Roma celebrate Champions League return after seven years

Roma midfielder Rodrigo Mora has been called up to the senior Portugal squad for the first time, earning his first selection with the national team during the international break. Head coach Jorge Jesus included the Roma forward in his list for Portugal's decisive UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. Mora has made a strong start to the season under Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma. The Portugal boss has praised his contribution in the Italian capital, highlighting his impact in attack. Mora has scored and provided assists for Roma this season, and his form has earned him a place in Portugal's plans for the two fixtures. During the squad announcement press conference, Jesus was asked about how Mora might be used tactically, drawing a comparison with João Félix for the role behind the central striker. He said: "They have the qualities to play that position very well." On Mora's time at Roma, Jesus added: "At Roma, Rodrigo has been very involved in the offensive phase, scoring goals and providing assists. He fits perfectly into what I have in mind for these two games." Portugal face Denmark first on 14 November in Braga, before closing their Nations League group three days later, on 17 November, away to Wales in Cardiff. The call-up gives the young Roma talent the chance to make his mark on the international stage.

AS Roma have responded after Retesport broadcast the complaint of a Roma supporter, Emanuele, who said he was mistreated by local authorities and stewards in Manchester during pre-match security checks. Retesport says it gave a voice to the testimony after numerous messages from other Roma fans, received on air and privately, who reported similar alleged abuses outside the stadium. Retesport says it contacted AS Roma before publishing the claims. According to the broadcaster, the club's staff responsible for supporter relations and away-travel logistics worked throughout the evening, both before and during the match, to resolve the problems raised by Emanuele and other supporters in similar situations. The club also followed, up until the morning of 6 November, the case of a Roma fan who was arrested and later released. Retesport presents this as evidence of the club's constant commitment to resolving, where possible, any problem facing supporters travelling with the team. On fans who held tickets for sectors other than the away end and were escorted out of the stadium during the first half, Retesport says it was not possible for them to buy a seat in the stands, as this would have breached the stadium's regulations on use of the venue. Retesport said it acknowledged the club's full availability and willingness to cooperate, which it said the club showed again in this case. However, the broadcaster argues that, more generally, when episodes of this kind occur, the club should be able to take a public position in support of its supporters, because some accounts point to treatment that amounts at the very least to absolute incivility. It also warned that security measures appear excessively restrictive where they risk crossing the line from legitimate public order protection into repression, even if only indirect, against supporters.

Roma supporters will be able to attend the Bologna fixture at the Dall'Ara on 4 December, after the local authorities gave the go-ahead. The basketball match between Virtus Bologna and Partizan Belgrade, originally scheduled for Friday 4 December at 20.30 at the PalaDozza, has been brought forward to Thursday 3 December. The decision was linked to a public order issue and, above all, to the need to avoid a clash with another sporting event in the Emilian city. Tickets for the Roma fixture are not yet on sale. Until the meeting of the Osservatorio, the body overseeing matches, away tickets will remain unavailable. Supporters from the Lazio region will only be able to buy tickets for the away sector, and only if they hold a Roma Fidelity Card. Fans will therefore have to wait a few more days before they can secure a seat, but the club's travelling supporters will be able to be present at the stadium.

Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly chose encouragement over a dressing-room rebuke after Roma's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, according to Andrea Pugliese. Rather than criticising his players, the coach reportedly highlighted what had gone well in the first half, telling his squad in the dressing room: "We dominated." The message was aimed at protecting the group's confidence after Roma conceded their second Champions League comeback. Manu Koné has been left out of France's squad by Zinedine Zidane for the matches against Italy and Turkey. The decision is linked to his physical condition, allowing Roma to manage his recovery without pressure. His availability for the Sassuolo match remains in serious doubt, although Gasperini could still name him on the bench. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Mora has earned a call-up to the senior Portugal squad under Jorge Jesus. The 19-year-old has scored three goals in eight Serie A appearances and provided two assists in the Champions League, a reward for his progress at Roma and his performance against Manchester United. According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are now prepared to consider a temporary transfer for Gittens, having rejected Roma's earlier proposal. Roma had also pursued the English winger during the summer. D'Amico is looking for a quick winger capable of beating his man, and competition for the 2004-born player remains strong. Sassuolo are without two key players. Alberto Aquilani will be missing Berardi, his main attacking reference, and Volpato, the former Roma player, who will miss the return to the Olimpico, both through injury. Sassuolo arrive on a run of four consecutive defeats and have conceded 16 goals. Aquilani, returning to the Olimpico as a coach in a difficult moment, admitted his side's difficulties at his press conference and called for an immediate response. Gollini is still struggling with the back problem that ruled him out before the Manchester trip. Roma's medical staff at Trigoria are evaluating injections as a way to get him back, but the most likely option is that Devis Vásquez starts. Mile Svilar will not return until after the international break.

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.