Roma lands in Wales for second pre-season phase as fans welcome new signing

Roma winger Wesley has spoken about the injury that ended his hopes of playing at the World Cup, describing the moment he was forced off during the friendly against Egypt in preparation for the tournament. Speaking to Espn, the Brazilian said he knew immediately how serious the problem was. The injury also cost him his opening matches of the new season, and he has returned to the national team with the aim of earning a place at the next World Cup. He is now rebuilding his fitness after a series of setbacks that left him sidelined from the tournament itself. Wesley recounted the moment in detail: "Nel momento in cui c'è stato l'infortunio, ricordo perfettamente l'azione." In English: "When the injury happened, I remember the action perfectly. I realised straight away how serious it was, because the pain was too strong. Before crossing the ball I had already felt the tear, but then I went back to running to get my position back, telling myself it was not possible that the muscle had torn." He added: "On the bench I started to cry, because I felt a lot of pain and above all I knew it was a second-degree tear and that I would be out of the Cup. It was a dream that ended among the rubbish." He went on: "I had reached the top, to play a World Cup, and instead... Now I have to rebuild everything again. I am capable of building, because I have already been through many difficulties. I deserve to be at the next World Cup, no more than others, but I will work at my maximum to be there and perhaps bring joy to the Brazilian people."

Paulo Dybala is set to miss Roma's upcoming match against Udinese, with the medical staff choosing not to accelerate his recovery after a personalised training session. The Argentine is aiming to be available for the following fixture against Sassuolo, while Manu Koné is also working to recover in time for that same game. Mile Svilar will also have to wait: no early return is planned for the goalkeeper, and his comeback is set for after the international break. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to keep faith with the players who have delivered important performances in recent weeks. Among the most impressive is Pierluigi Gollini, who was also outstanding against Cagliari. The relationship between Gollini and Gasperini appears to have been repaired, and the goalkeeper is responding with convincing displays. Roma face a period of key absences that the coaching staff must manage carefully. Dybala and Koné are targeting the Sassuolo fixture, while Svilar's return is pencilled in for after the break, leaving Gasperini to rely on the men currently in form.

Roma full-back Wesley has been called up by Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti for friendlies against Japan and Singapore on 14 and 17 November. The call-up confirms the 2003-born defender has become an established figure in the Selecao, and he has missed no World Cup other than through injury. Wesley was recently at the centre of social media attention following a turbulent separation from his wife. Sharing the news on Instagram, he wrote: "May the new winds bring new chapters, new conquests and even more reasons to be grateful. Another call-up. The same pride. The same desire. I love you, my Brazil." The post was shared from his W43 account, @wesleyfranca03_.

Injuries have given Gian Piero Gasperini the chance to field more youngsters than usual, and Roma's results have stayed steady, Corriere dello Sport points out. Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli both featured midweek against Cagliari and have been regulars so far. Lulli has been a true revelation. He is fresh out of the club's youth academy and was supposed to join Avellino on loan, but he stayed because Roma could not sign another wing-back in the summer. He has been seriously pushing Nahuel Molina for minutes, and the club quickly rewarded him with a new contract until 2021. Pisilli has been filling in for Manu Koné and has scored four times already. Rodrigo Mora is still finding his footing after joining Roma in the summer, although he bagged a pivotal goal in one such game. His acquisition could be worth up to €50m, so the club has a lot at stake with him. Gasperini is bringing him along slowly, particularly with Paulo Dybala currently sidelined. With some rotation, and with Koulierakis, Santiago Castro, Wesley and Soulé not too old despite being more seasoned, Roma's starting XI on Wednesday had an average age of 25.8 years. Among the top Serie A teams, only Como field a younger lineup. Injuries and a packed schedule create these kinds of opportunities, and coaches and talents must be ready to seize them. Not everyone does. Gasperini, however, is a master of player development, a process that is not always a straight line and sometimes requires pumping the brakes.

Leonardo Balerdi is set to be regularly available for Roma's away trip to Udine after recovering from the knock he suffered on Saturday. The Argentine defender has already carved out an important role at the club, and his future is tied to a buy-option whose price depends on how often he plays. Despite conceding five goals across the matches against Napoli and Cagliari, Roma's defence remains one of the most solid units in the squad. Balerdi has become a fixed point in the back line, while Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis are increasingly part of Gian Piero Gasperini's rotation. The centre-backs have also contributed in attack: eight of Roma's 31 goals this season have come from them, roughly 25% of the total. Balerdi said: "It feels like I've been here for 2-3 years", confirming his desire to stay at the club for a long time. The buy-option clauses are worth €14 million if he plays at least 55% of matches for at least 45 minutes. If he plays between 40% and 55% of matches, the figure would drop by €3 million.

Roma's win over Cagliari has underlined how central the club's young players have become to Gian Piero Gasperini's project. The Giallorossi rely confidently on their Under-23 players, who have made decisive contributions at key moments of matches, as shown by the performances and goals of those who came through the youth sector and have been developed by the coach. Among the positives is the steady progress of Emanuele Lulli, who recently renewed his contract until 2031. The 2005-born defender scored his second consecutive league goal in front of the Curva Sud, and has established himself as a valuable asset and an important presence in the rotation. Alongside him, Niccolò Pisilli has become a consolidated certainty in midfield, combining consistent performances with a nose for goals. According to Il Tempo, the Olimpico clash was also the night of breakthrough for Rodrigo Mora. The 19-year-old Portuguese, who was initially greeted with scepticism over his market valuation, unlocked the match by scoring his first goal in front of the Roma crowd. Gasperini himself praised the young Portuguese's technical qualities after the game, stressing that his imagination is a fundamental factor for the season. The young group is completed by the gradual integration of players such as Koulierakis and Castro, who are asked to provide valid alternatives in a squad that blends the freshness of the youth ranks with the maturity of the senior players. For Gasperini's Roma, young players are no longer just a future prospect but a solid reality capable of making the difference.