Radio Roma assesses Wesley's form and Roma's depth after Inter draw

Marten de Roon has quietly made himself indispensable at AS Roma, earning the trust of coach Gian Piero Gasperini, his teammates and the supporters. Working without fuss, the Dutch midfielder has put himself at the disposal of the manager and the squad, and has taken over the centre of the pitch. De Roon is a loyal lieutenant of Gasperini, whose hard work has been noticed across the club. His willingness to do whatever the team needs has made him a key figure in the middle of the park, and his performances have now won over the Roma fanbase as well as the coaching staff. The report from Forzaroma.info, written by Pierluigi Franza and published on 6 November 2026, describes De Roon as a tireless worker who has quietly built up a level of trust that now extends to the whole squad.

AS Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 7 November at 20:45, closing a demanding run of fixtures before the international break. Sassuolo's head coach Alberto Aquilani, who came through Roma's youth sector and played in the first team before his sale to Liverpool in 2009, returns to the stadium as an opponent. Nemanja Matic, Sassuolo's key midfield figure, also returns to Rome. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf problem and is expected to miss the match. Sassuolo sit 17th in Serie A with 8 points from ten matchdays, after two wins, two draws and six defeats. Their defence is the worst in the league, with 26 goals conceded. They have lost four consecutive matches since a 1-1 draw with Milan: 4-2 at Frosinone, 2-0 against Como, 6-2 at home to Lazio and 4-2 against Fiorentina. Those four games produced 16 goals conceded, and Sassuolo have taken just one point from their last five. Their last win came on 13 September, a 3-2 victory over Juventus. The club has confirmed its confidence in Aquilani ahead of the Roma game, but another heavy defeat could prompt further reflection on his position. Roma, by contrast, arrive with 28 goals in their first ten matchdays, the best attack in Serie A. After the Fiorentina defeat, Aquilani did not hide his side's difficulties. He stressed their defensive fragility and the ease with which Sassuolo are giving away chances and goals. Matic remains central to his plans. After the win over Juventus, Aquilani called him a “top player”, pointing in particular to his experience and his ability to help the team in daily training. Matic has nine appearances and two assists in this Serie A season. After the draw with Bologna, Aquilani explained that he would not have taken Matic off unless the midfielder had asked to come off. The Serbian's return also revives memories of his only season at Roma, which ended in the Europa League final lost to Siviglia in Budapest. In that match, Matic became famous for telling Dybala, who was in tears after the penalty shootout defeat, “That’s football”. This time the two are not expected to meet on the pitch. Sassuolo still have attacking threats. Domenico Berardi remains their main creative and offensive reference, while Armand Laurienté provides pace and one-on-one ability on the opposite flank. The Frenchman scored a brace against Fiorentina, though it was not enough to save the result. Sebastiano Esposito competes with Kieron Bowie for the central striker’s role, and Kristian Thorstvedt returns to midfield after serving a suspension. Vasilije Adzic, Sassuolo's top scorer in the league with three goals, also knows how to decide matches, having been decisive in the win over Juventus. Roma have the better recent record. They have won the last four Serie A meetings with Sassuolo. Sassuolo's most recent victory over Roma came in a chaotic 4-3 win at the Olimpico in March 2023. Across 24 Serie A meetings, Roma have been unbeaten in 22, with 13 wins, nine draws and just two defeats. Aquilani is expected to stick with a 4-3-3, although doubts remain at the back, where he is still searching for the most reliable combination after the 16 goals conceded in the last four matchdays. Turati is in contention with Muric for the goalkeeper’s spot. Thorstvedt is set to return in midfield, with Matic in the deep playmaking role and Bakola completing the unit. Berardi and Laurienté are expected to start either side of Esposito in attack.

Radio pundits across Rome's stations have debated whether Manu Koné should be called up by France and whether Roma are over-reliant on Malen and Dybala ahead of the match against Sassuolo. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said: "If Koné, after missing several matches, answered France's call-up, it would annoy me. He is coming back after a long stop and it would not be ideal. Everyone looks after their own interests. Zidane could also consider him available, let's see what happens, but I hope not." He added that France have plenty of alternatives and that Koné, returning from a long injury, could be rested. The debate follows the defeat to Manchester, which David Rossi of Rete Sport called unjustified. He said: "I am surprised by the negativity that has been generated after the defeat at Manchester. It is unjustifiable; you lost to teams with greater resources than yours. Wouldn't you have signed up, at this point, to have lost only to Real and Manchester? We always lose sight of the bigger picture. Roma are a very strong side, built to earn more points than last year: the starting base is 73 points. For me this is an 80-point side, which certainly means Champions League again. Contrary to what some think, that is very important. It is unacceptable to hear that Roma must leave the Champions League." Rossi also noted that a draw between Inter and Como, combined with a Napoli win over Lazio, would make the round unfavourable if Roma failed to beat Sassuolo. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport said Roma must take advantage of their chances. He said: "If that defeat to Manchester had not come, with that dynamic and yet another comeback conceded, we would now be saying Roma started clear favourites against Sassuolo. The fear is that there are more psychological than physical after-effects. The same applies as after Real: one way or another, you have to bring it home. Tactically, it is better to face Sassuolo than Genoa, because putting up barricades is not in their DNA." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said Roma need to bounce back immediately. He said: "Against Sassuolo you need to restart immediately after the disappointment of Manchester. Sassuolo have conceded 10 goals in their last two matches, Aquilani is in great difficulty, and his side does not have the strength to react. Roma must face the game in the best possible way, looking for satisfaction in attack. Malen also has the odd lapse, and I back Castro, but apart from that great goal he never plays. Maybe there is room for him too. I often refer to the transfer market: you have had only reserves, there is no first-choice player apart from De Roon." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio questioned the dependence on Malen and Dybala. He said: "If Malen is in a slump and Dybala does not play, what happens? Isn't Roma too dependent on those two? Malen was scoring a lot alongside Dybala, now he seems more in difficulty. You need alternatives, because if Malen does not score, you struggle. On Dybala, perhaps Gasperini's management was wrong, making him play ninety minutes every time to prove what..." Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Sassuolo are unpredictable and that Roma are not at their brightest. He said: "Sassuolo are a team on a rollercoaster and could wake up and become the side of three weeks ago. Roma are not going through one of their most brilliant moments; I have noticed glaring flaws. This is not the Roma of three weeks ago. Sassuolo's last outing did not leave them unscathed, but if they have recovered they can put Roma in difficulty. Roma can win, but not comfortably." On Dybala, Mattioli also questioned his diet, saying: "Are we sure he is not eating something that affects his muscle tissue? I did a lot of athletics and they even controlled your food." Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said there was something about Koné's intentions that remained unclear, asking whether he wanted to play for France. He said: "I would not sincerely send him to risk it, also because France play two real matches, one against Italy. Koné knows he has strong competition in his role for his national team, but Roma pay the price. If he gets injured again, we are back to square one." Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Koné is fit and that a call-up could be justified, while Roma would have the final say. He said Roma may prefer caution, in which case Koné would be unlikely to be called up. He added that Roma would like to keep him, while the player has recovered. Pes said the decisive day was expected to be the one that followed, and on Gollini: "It's unlikely he will be available tomorrow; he will try until the end, but until yesterday it was very complicated. So I think Vásquez will play, but I don't see that much difference." The pundits' comments centre on how Roma respond to the Manchester defeat and their Sassuolo fixture, with the Koné decision and Dybala's condition still being discussed.

Roma are battling a growing injury crisis ahead of Saturday's clash with Sassuolo, with Daniele Rensch's absence joined by doubts over Paulo Dybala and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. Devyne Rensch has a first-degree adductor tear, the tests revealed, and will not return until the Parma match after the international break. Dybala, who did not train with the rest of the group at Monday's resumption, is heading towards missing tomorrow's game. The squad is stretched thin. Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi reports that Gasperini has only sixteen outfield players available, leaving him with very few choices and few decisions to make. Mile Svilar will certainly miss out, and Gollini's involvement is also at risk because of a back problem that persists, though he will try to play to the end with the help of infiltrations. Devis Vásquez is ready to step in, having not played a Serie A match since 25 May 2025. Manu Koné offers some hope. He has carried out individualised work on the pitch and will undergo a fitness test today in an attempt to return to the matchday squad. Mancini did not train yesterday for a planned, routine rest. Malen and Soulé are expected to lead the attack, with Mora pushing for a place to complete the front three. Pisilli is further down the pecking order and is set to operate in the central space alongside Cristante and de Roon. If de Roon starts, he would become the only player to have started each of Roma's last nine matches. On the right, Molina and Lulli are in contention for a spot, while Wesley will play on the left. At the back, N'Dicka is set to return, alongside Mancini or Balerdi and Hermoso.

Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné did not appear in images of Roma's group training session at Trigoria, a sign that their return for Saturday's match against Sassuolo is becoming more difficult. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are preparing for the Serie A fixture, which kicks off at 20:45 at the Olimpico, two days after the club's disappointing defeat to Manchester United. Dybala is not yet ready, while Koné, who is close to returning, is being treated with caution. A call-up for Koné remains to be decided in the coming hours. Gasperini appears set to keep Rodrigo Mora in the number ten role behind Matías Soulé, with Donyell Malen leading the attack. Mora is expected to get another start after strong recent performances. In defence, Evan N'Dicka is likely to return to the heart of the back line, while Nahuel Molina and Wesley could reclaim the full-back positions. Molina is in line to regain a starting place following the injury to Devyne Rensch, who has suffered a mild muscle lesion to his right adductor and will be out for around three weeks. Gollini, who is struggling with a back problem, remains doubtful. The aim is clear: return to winning immediately after the comeback Roma suffered against Manchester United and close out this demanding phase of the season in the best possible way. A long-awaited break will follow, giving Gasperini time to recover energy and, hopefully, a significant number of injured players. First, though, there are three points to win against Sassuolo, whose coach is Alberto Aquilani. Roma's training session on Thursday was shared by the club on its social channels in a video showing several moments of the session.

Roma return to Serie A on Saturday evening, hosting Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in the eleventh round, the last fixture before the international break. Kickoff is at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November. Sassuolo are coached by former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, and Gasperini's side will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a late comeback against Manchester United in the Champions League. Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, having led 2-0 at half-time through goals from Soulé and Malen before Manchester United completed the turnaround in the second half. In Serie A the mood is far brighter. Roma beat Udinese 5-2 in their last outing and sit third after ten rounds with 24 points, from seven wins and three draws. They have scored 28 and conceded 10, and remain unbeaten in the league this season. Sassuolo, by contrast, are seventeenth with 8 points from ten matches. They arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats and have the worst defence in Serie A. Their last game ended in a 4-2 defeat at the Mapei Stadium to Fiorentina, and they have also lost to Lazio, Como and Frosinone in recent weeks. Gasperini faces an early selection problem in goal. Pierluigi Gollini missed the Manchester United game with a back problem that came up during training, and his condition will be monitored up to the match. If he is ruled out, Devis Vásquez, who started at Old Trafford, will again be in goal. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are expected back in defence, although Ghilardi remains a concrete option after good performances in recent weeks. Molina and Wesley are favoured on the flanks. Devyne Rensch will not be available, having suffered a right adductor injury against Manchester United. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, while the partner alongside him is still open, with Pisilli possibly giving de Roon a rest. Up front, Soulé and Malen look certain to start, with Mora expected to play behind or alongside the Argentine. Koné and Dybala are doubtful, with both hoping to be available at least on the bench. Svilar will certainly miss the game, as he completes his recovery from a stress fracture to his fifth toe and is expected back after the break. Pellegrini is also out, still recovering from the muscle problem he suffered against Slovan Bratislava. Sassuolo are expected to line up in a 4-3-3. Turati is the favourite in goal, protected by a back line of Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé and Doig. Thorstvedt returns in midfield after serving his suspension against Fiorentina, and is expected to be joined by Matic and one of Bakola or Adzic. Up front, Aquilani will rely on his most creative players: Berardi on the right, Laurienté on the opposite flank and Sebastiano Esposito as the central reference point. Leysen, who has a serious knee injury, and Ismaël Koné, who is recovering from a leg fracture, are out for Sassuolo, along with Boloca and Volpato. Roma's head-to-head record at the Olimpico against Sassuolo is strong. Of 12 Serie A meetings played in Rome, Roma have won six, five have ended level and Sassuolo have won just once, a 4-3 victory in March 2023. The most recent meeting was on 10 January 2026, when Roma won 2-0. Overall, including matches in Emilia, the record reads 13 wins for Roma, 9 draws and just 2 wins for Sassuolo. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN and Sky Sport Calcio, and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be announced about an hour before kickoff at 20:45 on Saturday 7 November.

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma must put the sting of their Champions League defeat to Manchester United behind them and refocus on Serie A, when Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Sassuolo are coached by Aquilani, a former Roma player, and are in serious difficulty, although they had impressed earlier in the season with their football and individual quality. It is a test that should not be taken lightly for Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Roma have closed the gap on Inter, moving to within one point of them, but they are four points behind league leaders Lazio. Roma remain without Svilar, Dybala and Koné, as well as Rensch and Pellegrini. Sassuolo will be missing Volpato, Koné, Boloca and Leysen. The match is available to watch on Sky and Dazn, with kickoff time and probable line-ups also confirmed in the build-up to the fixture.

Pierluigi Gollini is set to miss Roma's next match against Sassuolo, with the medical staff unable to resolve his back problem in time, barring a dramatic change. Vásquez, the former Empoli and Milan goalkeeper, is in line to start for the second match running, after the defeat to Manchester United. Koné will not be called up for France, and he is hoping to return to the matchday squad. France play Italy on 12 November and Turkey on 15 November. Zidane's side top the group with ten points, three more than the Azzurri, who can catch them in the head-to-head clash at San Siro. Ndicka will return to the starting lineup in defence. Up front, the attack will be made up of Mora, Soulé and Malen.

Gian Piero Gasperini has put his Roma players in front of the screen to work on their collapses, projecting full-screen replays of the match against Manchester, mistakes included, in intense study sessions. Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico, and the front three is confirmed as Mora, Malen and Soulé. The focus on the Manchester game reflects a wider concern at the club over losing leads and conceding late. Gasperini is using video analysis to show his players exactly where the errors came from, aiming to cure what the headline calls Roma's problem with comebacks against them before the home fixture.

Roma supporter Emanuele has described being refused entry to Old Trafford for the Champions League fixture against Manchester United on Tuesday 3 November, despite holding a valid ticket, and says he was physically removed from the area by stewards. He spoke to Retesport about the experience. According to Emanuele, the Roma fans' march was calm despite setting off late, but once they reached the car parks they were pushed and charged by English police. He said supporters were packed into a space of a few metres, side by side, barely able to breathe, and held in those conditions for about an hour and a half. Groups of only 50 people at a time were allowed through to the entrance, which he said slowed the process further and made the situation harder. "It was an endless wait," he said. It was only after 20:00 Italian time, when the match had already started, that Roma supporters were finally allowed to reach the turnstiles. Emanuele held a ticket for Section 29, close to the stand. While queuing, a steward began shouting in his ears because a fan in front of him could not get his ticket to scan. He explained in English that the fan's phone was flat, so the screen brightness was too low, but that the ticket was valid. After he presented his own ticket and received the green light from the turnstile, he said a steward grabbed him from behind by the neck. Together with another security member, he was dragged away from the stadium with no plausible explanation given. When he asked why he had been removed, he was told he would not be admitted because he had attacked a steward. He immediately asked to see the CCTV footage, given the large number of cameras in the area, but said he was shown nothing. "I was not given any evidence or any concrete explanation," he said. He added that if he had really assaulted a member of security staff, the consequences would have been far more serious, and he would have been arrested. He said that, after speaking to some Italian stewards, he was advised to go to the ticket office, about a kilometre away, to have his ticket checked and validated again. There he was told that, although the ticket was valid, the general management had already decided that, having been identified as a dangerous individual who had attacked a steward, he would not be allowed into the stadium. Emanuele said at least 20 other people were in the same situation outside. Some of them had legitimately bought tickets for the stand next to the away section, which he said was not prohibited in any way. Those fans had got in and taken their seats, but after celebrating Malen's goal they were identified, removed from their seats and thrown out of the stadium. "The reason?" he said. "They were Italian fans and they had cheered a Roma goal."