Real Madrid's Valverde ruled out for Roma clash on 14 October after ankle injury

Gian Piero Gasperini surprised his Roma players in the Old Trafford dressing room after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, choosing reassurance over a angry tirade despite Roma having let a two-goal lead slip. According to journalist Andrea Pugliese, speaking on Radio Radio, Gasperini avoided any hunt for culprits and instead highlighted the quality of Roma's performance in the first half of the match. Pugliese reported that Gasperini told his players after the final whistle: "We dominated," urging them not to forget how much good they had built against a high-level opponent. The message aimed to turn the disappointment into motivation. It was a significant choice, especially after Roma suffered their second comeback in the Champions League, coming just weeks after the one against Real Madrid. The approach matches what Gasperini said publicly after the game. He said: "This team perhaps needs to take off the pressure of the result at all costs. This match matters to us more than the others." Gasperini appears keen to protect his players' confidence without ignoring the mistakes that were made. The real test now comes on the pitch, with the trip to face Sassuolo the first chance to show whether the coach's words have helped Roma move on from the disappointment of Manchester.

Roma's away trip to Paris Saint-Germain on 25 November is already being viewed as a high-risk fixture, following the trouble around the club's trip to Manchester. Roma are due to face PSG in the Champions League in France on 25 November. The Manchester trip was an ordeal for many of the 3,000 Roma supporters who travelled to Old Trafford. Il Messaggero reports that many fans complained of appalling treatment by English police. Four arrests were made, but those detained were released and returned to Italy. The situation is not expected to improve for the Paris match, which Gasperini's side will play as guests of PSG in what is billed as a super-clash. The main concern is the friendship between PSG's ultras and Napoli's supporters, which carries with it a rivalry with Roma's fans.

Matheus Cunha has stirred fresh tension with Roma fans after posting a one-word comment under a message from Leonardo Balerdi, just hours after Roma's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Balerdi had used Instagram to voice his regret after a difficult evening, largely marked by the error leading to Cunha's own goal for the 2-2 equaliser, which preceded the Red Devils' comeback. Among the many messages of support Balerdi received, Cunha wrote: "Crack.", followed by a full stop. The comment could be read as a compliment, but given what happened on the pitch, many Giallorossi supporters took it as a provocation. Cunha had also been at the centre of the tense closing stages of the match, which ended early for him after a second yellow card, and he had already irritated Roma supporters with his conduct on the touchline. Roma fans reacted quickly on social media, with many replying directly to the Brazilian and strongly criticising his intervention under Balerdi's post. The bitter night in Manchester is clearly still causing repercussions well beyond the pitch.