Roma accelerates contract renewal talks with Dybala, Pellegrini and Çelik

Roma have begun planning reinforcements for the January transfer window and have set their sights on Daniel Banjaqui, a 2008-born right-back at Benfica considered one of Europe's most promising young talents in his position. The interest comes as the club looks ahead to both immediate needs and longer-term recruitment options. Banjaqui has already attracted attention from several clubs, including Juventus, according to German transfer outlet Transfersfeed. The move would form part of Roma's broader strategy to strengthen the squad in the coming window, with ambitious signings under consideration beyond their existing targets.

Roma have identified Daniel Banjaqui, a 18-year-old right-back at Benfica, as a potential transfer target, according to German outlet Transfersfeed. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini stated ahead of Roma's match against Real Madrid: "Now the January market does not interest me", with reference to forward Endrick, who is expected to remain at the Spanish club. Roma's move for Banjaqui comes as the club considers alternative objectives across different positions. Juventus are also monitoring the teenager among several European sides tracking him. Banjaqui remains contracted to Benfica until 2031 with a release clause set at €45 million, though a transfer could potentially be negotiated for around €35 million. Roma have undertaken only preliminary information-gathering through intermediaries at this stage, with no concrete negotiations underway. The club are also watching developments in Portugal across two fronts: alongside Banjaqui at Benfica, Roma are tracking Porto right-winger William Gomes, a 20-year-old left-footed player. Gomes carries a substantial release clause of €80 million in his current Porto contract, which expires in 2031. The clause is expected to rise to €100 million following an imminent contract renewal with the Portuguese club. Neither pursuit represents an active negotiation at present.

José Mourinho has issued a clear warning to clubs pursuing Endrick ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League fixture against Roma on Tuesday. The Real Madrid manager said: "Whoever wants to take him in January will have to go over me and fight me." Mourinho doubled down on his determination to keep the Brazilian forward, stating: "Endrick is not going anywhere, I adore him. He is very strong and will help us. Loans are not needed, Endrick will explode here at Madrid." The comments represent a significant setback for Roma, who have continued to monitor the 2006-born forward ahead of the January transfer window. The Giallorossi had come close to signing Endrick on loan during the summer before Mourinho intervened to retain him at the Bernabéu. Interest has resurfaced because of the limited playing time Endrick has received at the start of this season, prompting Roma and other European clubs to renew their pursuit. Mourinho's latest stance suggests he plans to block any departure attempt again, convinced he can revive Endrick's form directly at Madrid. When asked in a press conference today whether he might use his encounter with Mourinho to discuss Endrick, Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini smiled but deflected the question. Gasperini said: "Right now the January market is something that doesn't interest me." For Roma to realistically pursue Endrick in January, they will first need to persuade Real Madrid and overcome Mourinho's clear resistance to letting the player leave.

Roma host Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday 14 October at 21:00 in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League League Phase. The fixture marks the return to Rome of José Mourinho, now managing Real Madrid. Roma drew 1–1 away at Fenerbahçe in their opening European match and arrive on the back of a goalless draw against Como in Serie A, played for much of it with 10 men after Donyell Malen's red card. Real Madrid beat Inter 2–1 at home in their Champions League debut and won 1–0 at Villarreal in La Liga. Gian Piero Gasperini's squad is without Mile Svilar, sidelined by a foot problem that will keep him out for several weeks. Pierluigi Gollini will continue in goal after a solid performance against Como, with Devis Vásquez added to the Champions League squad list. Bryan Cristante is also unavailable; Gasperini explained in his press conference that "the midfielder will need more time because of the knee problem". Konstantinos Koulierakis has returned to full training with the squad after his injury and trained with the players who did not start against Como, though it remains uncertain whether he will be used. In defence, competition is open among Balerdi, Mancini and Hermoso, with Evan N'Dicka the most secure of his place. Balerdi is pushing for a starting role following recent strong displays. Gasperini may select the trio Mancini–N'Dicka–Hermoso or field Balerdi from the start. Wesley is certain on one flank, while on the opposite side Nahuel Molina has a slight edge over Devyne Rensch and Emanuele Lulli. Marten de Roon is expected to partner Manu Koné in midfield in Cristante's absence. Paulo Dybala and Malen are both expected to start, with Malen eligible to play in the competition despite his Serie A suspension. Matías Soulé is slightly favoured over Rodrigo Mora to complete the front line. Roma are expected to deploy a 3–4–2–1 with Dybala and Soulé behind Malen. Real Madrid travel with a rich squad but several absences: Rodrygo, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Raúl Asencio have not been called up due to injury. Those who departed for Rome include Rüdiger, Huijsen, Konaté, Alexander-Arnold, Dumfries, Valverde, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius and Mbappé. Andriy Lunin will start in goal. Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries are competing for the right-back role, with Konaté and Huijsen slight favourites at centre-back alongside Rüdiger as an alternative. Cucurella is expected to start at left-back. Valverde and Tchouaméni form the midfield base with Jude Bellingham higher up; Arda Güler is favoured on the right wing, Vinicius starts on the left and Kylian Mbappé leads the line after scoring in the Inter match. Referee François Letexier of France will oversee the match, with Dennis Higler of the Netherlands as VAR. The match will be broadcast exclusively in Italy on Amazon Prime Video, with coverage beginning at 21:00 on Wednesday 14 October. The commentary is provided by Sandro Piccinini with analysis by Massimo Ambrosini. Betting odds favour Real Madrid, with Roma victory quoted at 3.60–3.80, a draw between 3.75–4.10, and a Real Madrid win at 1.83–1.85. Over 1.5 goals is priced around 1.40–1.50, reflecting both teams' attacking potential. An away win of 1–2 for Real Madrid is quoted at 8.50–9.00 and is regarded as the most likely scoreline by several pre-match analyses.

DAZN's BordoCam coverage revealed multiple flashpoints from Sunday's match at San Siro between Como and Roma, from a mysterious exchange between the two coaches before kickoff to the controversial dismissal of Donyell Malen in the second half. Gasperini and Como manager Fabregas embraced before the match and spoke briefly, with Fabregas making a request of the Roma boss. "In a future," Fabregas said. "That's fine," Gasperini replied. The first half saw a heated duel between Jacobo Ramón and Gianluca Mancini after Paulo Dybala set up the Roma defender's overlap; Ramón responded with a forceful shoulder-to-shoulder challenge and excessive celebration. Later, a clash involving Manu Koné, Como's Perrone and Nico Paz saw Koné foul his opponent, prompting the midfielder to tell Paz in Spanish: "How is that a foul on me? Be quiet, calm down." After Marten de Roon's violent contact with Como's Butez—which the referee had already whistled for offside—Gasperini gave an ironic half-smile before turning to the bench and shouting "What is this?" The opening half's most explosive moment came from the Wesley–Diao contact. Fabregas erupted in protest; Diao was cautioned for dissent, and Como director Ludi and captain Da Cunha joined the complaints. Referee Fabbri explained in the tunnel: "It's an involuntary crossing of legs." He then told Ludi and Ramón: "He even tries not to take him." In the 53rd minute, Malen was sent off following a prolonged shirt-hold by Ramón that went undetected. Fabbri immediately showed red; Malen's disbelief was matched by Gasperini, who ran ironically along the bench. "He's ruined a match, you can't ruin a match like this, he got the ball first," Gasperini said. His assistant Gritti acknowledged: "If he whistles earlier, it's all over"—a view Malen conveyed to fourth official Sozza on his way off. Gasperini had Santiago Castro ready to replace Paulo Dybala after the expulsion, but Dybala performed well with his heading play and the substitution never came.

Angelo Di Livio has criticized Roma for wasting another significant opportunity in their match at Como. Speaking to Retesport, the former player said: "The Roma threw away another big chance at Como, I saw a really good team. If the giallorossi had gone ahead they would have won the match. In the second half not even a pin could pass through. In the first half the giallorossi team deserved to go ahead but once again they were not clinical in front of goal. Winning at Como would have been a great result, so this is not good." Di Livio highlighted Roma's finishing as the key problem, particularly after a missed opportunity by Paulo Dybala. He stated: "If Dybala doesn't score, Malen becomes a problem. I don't want to criticize the Argentine for the missed goal at Como, but the team lost another big chance because in the first half they could have been ahead." He suggested tactical changes for the second half, saying he would have played long balls to Santiago Castro instead of keeping Dybala on the pitch. Di Livio also questioned the management of Rodrigo Mora and Castro, noting that Castro will play against Genoa but expressing concern about his fitness given limited playing time. On Lorenzo Pellegrini's performance, he offered praise: "He played an important match, he got into the thick of the action and almost scored. He gave a good signal, like all the others who hadn't played much such as De Roon and Gollini."

Angelo Di Livio has criticized Roma for wasting another significant opportunity in their match at Como. Speaking to Retesport, the former player said: "The Roma threw away another big chance at Como, I saw a really good team. If the giallorossi had gone ahead they would have won the match. In the second half not even a pin could pass through. In the first half the giallorossi team deserved to go ahead but once again they were not clinical in front of goal. Winning at Como would have been a great result, so this is not good." Di Livio highlighted Roma's finishing as the key problem, particularly after a missed opportunity by Paulo Dybala. He stated: "If Dybala doesn't score, Malen becomes a problem. I don't want to criticize the Argentine for the missed goal at Como, but the team lost another big chance because in the first half they could have been ahead." He suggested tactical changes for the second half, saying he would have played long balls to Santiago Castro instead of keeping Dybala on the pitch. Di Livio also questioned the management of Rodrigo Mora and Castro, noting that Castro will play against Genoa but expressing concern about his fitness given limited playing time. On Lorenzo Pellegrini's performance, he offered praise: "He played an important match, he got into the thick of the action and almost scored. He gave a good signal, like all the others who hadn't played much such as De Roon and Gollini."

Mario Somma praised Roma's performance in the Como match, describing it as further evidence the side are becoming a major force. Como began with organised pressing to disrupt Roma's game, but the visitors imposed their football and won the tactical battle as the home side dropped deeper. "This means they are becoming a great squad," Somma said on Retesport. On Paulo Dybala's display, Somma was upbeat despite a missed chance. "He provided an important performance in intensity, running and work rate. It's normal that when you have to be decisive technically you can be less sharp. I don't recall a Dybala so willing to work for the team. I'm not worried — I believe at the end of the season the numbers will arrive." Pierluigi Gollini received praise for his goalkeeping: "He had a very good match, was calm in goal. I've known him for many years and Sunday he showed he's a great goalkeeper." On Lorenzo Pellegrini and Gasperini's approach, Somma offered analysis of the manager's thinking. "Pellegrini has Bellingham-like qualities. He reached important numbers at a crucial point in his career without playing for Real Madrid but in a mediocre Roma. At Como he played a containing role and created a crossbar. I think it's normal Gasperini is trying to recover him — on the attacking midfield line, long-term, he can deliver more goals than Mora and Soulé on the left wing." Somma also contrasted the midfield pair: De Roon "runs after everyone," while Cristante is "more a preventing midfielder who thinks a lot." Somma concluded by noting Roma's ability to contain with quality — as demonstrated at Como — could have been replicated in their home fixture with Inter, which the article implies did not occur.

Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy Roma's full attacking quality against Real Madrid, eschewing caution in favour of an open tactical approach that reflects his philosophy of competing through football rather than speculation. The manager drew confidence from Roma's draw at Como despite playing with ten men, and intends to harness the energy of the Olimpico crowd against the defending European champions. Gasperini's last meeting with Real Madrid came on 10 December 2024, when leading Atalanta to a 2–3 defeat in an entertaining, wide-open contest. Matías Soulé, who came off the bench at Como with positive impact, is set for a starting place. Paulo Dybala completed the league match with a hand injury but instrumental checks ruled out serious damage; he will feature from the first minute. Donyell Malen, suspended for Roma's next Serie A fixture against Genoa following his red card at Como, sees the Real Madrid match as a major opportunity for redemption. The formation will be a 3–4–2–1 capable of switching to an aggressive 3–4–1–2, with Marten de Roon and Manu Koné forming the midfield shield and Emanuele Lulli and Wesley operating on the flanks. Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini are lower in the pecking order for this fixture but available as replacements. Santiago Castro is also primed to feature either in the Champions League or the subsequent Serie A matches against Genoa and Napoli. Gasperini's approach mirrors the guidance offered by his fellow manager: "Advance and do not change according to your opponent." In European competition, teams that play defensively and seek a result against elite opponents typically fare poorly; attacking with courage and imposing play remains the surest path to avoiding being overwhelmed.

Roma's full-backs have become a cornerstone of Gian Piero Gasperini's push to the top of Serie A, a marked shift from last season when they proved problematic. Wesley and Nahuel Molina are now among the club's key strengths, and both will start when Roma resume the league campaign against Como, where they will face manager Fabregas. The turnaround reflects Gasperini's tactical evolution since arriving at the club: in his first season, Wesley was the only defender fully convincing on the flanks, while Zeki Çelik had to make do elsewhere. Now the picture is entirely different. Gasperini has uncovered Emanuele Lulli in the course of the season, and Molina has gradually built his fitness, delivering quality and assists to Roma's attacking phase. For the Como fixture, Gasperini plans to deploy Molina on the right and Wesley on the left. The selection reflects not just Roma's attacking ambitions but also Gasperini's defensive strategy: by using two attacking full-backs, he aims to stretch Como's wide players—Baturina on one flank and Diao on the other—and occupy them throughout the match. Wesley, the more naturally offensive of the pair, will be tasked with driving forward and supporting the build-up play. Molina is likely to carry greater defensive responsibility, balancing his own contributions with the need to contain Como's threats on the wing.

Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy Nahuel Molina and Wesley as twin wingers in Roma's visit to Como, harnessing simultaneous attacking thrust down both flanks to counter Cesc Fabregas's side. With Molina fully recovered and Wesley in continued form, Roma will field two genuine wide operators capable of delivering width, high pressing and chances for the attacking midfielders. The tactical choice targets Como's possession-based play built around Baturina and Diao's unpredictability; Molina and Wesley are instructed to close down Como's wide references and attacking midfielders immediately, forcing them away from build-up play into long balls. In possession, the overlapping runs of Molina and Wesley will create lateral chains with Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, opening space for crosses and inside passes. Last season Roma's right wing relied solely on Wesley alongside the converted Zeki Çelik, but the club now possesses one of Serie A's strongest selections of wide midfielders. Gasperini's side has already created thirteen goalscoring actions from wide midfielders this season—second in the league behind Inter's fourteen. Wesley leads with seven goal contributions, followed by Molina on four and eighteen-year-old Emanuele Lulli, an academy product promoted to the first team, who has added two decisive contributions and demonstrates the depth of alternatives available on the flanks. A key feature of Gasperini's system is the tactical flexibility of both players. Wesley and Molina can interchange wings during matches without loss of effectiveness, alternating deep play and crosses with cuts inside on their stronger foot to link with the attacking midfielders. This constant switching prevents opposing defences from finding fixed reference points and allows Roma to vary attacking approaches throughout the game.

Zeki Çelik produced a costly error in Turkey's match against Italy in Bursa, clearing a corner kick directly to Alessandro Bastoni, who opened the scoring for the Azzurri. Italy dominated the fixture in a redemptive performance after losing to Belgium on Friday. Çelik's mistake was immediately seized upon by social media users, with Roma supporters among those criticising the defender's display. One Roma fan wrote: "La spazza Celik" (Çelik the sweeper), while others joked about whether a 'Çelik-cam' video would emerge—a reference to footage released by DAZN following Çelik's first friendly for Juventus. The Turkish international has endured a difficult start to his spell in Serie A, facing criticism not only from Roma fans but also from his country's supporters.