Roma complete first training session of season with return of classic crest

Pierluigi Gollini delivered a composed first response to Mile Svilar's month-long absence at Como, removing much of the initial anxiety that gripped Roma when their first-choice goalkeeper suffered injury on the eve of a demanding fixture run. After Donyell Malen's red card complicated the match, Gollini proved the quality of his understudy role through work outside the box—four interventions rooted in tactical positioning and timing, hallmarks of Svilar's own play. He did not need to be Svilar; he needed to ensure Roma did not feel his absence too acutely. He achieved that. Gollini arrives at the hardest test without having erased Svilar from memory but having quietened the doubts that surfaced when the injury news broke and observers began scanning the calendar. He spent the summer months waiting, training, and preparing for moments exactly like Como. "The years pass and with strong goalkeepers it happens that you stay on the bench," he said. The match itself proved instructive: "During the game I felt good, I managed to enter an optimal state and felt fairly fluid. Of course, mental state makes the difference." His readiness now carries weight beyond a single fixture. Wednesday brings the definitive examination: Real Madrid visit the Olimpico. Gollini takes that platform having done what was required—held the line while Svilar recovers, and reminded Roma that some contingencies are well in place.

Donyell Malen's straight red card in the 53rd minute at Como will force Roma to reshape their attack for the next fixture. Malen was sent off by referee Michael Fabbri after a sliding challenge on Kaiki; the Dutch forward touched the ball but the high foot and the dangerous nature of the tackle prompted the immediate dismissal. The VAR did not intervene. Under FIGC regulations, a direct red does not automatically mean two matches out. The sporting code establishes a minimum one-match ban, unless the Judge escalates the sanction based on the incident's nature and the referee's written report. In Malen's case, the most likely outcome is a one-match suspension. The challenge has been classified as a serious foul play within a contest for the ball, a crucial distinction from violent conduct, which would carry a minimum three-match ban. Serious unsporting behaviour carries a two-match minimum, but the circumstances at Como and subsequent analysis do not currently point in that direction. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini defended Malen in his post-match comments, emphasising the absence of intent and stressing that Malen was challenging for the ball. Gasperini criticised an evaluation based excessively on individual stills. The Sports Judge will issue the final ruling in an official statement. Barring surprises in Fabbri's report, Malen should receive only a one-match suspension, which would keep him out of Roma–Genoa on Saturday 17 October and free him for the subsequent away league fixture against Napoli. Losing one of the team's most important forwards at this stage of the season is a heavy blow for Gasperini, but the prospect of a longer ban appears reduced based on the incident's dynamics and the regulations.

Roma faced Como at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in the Serie A sixth round. Paulo Dybala was central to the match, hitting a straightforward chance that went straight to goalkeeper Butez. After Donyell Malen's red card, Dybala took control of Roma's attack and earned Gasperini's confidence, though the coach later revealed he had nearly substituted the Argentine for Santiago Castro before changing his mind. Gasperini had already called Castro to warm up and remove his bib ahead of Malen's dismissal. Once Malen was sent off, the coach reconsidered and kept Dybala on the pitch. Speaking after the match, Gasperini explained: "I believe Dybala was extraordinary once we were down to ten in the second half, clearing difficult situations. He convinced me as we went along: he began to pull in several balls, giving us breathing room and chances to break out. He was the one most penalised because he had to operate between Como's two centre-backs, but he did it with great intelligence and quality as a true footballer." Dybala was substituted in the 88th minute, replaced by Emanuele Lulli to add greater compactness to the side in the closing stages.

Roma drew 0–0 at Como in a match defined by defensive solidity and late controversy. The result left Gasperini visibly satisfied, celebrating what he saw as exemplary rearguard work in a tense final phase at the Sinigaglia. The fixture marked Roma's first outing without Svilar; Gollini stepped in to keep a clean sheet. Dybala operated as both ball-carrier and offensive organiser, helping Roma nullify Como's threat. The match turned when Donyell Malen was sent off after being pulled back by Como's Ramon; that dismissal fundamentally reshaped the contest. Referee Fabbri was forced off injured at the 80th minute and replaced by Sozza, with ten minutes plus seven minutes of added time remaining. Roma's capacity to grind out a result away from home reflects progress under Gasperini's charge. The squad showed it could suffer and settle for a draw when circumstances demanded it. Exiting Sinigaglia unscathed holds weight in the current campaign. In the standings, Roma remain in contention but have ceded top place to Inter, who are attempting to pull clear; Lazio continue to surprise and stay within reach. Aleksandro Angeloni, writing in Il Messaggero, noted that Roma became monolithic in the final twenty minutes, with Como offering their most threatening play only during that same spell. The opening forty minutes proved less eventful. Gasperini displayed what was described as a spontaneous and almost cathartic display of joy at the final whistle. Wesley's red card in the previous season—also under referee Fabbri—had similarly influenced match dynamics. The parallel underscored how refereeing decisions and personnel shape outcomes when margins are narrow.

Roma drew 0–0 with Como in a match that offered little evidence either side can challenge Inter this season. The result was the first goalless draw of the 2026–27 Serie A campaign, arriving at the 54th fixture of the year. Gasperini's side remained unbeaten but offered a defensive, cautious display that bore no resemblance to the attacking football both teams had shown earlier in the season. The match turned on the dismissal of Donyell Malen in the second half for a foul on Kaiki, leaving Roma to defend for long periods with ten men. Gasperini celebrated the final whistle, but his mood shifted afterward when discussing the sending-off. "If you freeze the frame it is evident," he said of Malen's challenge, "but this takes us back to what has been a damage to football in our years." Roma will face fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday's fixture against Genoa, managed by former Roma boss Daniele De Rossi. Mile Svilar is sidelined, and the club's main striker—for whom supporters fear a two-match ban—will also be unavailable. Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, visit the Olimpico on Wednesday. Arbitro Fabbri's management defined the contest. For half an hour he made no calls, missing contact between Wesley and Diao, before suddenly beginning to issue cards freely. Six yellow cards were shown in total—matching the combined number of shots on target both teams managed across the entire match. The draw benefited Lazio, who will have taken satisfaction from Como and Roma's failure to close the gap on the Serie A leaders.

Roma drew 0–0 at Como on 11 October, securing a fourth consecutive clean sheet and maintaining their away record unbeaten, though Inter's victory means Gian Piero Gasperini's side have slipped from top place. The match turned at the 54th minute when Donyell Malen was sent off by referee Fabbri for a dangerous, high challenge on Como's Kukki. The red card appeared to follow a frustration stemming from an earlier unpenalised foul by Ramon on Malen that had broken the Roma forward's rhythm. Despite playing more than 35 minutes with ten men, Roma's defence proved immovable, led by Evan N'Dicka in an outstanding display and backed by Pierluigi Gollini, named man of the match, whose decisive saves kept Como at bay. Gazzetta dello Sport's analysis found the expulsion unquestionable for its severity, but questioned the refereeing context: Fabbri had failed to sanction Ramon's clear hold on Malen moments before, instead only making a note in his book. The second-half draw marks a notable pattern. This is Roma's second expulsion in three seasonal dismissals at the Sinigaglia—Wesley was sent off there last season. Como have benefited from seven red cards in the Serie A, a shared record, reflecting the intensity and pressure they exert at home. The match delivered dense tactical content and controversy despite the absence of goals between two of the league's most attacking teams. Roma's focus now turns to a significant Champions League fixture against Real Madrid.