Roma train at Trigoria ahead of Como trip

Bryan Cristante will miss the upcoming match against Como due to inflammation of his right knee. The midfielder will undergo further instrumental examinations next week to determine recovery timescales, which could range between two and four weeks. In the best-case scenario, Cristante would miss both the away trip to Como and Roma's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. The next fixture after the international break is scheduled for 17 October against Genoa. Cristante has not been unavailable through injury since January 2025. The club will wait for next week's test results to establish a firm timeline. What is certain is that he will not feature in the first two matches after the long international break. Marten de Roon is being prepared to take his place and partner Manu Koné in midfield.

Italy play France in Nations League action this evening, seeking to recover from an opening defeat to Belgium. The Azzurri bounced back with a 1–4 victory in Turkey on Friday. Gianluca Mancini, the Roma defender, has been called up and will wear number 23, though he may start from the bench. Daniele Ghilardi was not selected for the squad. Fagioli will take the number 10 shirt after Raspadori withdrew from the national team camp due to a muscular injury. The attacking lineup pairs the Esposito brothers up front with Vergara operating in the number 10 role. Manu Koné, the Roma midfielder, is ready to start.

Gianluca Mancini will start and wear the captain's armband for Roma's trip to Como, restoring him to the leadership role after a mixed opening to the season. The centre-back has faced criticism from supporters for defensive errors against Fenerbahce and Inter, though he was a standout performer in the victory over Torino. He also received scrutiny in international play for his marking on Godts during Belgium's goal at the Olimpico. Gasperini retains full faith in Mancini, who remains a trusted figure at the club. With Bryan Cristante unavailable and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the bench, the captain's armband passes to Mancini for the fixture. Como, managed by Fabregas, will present a stern test, particularly against Ramon—the midfielder with whom Mancini clashed in their previous meeting last season. The contest carries significant weight in the title race. Mancini reflected on that earlier confrontation: "There was a collision in play with Ramon, normal things. He grabbed me by the neck, and at 20 years old I had far more respect for older players, otherwise I would have taken a few slaps in the tunnel. I told Ramon to stay calm and not get angry. It happens after the match." After the previous fixture, Fabregas approached Mancini to discuss the incident, though the exchange lasted only seconds. The two will face each other again in the coming match.

Gianluca Mancini will start and wear the captain's armband for Roma's trip to Como, restoring him to the leadership role after a mixed opening to the season. The centre-back has faced criticism from supporters for defensive errors against Fenerbahce and Inter, though he was a standout performer in the victory over Torino. He also received scrutiny in international play for his marking on Godts during Belgium's goal at the Olimpico. Gasperini retains full faith in Mancini, who remains a trusted figure at the club. With Bryan Cristante unavailable and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the bench, the captain's armband passes to Mancini for the fixture. Como, managed by Fabregas, will present a stern test, particularly against Ramon—the midfielder with whom Mancini clashed in their previous meeting last season. The contest carries significant weight in the title race. Mancini reflected on that earlier confrontation: "There was a collision in play with Ramon, normal things. He grabbed me by the neck, and at 20 years old I had far more respect for older players, otherwise I would have taken a few slaps in the tunnel. I told Ramon to stay calm and not get angry. It happens after the match." After the previous fixture, Fabregas approached Mancini to discuss the incident, though the exchange lasted only seconds. The two will face each other again in the coming match.

Roma held a training session at Trigoria on Friday 2 October, with director of sport Vincenzo D'Amico present alongside head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club prepares for the resumption of Serie A action. Three players were absent from the session due to injury: Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley. Cristante's situation is the most concerning. The midfielder is suffering from knee inflammation, and his availability for the away fixture against Como on 11 October appears very unlikely. The injury threatens to affect his readiness for Roma's Champions League match against Real Madrid just three days after the Como game. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and are both working to build their fitness during the international break, aiming to increase their influence in Gasperini's plans for the Como match. Roma face a demanding run of matches after the domestic season resumes, and the medical staff will continue monitoring the injured players as they seek to have as many men available as possible for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Radio Roma commentators weighed in on Bryan Cristante's fitness and Roma's upcoming fixtures. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said Cristante has inflammation of the knee that he has been managing for several days and believes the midfielder will be carefully managed ahead of a demanding run of matches. Torri predicted Matías Soulé will play against Como, Rodrigo Mora will start in the Real Madrid fixture, and Lorenzo Pellegrini should begin to regain match sharpness after time out, adding that Como is a more important match than Real Madrid. Marco Valerio Rossomando, also of Manà Manà Sport, echoed the concern: if Cristante does not play against Como it will be because he is genuinely unwell. With matches coming in quick succession, there is a risk of him missing several games. Rossomando noted that throughout his career Cristante has never suffered a prolonged absence, describing him as "like a machine that has 300,000 kilometres on it". Alessandro Antinelli of Tele Radio Stereo commented separately on Roma's potential new stadium, saying the ground is a strong candidate to host matches at Euro 2032 if construction begins in spring, and praised the project for its potential to regenerate an area of Rome and create jobs.

Roma held a training session at Trigoria on Friday 2 October, with director of sport Vincenzo D'Amico present alongside head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club prepares for the resumption of Serie A action. Three players were absent from the session due to injury: Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley. Cristante's situation is the most concerning. The midfielder is suffering from knee inflammation, and his availability for the away fixture against Como on 11 October appears very unlikely. The injury threatens to affect his readiness for Roma's Champions League match against Real Madrid just three days after the Como game. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and are both working to build their fitness during the international break, aiming to increase their influence in Gasperini's plans for the Como match. Roma face a demanding run of matches after the domestic season resumes, and the medical staff will continue monitoring the injured players as they seek to have as many men available as possible for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Roma have placed two players in Serie A's ideal Under-23 formation based on Sofascore ratings from the opening phase of the 2026-27 season. Wesley and Emanuele Lulli were selected among the league's best young performers, a recognition that underscores the growing importance of youth in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. Wesley's inclusion confirms the impact the Brazilian has made since arriving at Roma. The defender has carved out a significant role in Gasperini's setup, displaying qualities well suited to the coach's tactical demands. His selection highlights his emergence as one of Serie A's standout young players in the early stages of the campaign. Lulli, a 2007-born product of Roma's academy, has emerged as one of the season's surprises for the Giallorossi. After stepping up to the first team, the young defender has responded on the pitch and earned his place among the league's best Under-23 performers according to Sofascore data, signalling his continued development under Gasperini's management.

Roma held their final training session of the week on 2 October with director of sport Tony D'Amico in attendance. Bryan Cristante will miss the trip to Como due to a knee problem and remains a doubt for the Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. Donyell Malen and Wesley underwent individual training today but are expected to return in the coming days and will be available for the Como match under manager Fabregas. Gasperini has granted the squad two days' rest over the weekend, with the group reconvening on Monday to prepare for the Serie A visit to Sinigaglia. Head coach Gasperini and chief executive Galantic will attend the Trento Sports Festival at 18:45.

Roma held a training session at Trigoria on Friday 2 October, with director of sport Vincenzo D'Amico present alongside head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the club prepares for the resumption of Serie A action. Three players were absent from the session due to injury: Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen and Wesley. Cristante's situation is the most concerning. The midfielder is suffering from knee inflammation, and his availability for the away fixture against Como on 11 October appears very unlikely. The injury threatens to affect his readiness for Roma's Champions League match against Real Madrid just three days after the Como game. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini trained regularly with the group and are both working to build their fitness during the international break, aiming to increase their influence in Gasperini's plans for the Como match. Roma face a demanding run of matches after the domestic season resumes, and the medical staff will continue monitoring the injured players as they seek to have as many men available as possible for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Roma held their final training session of the week on 2 October with director of sport Tony D'Amico in attendance. Bryan Cristante will miss the trip to Como due to a knee problem and remains a doubt for the Champions League fixture against Real Madrid. Donyell Malen and Wesley underwent individual training today but are expected to return in the coming days and will be available for the Como match under manager Fabregas. Gasperini has granted the squad two days' rest over the weekend, with the group reconvening on Monday to prepare for the Serie A visit to Sinigaglia. Head coach Gasperini and chief executive Galantic will attend the Trento Sports Festival at 18:45.

Roma radio stations debated the club's immediate fixtures and stadium plans on 2 October, with key voices offering contrasting views on priorities and squad management ahead of a taxing schedule. David Rossi told Rete Sport that Roma's match against Real Madrid is the least important of the next three fixtures in his assessment. "Delle prossime tre partite, quella meno importante per me è Roma-Real Madrid," he said, though he acknowledged the risk that a strong performance against the Spanish club could have unforeseen consequences. "Però se prendi la super-sveglia contro il Real, poi rischi che possa lasciare il segno e allora non ti puoi allargare. Ma col Real rischi di perdere anche se ti giochi i resti, perchè loro sono comunque più forti." Rossi expected defensive rotation, anticipating Emanuele Lulli or Daniele Ghilardi against Genoa, and noted concerns about Wesley and Nahuel Molina potentially playing all three matches. Bryan Cristante's availability was downplayed as a minor concern given Marten de Roon's presence in the squad. Gianluca Piacentini drew stark contrasts between this season and last, saying: "La Roma dell'anno scorso e quella di quest'anno sono due squadre di due paesi diversi, manco due campionati diversi." He praised the overall squad output under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini but noted a paradox—low conversion despite high volume—even after two 4–0 victories. On points targets, Piacentini stated: "Se contro Como e Genoa dovessi fare 4 punti sarebbe tanta roba, ma pure se li facessi contro Real Madrid e Slovan Bratislava. Per due vittorie e due pareggi firmerei subito." Checco Oddo Casano highlighted Rodrigo Mora's directness as a tactical advantage, observing that Roma now shoots significantly more often at goal this season, though he questioned whether this reflected Donyell Malen's arrival or broader squad work. Stadium development dominated the latter portion of the discussion. Paolo Cosenza raised concerns about siting a new ground near a hospital, while Mario Corsi countered that ambulance delays are a city-wide problem affecting the Stadio Olimpico already. Alessandro Antinelli noted the proposed Roma stadium is a strong candidate for Euro 2032 should construction begin in spring, and would regenerate the area. Stefano Carina reported Mayor Gualtieri's two-and-a-half-year completion timeline and noted the Pietralata site is among Euro 2032 venues, though he expressed concern about ticket affordability in the new facility.