Roma not overly concerned by FFP investigation; fine deemed most likely outcome

Manu Koné has won praise from French football legend Marcel Desailly, who told Corriere della Sera: "Manu is a fantastic player." Koné has been a regular starter for Roma over two years and holds an important role in France's squad under Zinedine Zidane's management. Chelsea made a late attempt to sign Koné during the summer transfer window, while Atlético Madrid moved for him in June, but Roma retained him. He has begun the season in strong form, delivering top-level performances including a double against Inter. Koné will face Italy in the Nations League on 2 October, followed by a match against Belgium on 3 October, before returning to Gasperini's side for the challenging fixture against Como on 11 October.

Roma's radio stations debated the midfield makeup for the upcoming Como fixture, with Rodrigo Mora's recent form and Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential return from a six-month absence at the centre of discussion. Gianluca Piacentini argued Mora deserves backing despite underwhelming recent performances: "He's a player worth continuing to put faith in. He's only 19 years old and at that age you have to give him room for ups and downs. The qualities are there without much doubt." Fabio Petruzzi suggested Gasperini might surprise with Pellegrini, noting the captain "hasn't played in six months, but he's had four weeks of work with the group now and could be the shock." He also praised Mora's form for his national team and his physical build as an advantage against Como's four-man defence, but acknowledged the young midfielder had been more convincing as a starter than when brought off the bench. Other panellists offered contrasting views on the squad's summer decisions. Piero Torri expected Gasperini to rotate all 20 players in the squad before the next international break, suggesting the coach deliberately gave Soulé more minutes to signal to Mora that "the position has to be earned." Torri added: "He seemed a bit reluctant and somewhat out of Roma's mindset when he came on against Turin." Meanwhile, discussion turned to summer transfers: Checco Oddo Casano said Endrick "was really a step away from Roma in the summer and could arrive here in January," while Nando Orsi and Roberto Pruzzo debated whether established players should have age limits, with Pruzzo recalling: "I couldn't wait to finish—everything felt heavy to me, even getting on the bus or sleeping in a hotel." On the Manu Koné situation, Lorenzo Pes reported Chelsea made a late push in late August and early September with "an important offer," but Roma showed no interest and Gasperini was unwilling to release him. Roma sources expressed no strong concern over UEFA sanctions, with the "most likely" scenario being "a heavy fine" rather than competition bans.

Former Roma forward Jeremy Menez has backed the club to challenge for the Serie A title this season and hailed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a tactical genius. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Menez reflected on his time in the Giallorossi shirt and offered his assessment of Roma's current trajectory under Gasperini's leadership. Menez, who arrived at Roma as a generational talent under the Sensi regime, spoke fondly of his spell at the club. "I had a blast," he said. "It wasn't easy arriving at such an important squad, but for me it was home. I only have good memories. This year Roma is title material: Gasp is a genius." On his playing days, Menez acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into an established dressing room but emphasised the emotional connection he felt to the club throughout his time there. When asked which clubs he would see himself at today, Menez named Como and Roma. "They play very well and have strong identities," he explained. "Fabregas, then, is one of the most talented coaches." Menez also reflected on his relationship with former Roma manager Spalletti, saying: "He valued me a lot, but he was tough on me. He knew my character and sometimes made me do exercises for half an hour at the end of training." He also commented on the broader state of attacking football, noting that creative players are increasingly rare in modern football and singling out Milan under Amorim as lacking imagination.

Donyell Malen has won the Serie A player of the month award for September (which includes August). The Dutch forward scored six goals in his first five league matches, a start that earned him the honour. Malen will receive the award during Roma's match against Genoa. A special Malen card is also being released in the FC27 video game. Malen will lead Roma's attack in the fixture against Como on Sunday, 11 October, when the team resumes their campaign. He missed international duty with a minor knee problem, but his condition is not a cause for concern. Paulo Dybala will partner him in attack, with a contest between Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé to fill the midfield role behind them.

Roma enter a critical period from 11 October that will reveal whether their depth can match their starting XI. Between the away trip to Como and the home fixture against Sassuolo on 7 November, the Giallorossi will play nine matches in 28 days—six in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League—at an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has built his team around a recognisable core of first-choice players, but that group will no longer be enough. The test will determine whether those who have played less can step up without a noticeable drop in performance. Through the first five matchdays, the numbers reveal Gasperini's structural priorities. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar has not missed a minute in the league; Bryan Cristante has played 424 minutes, Mario Hermoso 419, Paulo Dybala 407 and Gianluca Mancini 392. Eight players have exceeded 300 minutes, forming the nucleus around which the team has built its current lead. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in five league matches and become the technical reference point of the attack, while Dybala has contributed four assists. Cristante, Hermoso and Mancini have provided near-absolute continuity and reliability. The midfield partnership of Cristante and Manu Koné has been the reference pairing, with different but complementary characteristics, while Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli have seen far less action. De Roon knows Gasperini's football intimately and can guarantee balance and reading of play, but has been used mainly in brief spells; Pisilli brings dynamism and runs forward but must prove he can perform when the opponent's quality rises. Matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United will inevitably create minutes for both. The defence faces similar pressures. Mancini and Hermoso have been almost untouchable, but the competition behind them is abundant: Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis must transform from alternatives into genuinely interchangeable options. Ghilardi has already accumulated 142 league minutes, while Koulierakis has been used far less despite the summer investment. In Gasperini's system, where defenders are asked to accept constant individual duels and play far from their goal, changing a centre-back is never a neutral substitution—the player entering must have fully absorbed the line's timing, aggression and mechanics. On the flanks, rotations will be equally unavoidable. Wesley has been heavily used, young Emanuele Lulli has been a major surprise, and Nahuel Molina has collected 216 Serie A minutes with two starts. Devyne Rensch has found the least space but has always proved reliable. In attack, Matías Soulé has already broken down the distinction between starter and reserve with 279 minutes, three starts, two goals and an assist. Rodrigo Mora has 171 league minutes and a goal across two starts but has seen his space diminish. Santiago Castro has played little and never started in the league, while Lorenzo Pellegrini arrives after a long absence from official matches and must regain rhythm and standing. The fixture list permits no simple calculations. Como, Real Madrid, Genoa, Slovan Bratislava, Napoli, Cagliari, Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo in less than a month means there are no real matches in which to field eleven reserves and rest everyone else. Gasperini must continually shuffle the cards, retaining six or seven men from the core structure each time and progressively introducing others. Roma has shown a competitive first eleven so far; in the next four weeks it must prove it has something more—sixteen or eighteen players capable of sustaining the same level. If the goal is to stay in the highest reaches of Serie A while being competitive in the Champions League, the quality of alternatives becomes almost as important as that of the starters.

Rodrigo Mora (19) starred for Portugal Under 21 in a 4–0 qualifying victory over Gibraltar for the Under 21 European Championship. Playing 60 minutes, the Roma midfielder opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick from around the penalty spot and delivered playmaking displays throughout the match, earning a standing ovation when he was substituted. Mora's performance underlined his quality as a creative midfielder and reinforces Roma's depth in the position. His contribution to Portugal's qualifying campaign continues his development at club level.