Roma look to capitalise on top-of-table clashes against Sassuolo at the Olimpico

Roma host Sassuolo, coached by former Roma midfielder Aquilani, in their Serie A matchday 11 fixture at the Stadio Olimpico, with kickoff at 20:45. Gasperini wants a response from his players after the defeat in Manchester, aiming to continue an excellent start to the season and take advantage of the day's other results, Inter v Como and Napoli v Lazio, which could help Roma in the table. Gollini will not be available for the match, so Devis Vásquez is confirmed in goal. The central defensive places remain open, with Ghilardi or Mancini competing for one spot and Balerdi or N'Dicka for another. Up front, the trio of Soulé, Mora and Malen is confirmed. The Italian newspapers largely agree on the starting line-up. La Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica all name Vásquez; Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Hermoso at the back; Molina, Cristante, De Roon and Wesley in midfield; and Soulé, Mora and Malen in attack. Il Romanista instead picks Balerdi alongside N'Dicka and Hermoso and gives Koné a place in midfield. Il Messaggero also selects Balerdi, with De Roon and Cristante in the middle. Tuttosport goes with Gollini in goal, Pisilli in the midfield and Malen as the lone striker, and it lists Gasperini as the coach. Il Tempo and Corriere della Sera's Italian sources differ on the defence, with Mancini in place of Ghilardi or Balerdi in some lineups. The lineups as published by the newspapers are as follows. La Gazzetta dello Sport: Vásquez; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Il Corriere dello Sport: Vásquez; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Il Romanista: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. La Repubblica: Vásquez; Ghilardi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Tuttosport: Gollini; Ghilardi, Balerdi, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Pisilli; Malen. Il Messaggero: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Il Tempo: Vásquez; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, De Roon, Wesley; Mora, Soulé; Malen.

Roma face Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tonight in the final match before the international break, and Gasperini wants an immediate reaction to put the Manchester defeat behind them. The Giallorossi host Sassuolo as they look to leave their recent European loss in the past and consolidate their Serie A ambitions. According to Il Tempo, the few days of training at Trigoria, slowed in part by travel problems returning from England, saw Gasperini focus above all on the players' mindset. There was no tactical overhaul and no public criticism; the aim was to lift pressure and restore the confidence Roma showed after the defeat to Real Madrid. That confidence has produced a Serie A run of seven wins, three draws and no defeats. Gasperini has skipped the pre-match press conference, but he expects an immediate response on the pitch, asking for greater focus in the second halves and the team's usual identity of play. A win over Sassuolo, coached by former Roma player Aquilani, would mean not only putting the Champions League behind them but also taking advantage of other results, such as Como-Inter, to reach the break in a strong league position. Selection remains affected by injuries. In goal, Gollini's back pain and Svilar's knock mean Vásquez will once again protect the posts. In defence, Ghilardi may take the place of Mancini or N'Dicka, both not fully fit. Dybala will not be called up because of his recurring muscle problems. Up front, quality takes centre stage: Soulé and Mora will operate behind Donyell Malen, ready to add creativity and tempo to the attack.

Gian Piero Gasperini has focused on lifting Roma's mood ahead of the home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, the last game before the international break, refusing to single out anyone after the defeat to Manchester United. Roma came back from a comeback loss in England and are looking to bounce back quickly. In the few days of preparation, a training session was cancelled after the flight carrying the squad back to Italy was delayed. Gasperini's work centred in particular on the mental side of the group. From the first minutes after the final whistle in England, the head coach tried to spur the players on without pointing out the individual errors that led to Manchester United's goals and without targeting any particular player. He has followed up that message both in the dressing room and during training sessions at Trigoria. The coach is asking his players for a reaction, to show that dreams can continue. Gasperini expects the same tactical approach as always, without changing the team's identity because of setbacks. At the final training session this morning, the last team selection doubts will be resolved. Gollini is still in pain, and Vásquez is set to play again. In defence, Ghilardi is pushing for a start, as Mancini and N'Dicka are not at 100 per cent. Up front, Mora and Soulé are set for another chance behind Malen. Dybala risks missing out on the matchday squad, having not trained with the group. The report is by Filippo Biafora in Il Tempo.