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Roma want to keep Dybala at Trigoria as Messi prepares to say goodbye to Argentina
·23 September 2026·45d ago

Roma want to keep Dybala at Trigoria as Messi prepares to say goodbye to Argentina

Source: Forza Roma

Paulo Dybala is at the centre of a selection standoff as Argentina prepare for Lionel Messi's final international appearance on 6 October against Benin. Roma have signalled they do not want Dybala and fellow World Cup 2022 winner Nahuel Molina to travel for the match, despite calls from coach Scaloni to include them alongside the three Roma players already convoked — Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro.

The club's reluctance stems from the fixture congestion that follows. Roma return to action on 11 October for an away trip to Como, only five days after Messi's farewell and the start of a demanding run of nine matches in 27 days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini wants to deploy Dybala at full capacity during this critical period, and the dual intercontinental journeys would impose recovery, jet lag and preparation penalties ahead of the Lake Como fixture. The evaluation is ongoing, but Roma's position is clear: Argentine players not selected by Scaloni could genuinely remain at Trigoria.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

“Il 6 ottobre non sarà una data come le altre nella storia del calcio. Quel giorno, infatti, Lionel Messi disputerà la sua ultima partita con la maglia dell'Argentina. L'Albiceleste affronterà il Benin in una partita dall'alto valore simbolico a cui prenderanno parte anche tre calciatori della Roma.…”

Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.

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