Roma travel to Fenerbahce for opening European away fixture as Pellegrini returns

Roma scouts were among those watching Porto against PSV Eindhoven at the Estádio do Dragão in the Champions League, as the club keeps working ahead of the January transfer window to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. Sporting director D'Amico is looking for talent to complete the attack and the wide areas, where a left-sided midfield winger is still missing. Scouts from Everton, Manchester United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest were also present, according to English outlet Sport Witness. Many talents featured for PSV as well as for Porto, who are coached by Farioli. Among the possible targets Roma are monitoring is Sven Mijnans, an attacking midfielder born in 2000 who had already been followed in the summer. Also on the list is Bajraktarević, a Bosnian left-sided winger born in 2005. Roma will keep working on these ideas in the coming weeks, as a side that has made a top start still needs reinforcements. Porto's young standouts also drew attention. Oscar Pietuszewski, a right-footed winger born in 2008, is very young. Alberto Costa, a 23-year-old full-back, was close to joining Roma in January 2025.

Roma's defence has been named in the Sofascore Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, with Mario Hermoso, Leonardo Balerdi and Daniele Ghilardi all selected and dominating the back line of the ideal side. The trio's performance earned the recognition after they kept a clean sheet against Slovan Bratislava, the club's first clean sheet in Europe this season, and gave nothing away to Yaya Touré's side. The spotlight on the defence comes as Roma prepare for a big match against Napoli, with the squad continuing its work at Trigoria. The back line has been one of the strengths of the start to the campaign, conceding just three goals in the first seven Serie A matches. The Italian report adds that the award reflects the solid form of a unit that has been central to Roma's strong start, with the three defenders combining for a shutout that underlined the club's improved resilience at the back. Roma are next in action against Napoli, with the squad focused on maintaining that defensive record.

Roma's central defenders Hermoso, Balerdi and Ghilardi have been named in Sofascore's Team of the Week for the latest Champions League round, after a performance that kept Slovan Bratislava out completely. The three Roma defenders gave away nothing to the side coached by Yaya Touré. Roma have conceded only three goals in their first seven Serie A matches, a record built on a back line that is growing more solid despite the absence of several players who were fundamental in recent years. The arrivals of Balerdi and Koulierakis, and the continued development of Ghilardi, have given Gasperini the option to rest two first-team regulars, Ndicka and Mancini. Sofascore's selection was described as deserved. The Team of the Week's defence, drawn from the best side in the League Phase, was dominated by Gasperini's Roma backline. The selection also includes attackers Doué, Nico Paz, Foden and Ngumoha from the wider group of top clubs in the competition.

Roma travel to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to face Napoli, coached by Massimiliano Allegri, on Saturday 24 October at 18:00 in the big match of Serie A's eighth matchday. Roma return to league action after a comfortable win in the Champions League, a 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava, and arrive on the back of a 2-0 win over Genoa in their last league outing. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are unbeaten in Serie A this season, with 17 points from seven matchdays, third place in the table and just three goals conceded. Napoli are in a very different position, stuck on 10 points after a surprising 1-0 defeat at Venezia. They have, however, regained some confidence in Europe with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Bodø/Glimt. On the Napoli side, Allegri is expected to line up in a 4-3-3, with Milinkovic-Savic favoured over Meret in goal. Buongiorno is out, while Rrahmani is a doubt after a fever, with Badiashile and Rafa Marin ready to step in. In midfield De Bruyne, Anguissa and McTominay start, with Lobotka the alternative. Højlund returns to lead the attack, flanked by Politano and either Lang or Giovane. David Neres, Alisson Santos and Favasuli are absent. For Roma, Gasperini has Cristante back, although it is still unclear whether he will start from the outset. Svilar, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini remain out, so Gollini is confirmed in goal. Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso are favoured at the back, with Lulli and Wesley on the flanks. De Roon and Pisilli are ahead in the race for central midfield places, while Malen returns up front, supported by Soulé and Cristante, with Mora the only alternative to the former Atalanta man. The match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, with a major change: the Maradona clash will also be available free of charge to non-subscribers. Viewers only need to register on the DAZN platform without taking out a subscription to access the live stream. Coverage starts at 17:00, with kick-off at 18:00 on Saturday 24 October. Pierluigi Pardo will commentate, alongside technical analyst Fabio Bazzani. Updated odds make Roma slight favourites. A Napoli win is priced on average between 2.75 and 2.90, a draw around 3.30-3.50, and a Roma win between 2.35 and 2.45. The gap is minimal, suggesting bookmakers expect a very balanced contest. Over and Under 2.5 goals markets are practically level. Roma have an impressive defensive record, conceding just three goals in seven matchdays and keeping clean sheets in their three league away games at Lecce, Torino and Como. Napoli, however, have scored in every Serie A game played at the Maradona. The most popular predicted correct score is 1-1.

Roma have named their squad for the big match at the Maradona against Napoli, which takes place less than 24 hours after the list was released. Gian Piero Gasperini's side will be without Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mile Svilar, who are all out. The club's list includes two Primavera players, Di Nunzio and Camara. Gasperini's only selection doubt is in the attacking midfield, where Bryan Cristante, Rodrigo Mora and Niccolò Pisilli are competing for a place. Pisilli is considered the likeliest to get the nod to play alongside Matías Soulé, not least because of his current form. Napoli, for their part, are getting back Rrahmani and Vergara, but will have to do without Neres, Favasuli, Buongiorno and Alisson Santos. Roma also want to end a long run against Allegri's side. They have not won away against Napoli since 2010, a wait of 16 years. That last win came on 18 December, when the decisive goal was scored by Borriello.

Cristante is in Roma's squad for the trip to Napoli, according to the squad list published by Il Messaggero. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is short in the final third, with Pellegrini, Dybala, Svilar and Koné all sidelined. He has only Mora and Soulé behind Malen, and is considering playing Cristante further forward. The squad list names Balerdi, Ghilardi, Hermoso, Koulierakis, Lulli, Mancini, Molina, N'Dicka, Rensch and Wesley in defence; Cristante, De Roon, Mora and Pisilli in midfield; and Malen, Soulé and Castro in attack. Camara and Di Nunzio are also listed. The situation is serious enough that Roma are expected to act in the January transfer window. The club must spend to give Gasperini at least two reinforcements between attack and the flanks. Gittens and Leweling remain on the list, and the club has not ruled out the complicated pursuit of Endrick. A new left-back name has emerged: Alejandro Balde of Barcelona, who is finding few minutes under Flick and has been offered by Jorge Mendes. His name joins that of Oosterwolde. Sky Sport reports that Roma are close to the final details of a contract renewal for Lulli, which would run to 2031. The deal has not yet been officially announced, and the last points must be settled before it is formalised. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport at the Amsterdam stop of the EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, Stekelenburg was asked about Svilar. He said: "If I had to put him in the top five... no, not yet. After all, there are Courtois, Neuer and others. But he is a young lad and he is doing an excellent job. He just has to keep growing." Asked to choose between Højlund and Malen if he were a sporting director, Graziani said: "Malen without thinking twice. Hojlund I like a lot, and sometimes he looks to me like a 'little Lukaku' the way he leads the attack and the physical battles he takes on, and he has a great sense of goal; but Malen is my ideal striker, for the way he attacks space, for his dribbling, for the acceleration he has in the last twenty metres and because he can roam across the whole attacking front."