Roma face Sassuolo fatigued after punishing run of eight matches in 23 days

Donyell Malen is set to lead Roma's attack again when they host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, as the Giallorossi look to climb to the top of Serie A despite a growing injury list and the demands of the Champions League. Malen has never faced Sassuolo in a Roma shirt, as he had not yet arrived in the capital for their last meeting in January. The Dutch forward has scored 12 goals this season and has 27 in 33 appearances for the club overall. He scored 14 Serie A goals in the second half of last season and has eight in the first 10 matchdays of this campaign. He scored again in Manchester, confirming his role as the focal point of an attack that has found valuable support in Soulé and Mora. Argentine Soulé creates, Portuguese Mora supports, and Malen finishes. The match pits the best attack in Serie A against the worst defence. Roma have scored 28 goals, the most in the league, while Sassuolo, under Aquilani, have conceded 26 and arrive on the back of four consecutive defeats. Roma are fighting to put pressure on their rivals at the top of the table, having been forced to manage a squad hit by a lengthening list of absentees. The report, written by Marco Juric for La Repubblica, underlines how Gasperini's side are relying on a familiar formula. Soulé's invention, Mora's movement and Malen's finishing have made the forward line the team's most potent force, and Roma will be looking to keep that partnership productive against a Sassuolo side desperate for a result.

Roma return to action tomorrow evening at a sold-out Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, just before the international break, and must quickly erase the sting of their comeback defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League. The aim is a third consecutive league win, but first Gian Piero Gasperini must stop the flow of goals conceded. Roma have shipped 10 goals in their last four matches: three against Napoli, two against Cagliari, two against Udinese and three against Manchester United. The average number of goals conceded per 90 minutes has tripled since the start of the season, rising from 0.8 to 2.5. Injuries explain part of the problem, starting in goal. Mile Svilar, one of the best goalkeepers in his position in Europe, is a heavy absence, and his backup Pierluigi Gollini has also been hurt, forcing Devis Vásquez into the side. Vásquez was not even on the Serie A or UEFA lists. Svilar will not return until after the break. Whether Gollini is available tomorrow remains in doubt. At Trigoria, the club are confident he can be made available to Gasperini with injections, but for now Vásquez holds the advantage in the race for the starting place. Whoever plays in goal, Roma must rediscover the defensive solidity they have lost against Sassuolo. The report was written by Simone Valdarchi for Il Corriere della Sera.

Roma return to Serie A action at the Stadio Olimpico against Sassuolo, the ninth match after the September international break and a fixture the club will approach with its unbeaten domestic run intact. Gasperini's side are in form in the league, and the games that matter most for the squad come after the next break. Il Messaggero's Alessandro Angeloni described the team's strength as clearest when viewed through two lenses: league football and home matches. Since Gasperini took charge, the club has been a steamroller in Serie A. Last season he won seven of the final nine league games, five of them in the last five, to reach third place. Roma have not lost a league match since last April. The heavy 5-0 defeat at Inter in Milan was a turning point, after which the team began to surge. At home, a league defeat has not occurred since the night against Napoli, and the last home league loss came on 30 November, almost a year ago. Attention now turns to the period after the Christmas break. The squad, according to the article, is not quite adequate for the two major fronts of Serie A and the Champions League, not so much in quality as in numbers, and the club will need the ownership to intervene to strengthen it. Physical problems have forced Gasperini to cope with a long run of injuries, and the recurring emergency is expected to end eventually. Before that, Roma must get past Sassuolo.

Roma head into the Serie A match against Sassuolo with a complicated injury list, with goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini a major doubt. Gollini is sidelined by a back problem and his fitness will only be assessed at the last moment, which could open the way for him to start from the first minute if he is passed fit. Defender Devyne Rensch has suffered a first-degree tear to his right adductor after going off early in Roma's Champions League clash with Manchester United. He will be out for around twenty days. Paulo Dybala is also already ruled out, with his return now scheduled for directly after the international break. Il Tempo reports cautious optimism over Manu Koné. The French midfielder has trained individually on the pitch after returning from England and is determined to earn a call-up for the match at the Olimpico against Sassuolo, which would give Gian Piero Gasperini a valuable option to bring on during the game. Meanwhile, Roma's players have received official call-ups for their respective national teams ahead of the international fixtures.

Roma continue to battle an injury crisis ahead of their home match against Sassuolo, with Gian Piero Gasperini left with a severely reduced set of options. The latest absence is Devyne Rensch, whose instrumental tests revealed a first-degree tear of the long adductor in his right leg. He is expected to be out for around three weeks, with a return planned after the international break. Paulo Dybala will not feature. He has yet to recover and will continue personalised training, aiming to be available again directly after the national team commitments. There is slightly better news on Manu Koné, the French midfielder, who has completed individualised work on the pitch and will undergo the final decisive test today to determine whether he can be included at least in the matchday squad and start on the bench. In midfield, given the fatigue accumulated over recent weeks, Cristante and De Roon will form the pairing to lead the engine room, with Pisilli ready to contribute. The goalkeeping position also needs close monitoring. Pierluigi Gollini remains in serious doubt because of a back problem that could force him to withdraw, despite attempting to play through with infiltrations. If Gollini cannot recover, Devis Vásquez is ready to return to the starting lineup from the first minute, a place in Serie A he would win back after many months. Ndicka is set to return to the defence, while Mancini is being managed under a planned programme. Up front, Malen and Soulé will lead the attack with Mora in support.

Roma have conceded 10 goals in their last four official matches, a sharp reversal from the opening ten fixtures of the season, when the defence let in just 8 and kept a clean sheet on six occasions. Gian Piero Gasperini's immediate priority is to shore up a backline that has been leaking goals, with the side preparing to face Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in their final match before the international break. The defeat at Manchester United, decided by the narrowest of margins, is still fresh. The goals conceded in that run came from Napoli (3), Cagliari (2), Udinese (2) and Manchester United at Old Trafford (3). The absence of Mile Svilar, considered one of the best goalkeepers in his position in Europe, has deprived the team of a fundamental figure, and the prolonged absence has weighed heavily on the team's form. Behind him, physical problems for Pierluigi Gollini have complicated the coaching staff's plans, forcing the Colombian Devis Vásquez into an emergency debut. Gollini will try to push through and recover with infiltrations ahead of the Sassuolo game, but his fitness assessments remain at Trigoria. Elsewhere, Manu Koné is pushing for a call-up after completing differentiated training. Paulo Dybala and Devyne Rensch will return to availability after the break; Rensch is sidelined by a first-degree adductor injury that will require around three weeks out of action.

Roma head into the Serie A match against Sassuolo with a complicated injury list, with goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini a major doubt. Gollini is sidelined by a back problem and his fitness will only be assessed at the last moment, which could open the way for him to start from the first minute if he is passed fit. Defender Devyne Rensch has suffered a first-degree tear to his right adductor after going off early in Roma's Champions League clash with Manchester United. He will be out for around twenty days. Paulo Dybala is also already ruled out, with his return now scheduled for directly after the international break. Il Tempo reports cautious optimism over Manu Koné. The French midfielder has trained individually on the pitch after returning from England and is determined to earn a call-up for the match at the Olimpico against Sassuolo, which would give Gian Piero Gasperini a valuable option to bring on during the game. Meanwhile, Roma's players have received official call-ups for their respective national teams ahead of the international fixtures.

Roma continue to battle an injury crisis ahead of their home match against Sassuolo, with Gian Piero Gasperini left with a severely reduced set of options. The latest absence is Devyne Rensch, whose instrumental tests revealed a first-degree tear of the long adductor in his right leg. He is expected to be out for around three weeks, with a return planned after the international break. Paulo Dybala will not feature. He has yet to recover and will continue personalised training, aiming to be available again directly after the national team commitments. There is slightly better news on Manu Koné, the French midfielder, who has completed individualised work on the pitch and will undergo the final decisive test today to determine whether he can be included at least in the matchday squad and start on the bench. In midfield, given the fatigue accumulated over recent weeks, Cristante and De Roon will form the pairing to lead the engine room, with Pisilli ready to contribute. The goalkeeping position also needs close monitoring. Pierluigi Gollini remains in serious doubt because of a back problem that could force him to withdraw, despite attempting to play through with infiltrations. If Gollini cannot recover, Devis Vásquez is ready to return to the starting lineup from the first minute, a place in Serie A he would win back after many months. Ndicka is set to return to the defence, while Mancini is being managed under a planned programme. Up front, Malen and Soulé will lead the attack with Mora in support.

Pierluigi Gollini is in danger of missing Roma's next match, with his recovery from a back problem for Sunday's clash against Sassuolo looking increasingly difficult. The goalkeeper was forced to sit out the Manchester United-Roma game, and the club at Trigoria is considering an injection to ease the pain and make him available. For now, pessimism prevails. Gollini's condition is improving, but the discomfort has not yet fully cleared, and the medical staff must decide whether it is wise to risk him in the final fixture before the international break. If he is ruled out again, Devis Vásquez will once more be asked to guard Roma's goal. The Colombian was called into action at Old Trafford unexpectedly and is currently the favourite to start against the side coached by Alberto Aquilani. Gasperini will therefore have to prepare for the possibility of relying on his third-choice goalkeeper again. Mile Svilar has no chance of returning in time, with his comeback expected only after the international break. Training and final medical assessments will clarify Gollini's chances, but for now the Vásquez option remains the most likely scenario.

Roma continue to battle an injury crisis ahead of their home match against Sassuolo, with Gian Piero Gasperini left with a severely reduced set of options. The latest absence is Devyne Rensch, whose instrumental tests revealed a first-degree tear of the long adductor in his right leg. He is expected to be out for around three weeks, with a return planned after the international break. Paulo Dybala will not feature. He has yet to recover and will continue personalised training, aiming to be available again directly after the national team commitments. There is slightly better news on Manu Koné, the French midfielder, who has completed individualised work on the pitch and will undergo the final decisive test today to determine whether he can be included at least in the matchday squad and start on the bench. In midfield, given the fatigue accumulated over recent weeks, Cristante and De Roon will form the pairing to lead the engine room, with Pisilli ready to contribute. The goalkeeping position also needs close monitoring. Pierluigi Gollini remains in serious doubt because of a back problem that could force him to withdraw, despite attempting to play through with infiltrations. If Gollini cannot recover, Devis Vásquez is ready to return to the starting lineup from the first minute, a place in Serie A he would win back after many months. Ndicka is set to return to the defence, while Mancini is being managed under a planned programme. Up front, Malen and Soulé will lead the attack with Mora in support.

Marten De Roon could start his ninth consecutive match against Sassuolo tomorrow, continuing his run as one of Gian Piero Gasperini's most trusted players. The Dutch midfielder arrived in the final days of the summer transfer window as a reliable option to rotate with Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné and Niccolò Pisilli, but he has become a regular starter this past month. Since Roma returned from the long September-October international break, De Roon has started every match and played the full 90 minutes in six of the eight games. He has been forced into extra work by the simultaneous absence of Cristante and Koné, which lasted until the trip to Napoli. Despite being 35 years old, he has delivered reliability and leadership. Writing in Il Tempo, Lorenzo Pes noted that De Roon has shown excellent physical condition this month and a natural understanding of reading the game and positioning himself. Alongside Pisilli or Cristante, De Roon has provided composure and personality in the heart of the Giallorossi midfield, combining tactical intelligence with a healthy dose of physicality. He has taken the team by the hand during delicate moments of the season, although he would not mind playing a little less if asked. Gasperini, however, is not willing to give him up. De Roon did not join Roma to be an undisputed starter, but the key is being there when needed, and he does not let anyone down.

Roma are battling a growing injury crisis ahead of Saturday's clash with Sassuolo, with Daniele Rensch's absence joined by doubts over Paulo Dybala and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. Devyne Rensch has a first-degree adductor tear, the tests revealed, and will not return until the Parma match after the international break. Dybala, who did not train with the rest of the group at Monday's resumption, is heading towards missing tomorrow's game. The squad is stretched thin. Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi reports that Gasperini has only sixteen outfield players available, leaving him with very few choices and few decisions to make. Mile Svilar will certainly miss out, and Gollini's involvement is also at risk because of a back problem that persists, though he will try to play to the end with the help of infiltrations. Devis Vásquez is ready to step in, having not played a Serie A match since 25 May 2025. Manu Koné offers some hope. He has carried out individualised work on the pitch and will undergo a fitness test today in an attempt to return to the matchday squad. Mancini did not train yesterday for a planned, routine rest. Malen and Soulé are expected to lead the attack, with Mora pushing for a place to complete the front three. Pisilli is further down the pecking order and is set to operate in the central space alongside Cristante and de Roon. If de Roon starts, he would become the only player to have started each of Roma's last nine matches. On the right, Molina and Lulli are in contention for a spot, while Wesley will play on the left. At the back, N'Dicka is set to return, alongside Mancini or Balerdi and Hermoso.