Roma Primavera on the attack at league leaders Inter in Primavera 1

Former Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano has praised Roma striker Santiago Castro after his goal against Genoa, calling it "a champion's move". Italiano, now enjoying his experience in Istanbul, spoke to Gianluca Di Marzio on Sky Calcio Unplugged and singled out the Argentine's finish as the highlight of the recent match. Italiano worked with Castro during his time at Bologna, where the two spent two seasons together. The former boss said the forward has a natural flair for the spectacular and that he has seen it on the training ground. The praise comes as Castro's goal put him back at the centre of attention around the club. Italiano said: "Against Genoa he scored a great goal, a move worthy of a champion. Santi has those kinds of moves in him. In training, in those two years at Bologna, he kept inventing moves like an Argentine, a player who inside the box has so often managed to score important goals."

Gian Piero Gasperini has named a 22-man squad for Roma's trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 at the Bluenergy Stadium, in Serie A matchday 10. Paulo Dybala will miss the match, as the coach had already indicated, while young players Di Nunzio and Camara are included. The goalkeepers are Vasquez, De Marzi and Gollini. The defenders are Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders are Cristante, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora, and the forwards are Castro, Malen, Soulé and Camara. The kit colours have also been confirmed. Roma will play in their traditional red first shirt, while the goalkeeper will wear yellow. The Giallorossi players on the bench will wear blue bibs. The match in Friuli is Roma's last league fixture before the European trip against Manchester United, scheduled for 3 November. Former Roma and Udinese midfielder Stefano Desideri spoke to Romanews on the eve of the match, analysing Roma's current form and their prospects for the rest of the season. Desideri does not fully share the criticism linked to fatigue after the win over Cagliari. He said: "With all the rotations and the adjustments, Roma have held up more than well," recalling the many closely spaced matches and injuries. He also praised Cristante, whom he considers "more and more of a leader" and a reference point for the younger players, and De Roon, whose impact he described as "impressive". In the table, Desideri places Roma and Inter ahead of their rivals, while acknowledging the surprising results of Lazio and the work of Como, who could remain at a high level until the end. On Udinese, he admits he did not expect such a difficult start: "They must pull themselves out by any means" to avoid getting drawn into the relegation battle. Looking ahead to the winter window, Desideri said he does not expect big deals: "I don't believe much in it." Nonetheless, he feels Gasperini's side could need "another midfielder" and "a winger", provided there are concrete and convenient opportunities. Roma are also weighing possible reinforcements for the winter window. Among the names linked with the club is Lisandro Martínez, the Argentine defender at Manchester United, whose contract expires on 30 June. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have set their sights on the player. In Italy, Inter and Como are reportedly also evaluating the centre-back's profile, alongside Roma, to strengthen their defensive department.

Roma's probable starting line-up for their away trip to Udinese has been revealed, with Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora forming the attacking partnership and Daniele Ghilardi positioned behind them. The match is at the Bluenergy Stadium, and it comes before Roma return to Champions League action at Old Trafford against Manchester United. The fixture is the latest in a demanding run for the Giallorossi, who face a delicate test in Friday's...

Roman radio pundits have urged Roma to move quickly for Endrick, while debating the Udinese fixture and the club's attacking options. Mario Corsi (Tele Radio Stereo) said that Roma must act first, warning that AC Milan could beat them to the forward. He pointed to Roma's spending: "Dopo aver speso 60 milioni per Ramos, uno che non segna mai, se può spendere anche per questo... ecco perché dobbiamo muoverci." Corsi also claimed that Endrick would agree to join Roma if he chose the club, and he suggested Mourinho was still thinking about Roma. David Rossi (Rete Sport) raised concerns about Paulo Dybala's fitness before the international break. He said playing Dybala in the game before the break would be "una forzatura" and suggested that Matías Soulé would be used in every match, which could become a problem. Rossi also asked why Roma did not try Guaglianone in the current emergency, noting that Guaglianone had brought forwards such as Arena and Paratici but had never brought in a "mezza punta", the role where Roma are struggling. Gianluca Piacentini (Rete Sport) said that Roma now feel more confident in the strength of the squad than they did last season, when a top-four finish was essential. He said he wanted Roma to aim for first place rather than fourth, and he admitted he would now prefer AC Milan to win the derby over Inter. Lorenzo Pes (Tele Radio Stereo) expected Hermoso and Balerdi to play at Udine, and said Marten de Roon, whom he had seen declining against Cagliari, would likely start alongside Bryan Cristante with Niccolò Pisilli pushed forward. He tipped Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro to come off the bench. Pes said Mile Svilar would return after the break, and that Manu Koné had resumed training on the pitch to be available against Sassuolo. Of Dybala, he said: "Dipende da lui. Ma per Manchester mi sembra obiettivamente difficile." Alessio Nardo (Tele Radio Stereo) questioned whether Gasperini already had an XI in mind for Manchester and, consequently, for Udinese. He said: "Sia United che Udinese sono due panchine a fortissimo rischio, bisognerà capire se è un vantaggio o meno per noi." He added: "Io non dico che vincere a Udine domani sarebbe un'impresa, ma comunque sarebbe un grandissimo risultato per la Roma." Nando Orsi (Radio Radio) was the most confident of a Roma win, arguing that Udinese were in free fall. He said: "Questa è l'occasione giusta per la Roma... Non vedo un altro tipo di risultato oltre alla vittoria della Roma." Roberto Pruzzo (Radio Radio) warned that Roma must settle the match early, cautioning that Udinese had recovered Davis and Zaniolo and could cause problems if Roma conceded space. He added: "È una partita da prendere con le molle." Mario Mattioli (Radio Radio) argued that Udine would not be easy for Roma despite Udinese's crisis, and said a Roma win would be "un'altra piccola impresa di questo campionato." Ubaldo Righetti (Radio Romanista) said Roma were not tired against Cagliari, though Mancini may have been, and that De Roon was still effective because he worked through the lines rather than chasing opponents. Righetti said the problem was frenzy, with simple passes going astray. Daniele Lo Monaco (Radio Romanista) warned that Mora risked the same fate as Bojan, who never fulfilled the promise he showed after leaving Barcelona.

Nicolò Zaniolo returns to face his former club Roma on Sunday, in a fixture the Italian press has already framed as a reunion between a player and a fanbase that feels betrayed. The 1999-born midfielder, who once looked set to become a Roma flag-bearer, now plays for Udinese, and more than 5,000 supporters are expected at the Dacia Arena to treat him as a sporting enemy. The relationship soured over several years. Zaniolo arrived in the capital as a complete unknown and quickly showed his quality, with goals, assists and classy touches, including the goal in Tirana that will remain in the club's history. Two anterior cruciate ligament ruptures tested the patience of supporters who had backed him through hard times. The break came in winter 2023, when a stormy departure was followed by a move to Galatasaray, a few months before the painful Budapest final. Along the way, Mourinho stopped defending him, saying: "non ha voglia di lottare" (he doesn't want to fight). Zaniolo had also rejected Bournemouth before joining Galatasaray. His career has not taken off since. He disappointed at Aston Villa in the Premier League, and Gasperini tried to revive him without success before he rediscovered his smile at Udinese. Further clashes with Roma fans followed. In 2024, while playing for Atalanta, he scored at the Olimpico, took off his shirt and celebrated wildly, drawing a storm of whistles and an irreparable rift. Last year the stadium also gave him an unwelcoming reception, and Hermoso was the one who kept him in check. The Spaniard could once again be the key to stopping the player, who is ready to challenge his past once more. Zaniolo has apologised in recent months, but his words have not been heard. The Italian press has suggested the match could be headlined "C'eravamo tanto amati" (we loved each other so much).

Around 10,000 Roma supporters are set to fill the away sections in Udine and Manchester this week. Some 5,000 are expected at the Dacia Arena for tomorrow's match, and around 3,000 at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Many have already bought flights for England and will travel without tickets to soak up the Champions League atmosphere, which supporters are calling a real invasion. The travelling numbers reflect the strength of Roma's support, with away sectors regularly selling out. Fans will be present both in the curva and in the stands, thanks to the friendship linking the two supporters' groups. The trips come as the Giallorossi prepare for their Champions League fixtures in the coming days. Before the international break, Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, and another sell-out crowd is expected there. The home match follows the Olimpico's usual pre-match tradition, where the club's fans sing Marco Conidi's famous anthem "Mai sola mai" before kickoff.