "No... go easy on the comparisons. That team was a different thing. We had champions in every department. I was the fourth striker, and in front of me I had Batistuta, Totti and Montella. We could only win." He credited that success to president Franco Sensi, "an enlightened president. There are no more men like him in football." Balbo said Sensi had been the one who wanted him in Rome, and that he was infinitely grateful. He nearly joined Inter instead, but president Pellegrini did not sign him because of his poor signature, which he later changed. Sensi spent 18 billion old lire to bring him from Udine, and Balbo turned down many offers in the following years, including from Juventus, which he would not have accepted out of respect. He also recalled playing alongside a young Francesco Totti, who was already very strong. "We tried to reassure him and let him be calm. After Fonseca's injury he often played in partnership with me. I taught him nothing, you cannot teach someone like that, but I tried to make him feel at ease." He added: "If I had played with him years later I would have scored a mountain of goals." On the fixture itself, Balbo said it would be "very physical, decided by details." Roma are chasing the Scudetto and must sustain their excellent results, while Udinese must escape the relegation zone. "It will require personality: the bianconeri are strong and have a good coach. A table like theirs is inexplicable."

Former Roma director Walter Sabatini has continued to praise Gian Piero Gasperini's side, focusing on the spirit within the group. Sabatini said: "The spiritual cohesion is a superior factor. Roma are going through this collective state of mind." He added: "Gasperini teaches the orthodoxy of winning, he is a coach who makes you take giant strides." On the 3-3 draw in Naples, Sabatini said: "It is a tonic for Italian football. Both sides played very well." Roma open their final week before the international break in Udine, and the fixture will be followed by matches against Manchester United and Sassuolo. Gasperini does not plan to rotate and wants to field the best possible Roma side in Udine. Gollini will be confirmed in goal, while Ghilardi is named by all the newspapers among the starters in defence. The other two central defensive places remain a contest between Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Lulli and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, while Cristante, De Roon and Pisilli rotate in midfield. Up front, Soulé and Malen are certain to start, with Pisilli and Mora in contention to complete the attack. Roma have 21 points after nine matches, the same total as after nine matchdays last season, but they have collected four more points than in the same fixtures last year. Gasperini is close to his 30th Serie A win as Roma coach and could reach it in his 48th game in charge, ahead of Spalletti (54), Capello (55) and Mourinho (59).

Radio pundits across Rome's airwaves have made Roma's home clash with Udinese a must-win fixture, with several arguing that a victory would allow the club to push on in a manageable run of fixtures. Carina, speaking on Radio Radio, said: "On paper it is a round that should help the two Roman clubs. I am convinced Milan can win this derby. Udinese are a big unknown: last year Roma played a bad game, and if Udinese manage to produce a match like that, Roma can run into difficulties. Malen is incredible: he scores a goal a game. Roma were "Svilar-dependent", this year that is not the case, they score a lot. It is a more "Gasperinian" side than last year's and it is bearing fruit. What surprises me is not so much the play as the number of injuries. It would surprise me to see De Roon start, because against Cagliari he seemed tired to me. It seems to me a game to play with two behind Malen. This is a game Roma must win: if they win today, they have an affordable schedule and can push on emphatically." Sabatini, also on Radio Radio, said Udinese are going through a negative period. "Seeing them rack up five or six defeats seems an anomaly to me for a side that is not destined for last place. Roma have every chance of winning, but beware: Udinese can wake up." Pruzzo, on the same station, said Roma's game is within reach and could help them move closer to the top, noting that Inter have not won the derby in seven matches. He added that Pisilli adapts to anything and must play, and that the team seems capable of a less physical game: "If you get into a physical battle with them it can become complicated. You have to focus on technique and quality." Orsi, also on Radio Radio, said: "Udinese come off five defeats, and they lost them deservedly: this is the worst Udinese of recent years. Roma must take advantage. I am sorry, because Udinese are a tough side, but Roma cannot waste this match."

Roma travel to Udine this afternoon to face Udinese in Serie A matchday 10, and Italian newspapers have published their predicted line-ups. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero and Corriere della Sera all suggest Gollini in goal with Ghilardi, Lulli and Wesley in the side, while the other outlets differ on the back three and the midfield. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero and Corriere della Sera all expect Mora to play in the attacking midfield role behind Soulé and Malen, while Il Corriere dello Sport and Il Tempo prefer Pisilli in that position and De Roon in midfield. The papers are split on the back line. Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero and Il Tempo name Balerdi and Hermoso alongside Ghilardi, while Il Corriere dello Sport picks N'Dicka with Balerdi. Corriere della Sera chooses Ndicka and Hermoso, and also gives Rensch a start in midfield. Cristante is named in every projected line-up, and Soulé and Malen are expected to lead the attack in all five predictions. The headline pairing of Ghilardi and the choice between Mora and Pisilli sums up the main debate ahead of the fixture. Roma's forwards are in form and the midfield selection will decide how the team balances defence and attack in Udine.

Roma travel to Udine for Serie A matchday 10 against Udinese, with the match kicking off at 18:00 and broadcast exclusively on DAZN. Gian Piero Gasperini is without several key players, including Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is also absent. Roma's probable starting XI sees Daniele Ghilardi in defence, while Rodrigo Mora has a chance to start from the first minute. Roma come into the fixture on a strong run. They are unbeaten in the league after nine matchdays, with six wins and three draws, and have the second-best defence in Serie A, having conceded just eight goals. Udinese, by contrast, are looking for a turnaround after a difficult spell. A 0-0 draw with Parma ended a run of six consecutive defeats, but the Friulani have not won in seven matchdays. Their home form is the main concern, with four straight home defeats at the Bluenergy Stadium and 311 minutes without scoring in front of their own fans. Gasperini is again calling up two youngsters from the Primavera, Di Nunzio and Camara, and is backing Mora to get the better of Runjaic's side. Udinese are set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation under Runjaic, with Okoye in goal and Davis leading the line. Roma's XI is also a 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence, and Malen up front. The head-to-head record favours Roma: in 55 meetings in Friuli, Roma have won 24, Udinese 18, with 13 draws. The most recent meeting, in January, ended 1-0 to Udinese, with the goal scored by Ekkelenkamp, and the home side have won two of their last four home games against the capital club.

Former Roma director Walter Sabatini has continued to praise Gian Piero Gasperini's side, focusing on the spirit within the group. Sabatini said: "The spiritual cohesion is a superior factor. Roma are going through this collective state of mind." He added: "Gasperini teaches the orthodoxy of winning, he is a coach who makes you take giant strides." On the 3-3 draw in Naples, Sabatini said: "It is a tonic for Italian football. Both sides played very well." Roma open their final week before the international break in Udine, and the fixture will be followed by matches against Manchester United and Sassuolo. Gasperini does not plan to rotate and wants to field the best possible Roma side in Udine. Gollini will be confirmed in goal, while Ghilardi is named by all the newspapers among the starters in defence. The other two central defensive places remain a contest between Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Lulli and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, while Cristante, De Roon and Pisilli rotate in midfield. Up front, Soulé and Malen are certain to start, with Pisilli and Mora in contention to complete the attack. Roma have 21 points after nine matches, the same total as after nine matchdays last season, but they have collected four more points than in the same fixtures last year. Gasperini is close to his 30th Serie A win as Roma coach and could reach it in his 48th game in charge, ahead of Spalletti (54), Capello (55) and Mourinho (59).

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese today, the last match before the international break, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side aiming to keep their winning run going despite a heavy injury list. Roma then fly to Manchester for their Champions League clash at Old Trafford and close the cycle at the Olimpico against Sassuolo. According to Corriere della Sera, Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala are all absent, yet Gasperini's team approach the fixture with confidence. Roma have already collected four more points than at this stage last season against the same opponents, and the side are showing clear progress. Around 5,000 fans will travel to Friuli to back the team. Gasperini can also reach a notable landmark: becoming the fastest coach in Roma history to reach 30 Serie A wins, ahead of Spalletti, Capello and Mourinho. The coach is expected to rely on his core players and rotate the squad. Ghilardi and Hermoso are set to start either side of N'Dicka, with Wesley on the flanks and Soulé and Mora operating behind Donyell Malen, the team's main focal point up front.

Roma travel to Udine for Serie A matchday 10 against Udinese, with the match kicking off at 18:00 and broadcast exclusively on DAZN. Gian Piero Gasperini is without several key players, including Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is also absent. Roma's probable starting XI sees Daniele Ghilardi in defence, while Rodrigo Mora has a chance to start from the first minute. Roma come into the fixture on a strong run. They are unbeaten in the league after nine matchdays, with six wins and three draws, and have the second-best defence in Serie A, having conceded just eight goals. Udinese, by contrast, are looking for a turnaround after a difficult spell. A 0-0 draw with Parma ended a run of six consecutive defeats, but the Friulani have not won in seven matchdays. Their home form is the main concern, with four straight home defeats at the Bluenergy Stadium and 311 minutes without scoring in front of their own fans. Gasperini is again calling up two youngsters from the Primavera, Di Nunzio and Camara, and is backing Mora to get the better of Runjaic's side. Udinese are set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation under Runjaic, with Okoye in goal and Davis leading the line. Roma's XI is also a 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence, and Malen up front. The head-to-head record favours Roma: in 55 meetings in Friuli, Roma have won 24, Udinese 18, with 13 draws. The most recent meeting, in January, ended 1-0 to Udinese, with the goal scored by Ekkelenkamp, and the home side have won two of their last four home games against the capital club.

Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma are planning to attack Udinese's vulnerability from dead-ball situations, with the aim of winning the match at Udine and catching out coach Runjaic. Roma need points as Inter and Lazio keep up the pressure at the top, and the article says the Giallorossi cannot afford to fall behind in the chase. Gasperini has reportedly passed on the message that it is no time to give up. Udine will not be easy. Udinese have taken less from their results than they deserved, and against Parma they faced a real siege, with twenty shots and no goals. Runjaic is looking for a turnaround and wants to find it precisely against Roma. The Friulani have already shown they can trouble the Giallorossi, and last season Gasperini's side suffered badly against their physicality. Roma's plan starts with taking the game onto technical ground and quality, avoiding a contest of duels and tackles where Udinese can use all their strength. With the ball at their feet, Roma believe they have the quality to make the difference. Udinese have won one of their last seven matches, scoring few goals and conceding many. Since Monza, they have conceded the most goals from set pieces, five in total, with an average of 0.57 xG conceded per match from these situations. Roma, meanwhile, have been less effective from set pieces this season: they are ninth for goals from dead-ball situations with three, compared with fifteen in 2025-26, when they finished fourth in Serie A. Gasperini has the men and the options to hurt Udinese. Hermoso is a guarantee in the air, Cristante knows how to attack the near post, and Balerdi can also be a resource. Bryan Cristante has already shown he can be decisive from these situations: with De Rossi on the bench, his header decided a nerve-shredding match. The match kicks off at 18:00, and the article suggests set pieces could be the key to taking the game.

Former Roma director Walter Sabatini has continued to praise Gian Piero Gasperini's side, focusing on the spirit within the group. Sabatini said: "The spiritual cohesion is a superior factor. Roma are going through this collective state of mind." He added: "Gasperini teaches the orthodoxy of winning, he is a coach who makes you take giant strides." On the 3-3 draw in Naples, Sabatini said: "It is a tonic for Italian football. Both sides played very well." Roma open their final week before the international break in Udine, and the fixture will be followed by matches against Manchester United and Sassuolo. Gasperini does not plan to rotate and wants to field the best possible Roma side in Udine. Gollini will be confirmed in goal, while Ghilardi is named by all the newspapers among the starters in defence. The other two central defensive places remain a contest between Balerdi, N'Dicka and Hermoso. Lulli and Wesley are favoured on the flanks, while Cristante, De Roon and Pisilli rotate in midfield. Up front, Soulé and Malen are certain to start, with Pisilli and Mora in contention to complete the attack. Roma have 21 points after nine matches, the same total as after nine matchdays last season, but they have collected four more points than in the same fixtures last year. Gasperini is close to his 30th Serie A win as Roma coach and could reach it in his 48th game in charge, ahead of Spalletti (54), Capello (55) and Mourinho (59).