Roma flash briefing: Mancini absent from Italy duty; fixture safety check; punishing run of seven matches ahead

Santiago Castro has won the 'goal of the month' award for October with his strike against Genoa, a single but spectacular effort. The Argentine broke his duck against the Rossoblu with a delicate touch under the ball inside the penalty area, beating Riccardo Orsolini, who had scored against Lecce with an overhead kick. Despite limited playing time, Castro has been called up to Argentina by Scaloni and will be available for the friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica. He has started only two matches in the giallorossi shirt, but his opportunities should come after the November international break, with seven fixtures scheduled in just under a month.

Roma are reportedly monitoring Atlético Madrid winger Ademola Lookman as his playing time at the Spanish club has steadily dwindled, with the Nigerian emerging as a possible alternative to Endrick, who remains at the top of the Giallorossi wish list for January. Repubblica.it reported the story today. Roma are said to be searching for an attacking winger who can add pace, quality and unpredictability to the attack. Lookman played a key role in some of the best seasons of his career under Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta, and the report links him directly to the Roma coach. He has made 15 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League this season, scoring two goals and providing one assist. Those figures are modest for a player who, in his first months in Madrid, had shown he could be an important figure for Diego Simeone. The clearest sign of his struggles came in Atlético's most recent league match against Barcelona. Lookman sat on the bench for the full 90 minutes of the 2-1 defeat and was not called on even as the game was still in progress. It was the first time this season that he had not found a place in a match. Meanwhile, Álex Baena is gaining ground on the left flank in Simeone's pecking order. Simeone, however, has recently reiterated his confidence in Lookman, highlighting his qualities in one-on-one situations. No transfer requests from the player have been reported, nor has Atlético shown any willingness to let him go. Lookman's career at Atalanta is the key reference point. He became one of the most incisive forwards in European football there, using his ability to start on the left, cut inside and attack the goal with speed and great efficiency. The peak of his time in Bergamo remains the hat-trick he scored in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, which gave La Dea a historic trophy. The relationship with Gasperini has not always been smooth. In February 2025, after Lookman missed a penalty against Bruges in the Champions League, Gasperini criticised his decision to take the kick harshly, prompting a public reply from the player. That episode, the report says, does not erase the work the two did together or Lookman's remarkable growth under the coach. From a technical standpoint, the report says Lookman would fit many of Gasperini's requirements. He is a right-footed attacking winger, quick, skilful in dribbling and capable of creating numerical superiority from the left flank, exactly the kind of player the coach has been asking for over recent months to complete the attacking unit. Compared with Endrick, Lookman would bring greater experience and a deep understanding of the coach's systems. The financial terms of any deal still need to be assessed. Lookman is tied to Atlético Madrid, and Roma must respect precise financial constraints, favouring formulas for January that keep the immediate outlay down. A loan could be a route worth exploring, but there is currently no indication that the Spanish club would accept that solution. For now, Roma are monitoring developments, and the report describes Lookman as a name that could gain weight if the situation in Madrid changes. Gasperini knows the Nigerian's value well and how to get the most from his qualities.

Rodrigo Mora has become a fixed presence for Gian Piero Gasperini after just two months, scoring four Serie A goals in nine appearances. Roma paid 25 million euros for the Portugal international, with a further 25 million to Porto possible. Mora is already part of the Portugal national team set-up. While Tommaso Baldanzi struggles to find space at Genoa under Daniele De Rossi, Mora is a regular starter for Gasperini. He ended a difficult start to the season with three goals in a row, against Genoa, Udinese and Sassuolo. He had never scored in three consecutive matches at Porto. His four league goals are double the two the former number 35 scored in 54 matches over two years. He has also registered two assists, against Real Madrid and Manchester United. The young playmaker's form matters for Roma's wider plans. Gasperini is enjoying a pairing of very young attacking midfielders. Rodrigo, born in 2007, works well alongside Matías Soulé, born in 2003. Paulo Dybala returns from the trip to Parma, but Mora will also find his place in Gasperini's system. Before the end of the year, Roma play seven matches in under a month, so the squad will need every option. The article stresses that the squad has room for everyone. Rodrigo's rise has changed the early-season picture, and his goals and assists have given Gasperini a clear reason to build his attack around him alongside Soulé and Dybala.

Paulo Dybala remains Gasperini's strongest player at Roma, but the numbers show a side that is becoming less dependent on the Argentine. Without Dybala, Roma scored 23 goals in 7 matches, while with him they have scored 16 in 8. His absence has helped the rise of Matías Soulé, who has become a technical reference point, and of Rodrigo Mora, who already has 4 Serie A goals. With Dybala back, rotations will now be used to preserve him without slowing the progress of the two young players. According to Corriere dello Sport, a plane could be ready to leave Houston for Rome carrying either Ryan Friedkin or his brother Corbin. The November break is seen as the ideal moment for a transfer meeting with D'Amico and Gasperini, who are tasked with planning moves for January. Roma want to complete a squad still considered short, and they are still searching above all for the attacking winger requested by the coach. Roma return to training at Trigoria this afternoon, with attention focused on Dybala and Svilar. Dybala has overcome a calf injury and is targeting the match against Parma, although his return to group training will be gradual. Svilar will undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear him to return to action. Mancini is also moving towards recovery, while Rensch still has to shake off an adductor injury. Pellegrini faces a longer layoff and is expected only at the start of 2027. Il Guardian has devoted considerable space to Roma and the two Capital clubs, both still unbeaten after eleven matchdays. The English paper highlights the figures of Gasperini's side, who have scored 31 goals in 11 matches, and praises Rodrigo Mora, who has scored in three consecutive matches and has now been called up to the national team. The open question concerns Dybala's next return, with Mora and Soulé finding more and more room alongside Malen.

Gianluca Mancini's start to the season has not gone to plan, and the break in Serie A gives the Roma vice-captain a chance to reset. A dip in form and a muscular problem in his right hamstring forced him to miss the match against Sassuolo and his recent call-up to the national team. Now the pause offers him the chance to switch off, recharge physically and mentally, and return to full condition before the league resumes. At Trigoria, the coaching staff are waiting for the defender's return. He is regarded as a fundamental point of reference, not only for his technical and tactical qualities but above all for the charismatic leadership that is essential in the most delicate moments. Mancini's recent performances have fallen short of his usual standards: he was on the bench against Genoa and played only the last thirteen minutes against Slovan Bratislava. Reduced playing time and a physical condition not yet at its peak have also weighed on him. The dual defensive and offensive contribution remains the trademark of the number 23, who has scored 23 goals for Roma so far. That includes five decisive goals last season, among them a brace in the derby that helped secure third place and a place in the Champions League. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini needs Mancini to rediscover the form that lets him ignite his team-mates and make an impact in the matches that count. The break arrives at the ideal moment: rest to recover, targeted work at Trigoria and renewed momentum to become Roma's defensive leader again.

Paulo Dybala is pushing to be available for Roma's trip to Parma, but his return to full group training will be gradual. Roma resume training this afternoon at Trigoria after three days of rest granted by Gasperini, and the squad is without its 13 players on international duty. Dybala has recovered from the calf injury that kept him out of action from the Roma-Real Madrid match onwards. Mile Svilar is due to undergo fresh checks in the coming hours, which should clear the way for his return to play and the removal of the boot on his right foot. Marcus Mancini's recovery from a right hamstring strain is considered a formality, while Devyne Rensch is still recovering from an adductor injury. The update was reported by Simone Valdarchi in Il Corriere della Sera.

Roma's Primavera side closed their pre-break fixture with a 1-1 draw against Hellas Verona at the Tre Fontane. Arduini gave Roma the lead in the 12th minute, bundling home a rebound after a shot from Arena was saved. Verona equalised early in the second half, when Garofalo met a cross from Contarini in the 48th minute. Roma controlled possession in the first half and came close to a second goal through Corredera, while Verona hit the woodwork through Peci. The hosts were the better side before the interval, and coach Mattia Scala's team lost focus after the second half changes, including the substitution of goalkeeper Marcaccini for Kilvinger in the 58th minute. Forced changes disrupted the side's rhythm as the game wore on. In the closing stages Di Nunzio went close to winning it for Roma, but Raccanello made a fine save to preserve the draw for Verona. Roma had to settle for a point despite a good performance, especially in the first half. The side now have the international break to recover and prepare for their next fixtures. Roma started with Marcaccini; Bonifazi, Paul, Zinni; Loreti, Arduini, Di Nunzio, Cama; Corredera, Maccaroni; Arena. Verona lined up with Raccanello; Garofalo, Contarini, Casagrande; Compaore, Moisa, Akalé, Albertini, Tagne; Costa Pisani, Peci. Verona's coach is Massimo Pavanel.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico looking to bounce back from their defeat to Manchester United and to secure a third straight win. Gian Piero Gasperini has named Leonardo Balerdi in defence in place of the injured Gianluca Mancini. Manu Koné returns to the starting midfield after almost a month out with injury, and the Champions League front three of Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé behind Donyell Malen is retained. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, coached by Aquilani, play a 4-4-2: Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. The Roma substitutes are De Marzi, Kilvinger, Koulierakis, Ghilardi, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Castro, Maccaroni and Arena. Sassuolo's bench includes Turati, Satalino, Candé, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Obrador, Adzic, Bakola, Lipani, Ghion, Berardi, Bowie, Skjellerup and Pierini. The referee is Di Bello, with assistants Peretti and Scatragli. The fourth official is Abisso, the VAR is Pezzuto and the AVAR is Guida.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.