Roma refuse late Argentina call-up for Molina

Roma have kept Mancini at Trigoria and decided not to send Nahuel Molina to Argentina, meaning Italy coach Mancini will be without the Roma defender for the matches against France and Belgium. Mancini returned to the club with problems after Italy's Nations League games in late September and early October, and Gasperini has never had him at full fitness. Before the Sassuolo match, Gasperini decided not to call him up, which left the Italy coach with no option but to forgo his presence against France and Belgium. Molina is still serving a suspension for one match, following the reduction of his ban from seven matchdays to four. Roma's decision on Molina came on Saturday evening. Sending him to Argentina would have meant a long journey for just one of two friendlies, with the first test on Friday in Buenos Aires against Uruguay and the second in Córdoba against Costa Rica. Molina would then have had a long, tiring trip back to Trigoria, due next Thursday, which the club judged unworkable. The Argentine FA accepted the decision and will rely on Balerdi, Soulé and Castro. The international break has long concerned club coaches, who are forced to accept few training sessions and plenty of injuries. Roma's approach reflects that problem: protecting fitness for the club's own schedule rather than releasing players for every national team request.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini has become a father, with the birth of his first child, a son named Loen, to him and his wife Ariel Serra. The baby was born in the past few hours. The couple married on 30 May 2025 and announced the pregnancy in mid-August with a sweet message on social media: "Life, at times, gives you what you have always dreamed of, we have been very lucky. I LOVE YOU." The birth was announced by Top Player Agency, the agency that manages the goalkeeper's interests, with a post captioned: "A new Top Player has arrived. Welcome Loen." The news comes at the end of a particularly positive period for Gollini, who in recent weeks, helped by the injury to Mile Svilar, has won the starting shirt for Roma.

Roma have kept Mancini at Trigoria and decided not to send Nahuel Molina to Argentina, meaning Italy coach Mancini will be without the Roma defender for the matches against France and Belgium. Mancini returned to the club with problems after Italy's Nations League games in late September and early October, and Gasperini has never had him at full fitness. Before the Sassuolo match, Gasperini decided not to call him up, which left the Italy coach with no option but to forgo his presence against France and Belgium. Molina is still serving a suspension for one match, following the reduction of his ban from seven matchdays to four. Roma's decision on Molina came on Saturday evening. Sending him to Argentina would have meant a long journey for just one of two friendlies, with the first test on Friday in Buenos Aires against Uruguay and the second in Córdoba against Costa Rica. Molina would then have had a long, tiring trip back to Trigoria, due next Thursday, which the club judged unworkable. The Argentine FA accepted the decision and will rely on Balerdi, Soulé and Castro. The international break has long concerned club coaches, who are forced to accept few training sessions and plenty of injuries. Roma's approach reflects that problem: protecting fitness for the club's own schedule rather than releasing players for every national team request.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

AS Roma have blocked a last-minute call-up for right-back Nahuel Molina to join Argentina's squad, despite the player's suspension being cut from seven matches to four. Argentina coach Scaloni had decided on the evening of the previous day to add Molina in extremis, which would have seen him join fellow Roma players Balerdi, Soulé and Castro in the national squad. The club of Trigoria stepped in and opposed the late call-up. Molina had been due to play the friendly against Costa Rica on 17 November before returning to Rome ahead of the league fixture against Parma. Gasperini and the club said no, and the full-back will remain in Rome to train with the other players not selected by their national teams. The suspension stemmed from a brawl in the World Cup final against Spain, and Molina had obtained the reduction from seven games to four before the call-up was made. Roma's refusal means the defender stays with the Giallorossi squad while Argentina play Costa Rica without him.

Roma have kept Mancini at Trigoria and decided not to send Nahuel Molina to Argentina, meaning Italy coach Mancini will be without the Roma defender for the matches against France and Belgium. Mancini returned to the club with problems after Italy's Nations League games in late September and early October, and Gasperini has never had him at full fitness. Before the Sassuolo match, Gasperini decided not to call him up, which left the Italy coach with no option but to forgo his presence against France and Belgium. Molina is still serving a suspension for one match, following the reduction of his ban from seven matchdays to four. Roma's decision on Molina came on Saturday evening. Sending him to Argentina would have meant a long journey for just one of two friendlies, with the first test on Friday in Buenos Aires against Uruguay and the second in Córdoba against Costa Rica. Molina would then have had a long, tiring trip back to Trigoria, due next Thursday, which the club judged unworkable. The Argentine FA accepted the decision and will rely on Balerdi, Soulé and Castro. The international break has long concerned club coaches, who are forced to accept few training sessions and plenty of injuries. Roma's approach reflects that problem: protecting fitness for the club's own schedule rather than releasing players for every national team request.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

AS Roma have blocked a last-minute call-up for right-back Nahuel Molina to join Argentina's squad, despite the player's suspension being cut from seven matches to four. Argentina coach Scaloni had decided on the evening of the previous day to add Molina in extremis, which would have seen him join fellow Roma players Balerdi, Soulé and Castro in the national squad. The club of Trigoria stepped in and opposed the late call-up. Molina had been due to play the friendly against Costa Rica on 17 November before returning to Rome ahead of the league fixture against Parma. Gasperini and the club said no, and the full-back will remain in Rome to train with the other players not selected by their national teams. The suspension stemmed from a brawl in the World Cup final against Spain, and Molina had obtained the reduction from seven games to four before the call-up was made. Roma's refusal means the defender stays with the Giallorossi squad while Argentina play Costa Rica without him.

Roma have kept Mancini at Trigoria and decided not to send Nahuel Molina to Argentina, meaning Italy coach Mancini will be without the Roma defender for the matches against France and Belgium. Mancini returned to the club with problems after Italy's Nations League games in late September and early October, and Gasperini has never had him at full fitness. Before the Sassuolo match, Gasperini decided not to call him up, which left the Italy coach with no option but to forgo his presence against France and Belgium. Molina is still serving a suspension for one match, following the reduction of his ban from seven matchdays to four. Roma's decision on Molina came on Saturday evening. Sending him to Argentina would have meant a long journey for just one of two friendlies, with the first test on Friday in Buenos Aires against Uruguay and the second in Córdoba against Costa Rica. Molina would then have had a long, tiring trip back to Trigoria, due next Thursday, which the club judged unworkable. The Argentine FA accepted the decision and will rely on Balerdi, Soulé and Castro. The international break has long concerned club coaches, who are forced to accept few training sessions and plenty of injuries. Roma's approach reflects that problem: protecting fitness for the club's own schedule rather than releasing players for every national team request.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

AS Roma have blocked a last-minute call-up for right-back Nahuel Molina to join Argentina's squad, despite the player's suspension being cut from seven matches to four. Argentina coach Scaloni had decided on the evening of the previous day to add Molina in extremis, which would have seen him join fellow Roma players Balerdi, Soulé and Castro in the national squad. The club of Trigoria stepped in and opposed the late call-up. Molina had been due to play the friendly against Costa Rica on 17 November before returning to Rome ahead of the league fixture against Parma. Gasperini and the club said no, and the full-back will remain in Rome to train with the other players not selected by their national teams. The suspension stemmed from a brawl in the World Cup final against Spain, and Molina had obtained the reduction from seven games to four before the call-up was made. Roma's refusal means the defender stays with the Giallorossi squad while Argentina play Costa Rica without him.