Roma eye favourable run starting at Udinese as Gasperini plots course

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00, in Serie A matchday 10. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrive after a 4-2 win over Cagliari that moved them into third place with 21 points. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a 0-0 draw at Parma, but have not scored in three matches and have collected just five points from their first nine games. Runiajc has confirmed the absences of Solet, Bayo, Zanoli and Alaba. Okoye is expected in goal, with Abankwah, Kabasele and Palma in the back three and Vojvoda and Kamara on the flanks. Karlstrom is set to anchor midfield alongside either Zarraga or Piotrowski, while Zaniolo and Ekkelenkamp support Davis up front. Bertola has recovered from injury. Gueye is also unavailable for the hosts. Roma are without Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala, who has not been included in the squad. Gollini keeps his place in goal. Gasperini is expected to rotate heavily in defence, with Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso favoured, while Mancini and N'Dicka are initially set to rest. Lulli and Wesley will operate on the flanks, with Cristante and Pisilli in midfield and De Roon given a breather. Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Malen are confirmed up front. Both teams line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, via the DAZN app on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers, and on the DAZN 1 channel for satellite subscribers who have activated the option. There is no live coverage on the traditional Sky Sport channels. Kick-off is at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October. Bookmakers make Roma clear favourites. Udinese are priced between 5.50 and 5.70, a draw between 4.20 and 4.50, and a Roma win between 1.52 and 1.57. Market probabilities give Roma around a 60% chance of victory. Bookmakers also expect goals, with Over 2.5 favoured over Under, and Goal offered at a relatively low price. Roma have the second-best attack in the league. The most likely correct score is a 1-2 Roma win, priced around 7.00-7.50, ahead of 1-1, 0-1 and 0-2. The referee is Fabio Maresca of Napoli, with assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi L., Daniele Chiffi as fourth official, Daniele Paterna as VAR and Gianluca Aureliano as AVAR.

Roma head to Udine tomorrow to face Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad list released in the afternoon. Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala are absent, all already announced as unavailable. Young Roma players Di Nunzio and Camara have been called up again. The match comes at a delicate moment, as Roma must deal with fatigue on top of the injury absences. Ghilardi starts at centre-back from the first minute in place of Gianluca Mancini. In attack, Mora and Soulé operate behind Donyell Malen in the trequartista area. Udinese coach Kosta Runjaic spoke at his pre-match press conference: "Roma are fighting for the scudetto. They are strong, but we don't set off without hope. Davis and Zaniolo are not at 100% but they will play."

Bookmaker odds from all the major operators have been published ahead of Udinese vs Roma, according to Forzaroma.info's preview of the match. The article is headlined around the prediction and odds, with the prices from every bookmaker set out for the fixture. The piece sits alongside a cluster of Roma news from the same day. Ahead of the trip to Udine, Roma's probable line-up has been reported: Mora and Soulé are set to play behind Malen, with Ghilardi starting from the first minute. Balerdi, Castro, Soulé and Molina were pictured travelling to Udine on the flight, with the Argentine group playing cards on the journey. Elsewhere in the same news cycle, Italiano spoke about Castro after his goal against Genoa, saying: "Against Genoa a goal from a champion. In training he invented them." Runjaic also commented on Roma, stating: "Roma are fighting for the scudetto. Zaniolo is not at 100% but he will play." Separately, Brussels prosecutors have asked for two years in prison for former Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan on drug trafficking charges.

Roma's defensive solidity has become the hallmark of Gian Piero Gasperini's side, and it is the main reason they remain among the few unbeaten teams in Serie A. Despite some scares in recent matches against Napoli and Cagliari, the numbers speak for themselves: Roma have the second-best defence in Serie A, conceding just eight goals in nine matchdays. The key, according to Il Romanista, is the depth of the back line, which can count on six reliable centre-backs ready to rotate. Leonardo Balerdi has established himself immediately, while Daniele Ghilardi is growing noticeably and has become the natural heir to Gianluca Mancini. Mario Hermoso, Evan N'Dicka and Konstantinos Koulierakis provide continuity and security. The defence does more than protect the goal: it is also a threat going forward, as the goals from Balerdi and Hermoso and the attacking runs designed by Gasperini show. With that spirit, and with N'Dicka set to return to the heart of the defence at Udine, where he has already left good memories, Roma are ready to write another important chapter of their season.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00, in Serie A matchday 10. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrive after a 4-2 win over Cagliari that moved them into third place with 21 points. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a 0-0 draw at Parma, but have not scored in three matches and have collected just five points from their first nine games. Runiajc has confirmed the absences of Solet, Bayo, Zanoli and Alaba. Okoye is expected in goal, with Abankwah, Kabasele and Palma in the back three and Vojvoda and Kamara on the flanks. Karlstrom is set to anchor midfield alongside either Zarraga or Piotrowski, while Zaniolo and Ekkelenkamp support Davis up front. Bertola has recovered from injury. Gueye is also unavailable for the hosts. Roma are without Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala, who has not been included in the squad. Gollini keeps his place in goal. Gasperini is expected to rotate heavily in defence, with Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso favoured, while Mancini and N'Dicka are initially set to rest. Lulli and Wesley will operate on the flanks, with Cristante and Pisilli in midfield and De Roon given a breather. Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Malen are confirmed up front. Both teams line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, via the DAZN app on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers, and on the DAZN 1 channel for satellite subscribers who have activated the option. There is no live coverage on the traditional Sky Sport channels. Kick-off is at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October. Bookmakers make Roma clear favourites. Udinese are priced between 5.50 and 5.70, a draw between 4.20 and 4.50, and a Roma win between 1.52 and 1.57. Market probabilities give Roma around a 60% chance of victory. Bookmakers also expect goals, with Over 2.5 favoured over Under, and Goal offered at a relatively low price. Roma have the second-best attack in the league. The most likely correct score is a 1-2 Roma win, priced around 7.00-7.50, ahead of 1-1, 0-1 and 0-2. The referee is Fabio Maresca of Napoli, with assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi L., Daniele Chiffi as fourth official, Daniele Paterna as VAR and Gianluca Aureliano as AVAR.

Roma head to Udine tomorrow to face Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, with Gian Piero Gasperini's squad list released in the afternoon. Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala are absent, all already announced as unavailable. Young Roma players Di Nunzio and Camara have been called up again. The match comes at a delicate moment, as Roma must deal with fatigue on top of the injury absences. Ghilardi starts at centre-back from the first minute in place of Gianluca Mancini. In attack, Mora and Soulé operate behind Donyell Malen in the trequartista area. Udinese coach Kosta Runjaic spoke at his pre-match press conference: "Roma are fighting for the scudetto. They are strong, but we don't set off without hope. Davis and Zaniolo are not at 100% but they will play."

Roma's defensive solidity has become the hallmark of Gian Piero Gasperini's side, and it is the main reason they remain among the few unbeaten teams in Serie A. Despite some scares in recent matches against Napoli and Cagliari, the numbers speak for themselves: Roma have the second-best defence in Serie A, conceding just eight goals in nine matchdays. The key, according to Il Romanista, is the depth of the back line, which can count on six reliable centre-backs ready to rotate. Leonardo Balerdi has established himself immediately, while Daniele Ghilardi is growing noticeably and has become the natural heir to Gianluca Mancini. Mario Hermoso, Evan N'Dicka and Konstantinos Koulierakis provide continuity and security. The defence does more than protect the goal: it is also a threat going forward, as the goals from Balerdi and Hermoso and the attacking runs designed by Gasperini show. With that spirit, and with N'Dicka set to return to the heart of the defence at Udine, where he has already left good memories, Roma are ready to write another important chapter of their season.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00, in Serie A matchday 10. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrive after a 4-2 win over Cagliari that moved them into third place with 21 points. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a 0-0 draw at Parma, but have not scored in three matches and have collected just five points from their first nine games. Runiajc has confirmed the absences of Solet, Bayo, Zanoli and Alaba. Okoye is expected in goal, with Abankwah, Kabasele and Palma in the back three and Vojvoda and Kamara on the flanks. Karlstrom is set to anchor midfield alongside either Zarraga or Piotrowski, while Zaniolo and Ekkelenkamp support Davis up front. Bertola has recovered from injury. Gueye is also unavailable for the hosts. Roma are without Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala, who has not been included in the squad. Gollini keeps his place in goal. Gasperini is expected to rotate heavily in defence, with Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso favoured, while Mancini and N'Dicka are initially set to rest. Lulli and Wesley will operate on the flanks, with Cristante and Pisilli in midfield and De Roon given a breather. Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Malen are confirmed up front. Both teams line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, via the DAZN app on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers, and on the DAZN 1 channel for satellite subscribers who have activated the option. There is no live coverage on the traditional Sky Sport channels. Kick-off is at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October. Bookmakers make Roma clear favourites. Udinese are priced between 5.50 and 5.70, a draw between 4.20 and 4.50, and a Roma win between 1.52 and 1.57. Market probabilities give Roma around a 60% chance of victory. Bookmakers also expect goals, with Over 2.5 favoured over Under, and Goal offered at a relatively low price. Roma have the second-best attack in the league. The most likely correct score is a 1-2 Roma win, priced around 7.00-7.50, ahead of 1-1, 0-1 and 0-2. The referee is Fabio Maresca of Napoli, with assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi L., Daniele Chiffi as fourth official, Daniele Paterna as VAR and Gianluca Aureliano as AVAR.

Bookmaker odds from all the major operators have been published ahead of Udinese vs Roma, according to Forzaroma.info's preview of the match. The article is headlined around the prediction and odds, with the prices from every bookmaker set out for the fixture. The piece sits alongside a cluster of Roma news from the same day. Ahead of the trip to Udine, Roma's probable line-up has been reported: Mora and Soulé are set to play behind Malen, with Ghilardi starting from the first minute. Balerdi, Castro, Soulé and Molina were pictured travelling to Udine on the flight, with the Argentine group playing cards on the journey. Elsewhere in the same news cycle, Italiano spoke about Castro after his goal against Genoa, saying: "Against Genoa a goal from a champion. In training he invented them." Runjaic also commented on Roma, stating: "Roma are fighting for the scudetto. Zaniolo is not at 100% but he will play." Separately, Brussels prosecutors have asked for two years in prison for former Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan on drug trafficking charges.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00, in Serie A matchday 10. Gian Piero Gasperini's side arrive after a 4-2 win over Cagliari that moved them into third place with 21 points. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a 0-0 draw at Parma, but have not scored in three matches and have collected just five points from their first nine games. Runiajc has confirmed the absences of Solet, Bayo, Zanoli and Alaba. Okoye is expected in goal, with Abankwah, Kabasele and Palma in the back three and Vojvoda and Kamara on the flanks. Karlstrom is set to anchor midfield alongside either Zarraga or Piotrowski, while Zaniolo and Ekkelenkamp support Davis up front. Bertola has recovered from injury. Gueye is also unavailable for the hosts. Roma are without Svilar, Koné, Pellegrini and Dybala, who has not been included in the squad. Gollini keeps his place in goal. Gasperini is expected to rotate heavily in defence, with Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso favoured, while Mancini and N'Dicka are initially set to rest. Lulli and Wesley will operate on the flanks, with Cristante and Pisilli in midfield and De Roon given a breather. Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Malen are confirmed up front. Both teams line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, via the DAZN app on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers, and on the DAZN 1 channel for satellite subscribers who have activated the option. There is no live coverage on the traditional Sky Sport channels. Kick-off is at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October. Bookmakers make Roma clear favourites. Udinese are priced between 5.50 and 5.70, a draw between 4.20 and 4.50, and a Roma win between 1.52 and 1.57. Market probabilities give Roma around a 60% chance of victory. Bookmakers also expect goals, with Over 2.5 favoured over Under, and Goal offered at a relatively low price. Roma have the second-best attack in the league. The most likely correct score is a 1-2 Roma win, priced around 7.00-7.50, ahead of 1-1, 0-1 and 0-2. The referee is Fabio Maresca of Napoli, with assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi L., Daniele Chiffi as fourth official, Daniele Paterna as VAR and Gianluca Aureliano as AVAR.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named a 22-man squad for Roma's trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Stadium, in Serie A matchday 10. Paulo Dybala will miss the match, as the coach had already indicated, while young players Di Nunzio and Camara are included. The goalkeepers are Vasquez, De Marzi and Gollini. The defenders are Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora, and the forwards are Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The kit colours have also been confirmed. Roma will play in their traditional red first shirt, while the goalkeeper will wear yellow. The Giallorossi players on the bench will wear blue bibs. The match in Friuli is Roma's last league fixture before the European trip against Manchester United, scheduled for 3 November. Former Roma and Udinese midfielder Stefano Desideri spoke to Romanews on the eve of the match, analysing Roma's current form and their prospects for the rest of the season. Desideri does not fully share the criticism linked to fatigue after the win over Cagliari. He said: "With all the rotations and the adjustments, Roma have held up more than well," recalling the many closely spaced matches and injuries. He also praised Cristante, whom he considers "more and more of a leader" and a reference point for the younger players, and De Roon, whose impact he described as "impressive". In the table, Desideri places Roma and Inter ahead of their rivals, while acknowledging the surprising results of Lazio and the work of Como, who could remain at a high level until the end. On Udinese, he admits he did not expect such a difficult start: "They must pull themselves out by any means" to avoid getting drawn into the relegation battle. Looking ahead to the winter window, Desideri said he does not expect big deals: "I don't believe much in it." Nonetheless, he feels Gasperini's side could need "another midfielder" and "a winger", provided there are concrete and convenient opportunities. Roma are also weighing possible reinforcements for the winter window. Among the names linked with the club is Lisandro Martínez, the Argentine defender at Manchester United, whose contract expires on 30 June. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have set their sights on the player. In Italy, Inter and Como are reportedly also evaluating the centre-back's profile, alongside Roma, to strengthen their defensive department.

Gian Piero Gasperini has released his squad list for Udinese vs Roma, a Serie A matchday 10 fixture taking place tomorrow at 18:00. Paulo Dybala is ruled out of the trip. The squad is made up of ten defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfield options are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora. The attacking group includes Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. Di Nunzio and Camara both feature in the travelling party, with Dybala the only notable absence from the list. The matchday 10 trip to Udine comes as Roma look to keep pace in the Serie A table.