Serie A introduces new rules to combat time-wasting; first matchday shows near five-minute increase in effective playing time

Roma trained on Wednesday afternoon as Gasperini's squad prepared for Sunday's midday kickoff at Como. The coach was reunited with Argentine trio Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on Tuesday morning after international duty. The session included running, small-sided matches and drills in rainy conditions as the squad readies itself for a demanding October fixture list starting with the Sinigaglia away trip. Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference on Thursday, with Real Madrid's visit to the Olimpico following on Wednesday as the next major challenge. Away from the pitch, the Friedkin Group has announced the sale of Everton, a decision that has sparked optimism among sections of Roma's support who have long urged the ownership to concentrate fully on the Serie A club. The move has prompted contrasting reactions, with English Everton supporters responding differently to the announcement.

Roma held a training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on the afternoon of 8 October as preparation ramped up ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture at Como, which kicks off at 12:30. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere mixing athletic work, running and tactical drills, saw the final reunion of the South American contingent with the rest of the squad. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro, who returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October, completed the entire session and put themselves at the disposal of the coaching staff. CEO John Galantic attended the training to show the board's proximity during this phase of preparation. Former Roma legend Antonio Tempestilli, who celebrated his 67th birthday, reflected on the approaching match in an interview. He spent 12 seasons at Roma between 1981 and 1993, split evenly with Como. Tempestilli highlighted the risks of the long international break, saying: "A break that long can cause some problems with many players away on international duty: you have to see if there has been fatigue, hope everyone has returned fit. But that applies to everyone, starting with Como. Now you have to switch back on the mentality that Roma showed before the break. Gasperini is a guarantee in that sense." Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference at Trigoria tomorrow at 13:30. Elsewhere, Vincenzo Montella's tenure as Turkey's head coach has officially ended. The Turkish Football Federation announced today that its board formally removed him from his position following a series of four consecutive defeats in the recent UEFA Nations League cycle. Montella, an ex-Roma player and former manager of the club, had held the role since September 2023.

Roma's squad completed an afternoon training session at the Fulvio Bernardini centre on 8 October, stepping up their intensity ahead of the imminent resumption of the Serie A campaign. The session, conducted in heavy rain but with a relaxed atmosphere of athletic work, running and tactical small-sided games, saw the final reunion of the South American internationals with the rest of the group. Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro returned to Italy on the morning of 8 October and took part in the full session, putting themselves at the disposal of Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching staff. Roma's chief executive John Galantic was present on the touchline to witness the preparations. Bryan Cristante remains the only absentee, sidelined by a knee problem that will keep him out of the squad for the forthcoming trip to Como. Gasperini will deploy Marten de Roon to cover Cristante's absence in midfield, with the experienced Dutch midfielder starting alongside Manu Koné to provide defensive cover, midfield control and physical presence in Roma's play. The Como fixture marks the beginning of a demanding fixture list in October, with Gasperini using this session to refine final tactical details and prepare the group for the weeks ahead.

Gian Piero Gasperini has described Roma's defence as "a defence of gladiators", praising the unit built around Gianluca Mancini, Mario Hermoso and goalkeeper Mile Svilar. Over the last two seasons since Gasperini's arrival, Roma have conceded the fewest goals in Serie A—just 34—one fewer than Como, who have already shipped 6 goals in their opening five matches of the 2026-27 season compared to their tighter record last year. When the comparison expands to Europe's top five leagues over the same two-season span, only Arsenal have kept a cleaner sheet record. The Premier League side, managed by Mikel Arteta, have conceded 31 goals across that period and won the league title before reaching the final against PSG. The Arsenal benchmark carries particular weight given Roma's own improvement in attack this season: the Giallorossi have already scored 14 goals in their first five matches, a stark contrast to last season when they managed just 5 goals across the same point in the campaign.

Bryan Cristante will miss Roma's away fixture against Como this weekend due to a knee problem. The midfielder has been Gasperini's most-used outfield player so far this season but is working to accelerate his recovery, targeting a return to the squad for the Champions League match against Real Madrid on 14 October. The Como–Roma clash pits two of Serie A's best-resourced ownership groups against each other. The Hartono family have invested approximately €390 million in Como's project, while Dan Friedkin has already exceeded €1 billion in Roma investment since 2020, reaching €1.06 billion when combining the club's acquisition and financial support. Roma's losses have fallen significantly from €219 million in 2021–22 to €54 million in 2024–25. The club remains committed to its new stadium project at Pietralata, scheduled for completion in 2029. The match is shaping up to be an international affair, with only one Italian—Gianluca Mancini—potentially among the 22 starting players, representing 13 different nationalities. Gasperini is evaluating Rodrigo Mora as a possible surprise inclusion, with the midfielder's stock rising particularly because Matías Soulé only returned to full training yesterday and will train with the group today alongside Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi. In defence, the trio of Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso is expected to return.

Como and Roma will take the field at the Sinigaglia with a combined squad representing thirteen different nationalities, a striking illustration of Serie A's globalization. Among the twenty-two starting players, Gianluca Mancini could be the only Italian on the pitch, a detail that underscores how heavily Italian clubs now lean on international recruitment. The match will pit Cesc Fabregas's Como side, built around a Spanish core including Milla, Ramon, Valle and Roma's Mario Hermoso, against Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma—a tactical and mental duel of the highest calibre. The broader context reveals that nearly 72 per cent of players deployed across Serie A so far this season are foreign, confirming the league's decisive shift towards international profiles. Both Como and Roma maintain some of the youngest average ages in Italian football despite their cosmopolitan squads. The encounter promises individual battles throughout the pitch: Wesley and Couto's pace against the craft of Paulo Dybala and Nico Paz. With international breaks forcing late team evaluations, Gasperini faces decisions including a possible move to deploy young Rodrigo Mora in an attacking midfield role. The Sinigaglia is preparing to reveal the true alternative to Inter in the title race.