Soulé handed the creative reins at Napoli as Dybala and Pellegrini miss out

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Matías Soulé faces Massimiliano Allegri again ahead of Roma's big clash with Napoli at the Maradona, the coach who first believed in him and launched him into top-level football at Juventus. Today the Argentine forward is the offensive focal point of Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma, and he is ready to lead the side against his former mentor in a match with a special flavour. The bond between Soulé and Allegri began in September 2021, when the Juventus coach called up the young Argentine, then eighteen, for an away trip to Naples, and later gave him his first-team debut. After a loan spell at Frosinone, where he scored 11 goals and won the Coppa Italia at the Maradona, their paths separated with Soulé's move to Roma in the summer of 2024. In the capital, after a complicated start and several months on the fringes, Soulé won over space and trust, becoming a decisive figure last season and overcoming a problem with his groin (pubalgia). Today he is the beacon of the giallorossi attack, preparing to meet Allegri as an opponent with the aim of driving Roma to a night in which Argentine talent is set to lead the revival at the Maradona. The Friedkin-era squad now looks to Soulé for goals and leadership, and the Napoli fixture offers a chance to show that his development has been built on the lessons learned under Allegri at Juventus. For Roma, the match is a test of whether their attacking hopes can rest on his shoulders against a side that knows him well.

Napoli host Roma in a big Serie A Matchday 8 fixture, with the match available free on DAZN. Napoli, coached by Allegri, are reeling after a heavy defeat at Venezia, although they have shown signs of recovery following their Champions League win over Bodø/Glimt. They now sit ninth in the table and cannot afford further slips. Roma, under Gasperini, bounced back well from a bitter defeat to Real Madrid, comfortably beating Genoa in Serie A and Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League. The Giallorossi are keeping pace with Inter, who currently top the table on goal difference... on two points, and they are level at the summit with Lazio, whose start has surprised many, with the Rome rivals sharing top spot with Chivu's side. The article also covers the probable line-ups and the current Serie A standings ahead of kickoff.

Former Roma defender Zago believes Roma and Inter will fight for the Scudetto, and that Gian Piero Gasperini's side have everything needed to bring the title back to the capital, he told Il Tempo. Napoli and Roma are going through two very different moments, and Zago was asked who he sees as the favourite for the clash. Zago said: "If the match had been at the Olimpico, I would have told you Roma would win 100%. At the Maradona it will be a bit more difficult, Napoli will do everything to get out of this difficult situation. For them it can be the match that turns things around." Asked what Gasperini has brought that is different, he credited a winning mentality. "He works a huge amount, he bases his game on intensity and triangular play. I consider him one of the three best coaches of recent years. For me, moreover, Roma have done an excellent market this summer." Zago was also asked whether Gasperini should trust Rodrigo Mora at Napoli. "I believe Mora can be the ideal replacement for Dybala. He has started well, showing he is a strong player." On Endrick, he said: "He still has to fully prove his value and find his ideal role on the pitch. He would suit Roma, and I have no doubt he would grow a lot working with Gasperini."

Rodrigo Mora is being handed greater responsibility after Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury, which could keep the midfielder out until 2027 with a high-grade tear to his right thigh. Roma face Napoli at the Maradona tomorrow, and Mora is set to play alongside Matías Soulé behind centre-forward Donyell Malen, as Paulo Dybala is also sidelined with a calf injury. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini must now reshape his plan for Mora, whose game time has so far been gradual. In Serie A he has played an average of 46 minutes per match, according to Niccolò Maurelli writing in Repubblica. Mora now wants to take control of the attacking department and become Malen's new focal point. The two already share a strong understanding, as shown against Real at the Olimpico, when the Portuguese set up the striker for the goal that made it 2-1 for the time being. Mora will need to quickly absorb the tactical idea of the coach, who wants him to be more decisive in front of goal.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Rodrigo Mora is being handed greater responsibility after Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury, which could keep the midfielder out until 2027 with a high-grade tear to his right thigh. Roma face Napoli at the Maradona tomorrow, and Mora is set to play alongside Matías Soulé behind centre-forward Donyell Malen, as Paulo Dybala is also sidelined with a calf injury. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini must now reshape his plan for Mora, whose game time has so far been gradual. In Serie A he has played an average of 46 minutes per match, according to Niccolò Maurelli writing in Repubblica. Mora now wants to take control of the attacking department and become Malen's new focal point. The two already share a strong understanding, as shown against Real at the Olimpico, when the Portuguese set up the striker for the goal that made it 2-1 for the time being. Mora will need to quickly absorb the tactical idea of the coach, who wants him to be more decisive in front of goal.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.

Rodrigo Mora is being handed greater responsibility after Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury, which could keep the midfielder out until 2027 with a high-grade tear to his right thigh. Roma face Napoli at the Maradona tomorrow, and Mora is set to play alongside Matías Soulé behind centre-forward Donyell Malen, as Paulo Dybala is also sidelined with a calf injury. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini must now reshape his plan for Mora, whose game time has so far been gradual. In Serie A he has played an average of 46 minutes per match, according to Niccolò Maurelli writing in Repubblica. Mora now wants to take control of the attacking department and become Malen's new focal point. The two already share a strong understanding, as shown against Real at the Olimpico, when the Portuguese set up the striker for the goal that made it 2-1 for the time being. Mora will need to quickly absorb the tactical idea of the coach, who wants him to be more decisive in front of goal.

Rodrigo Mora is set to be handed a starting role for Roma's difficult away trip to Napoli at the Maradona, with Lorenzo Pellegrini injured and Paulo Dybala continuing to struggle with physical problems. According to La Repubblica, the emergency that has decimated Roma's attack gives the young Portuguese playmaker the chance to become a central figure on the night. Mora is expected to line up alongside Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield behind Donyell Malen. Until now he has been eased in gradually and has played only a handful of minutes in the league. He will need to show the maturity required to carry the weight of Roma's build-up play, and he can build on the understanding he has already shown with Malen in Europe against Real Madrid. To strengthen the trust of Gian Piero Gasperini, Mora must also improve in front of goal, increasing his effectiveness and adding to his goal tally. It is an important test, and a night that could mark his definitive arrival at the heart of the Giallorossi project. The report puts Mora's opportunity squarely in the context of Roma's injury problems in attack. Pellegrini's absence and Dybala's recurring fitness issues have left Gasperini with limited options, and the match at the Maradona is a demanding assignment for a player still building his place in the side.

Roma will be without Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala for the trip to Napoli, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with just two attacking midfielders available, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé. Bryan Cristante, who has just returned from injury, could be deployed in that role behind Soulé and Donyell Malen, and Gasperini is expected to settle his selection doubts in the coming hours. Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation has also dealt the squad a blow. Daniele Aloisi of Il Messaggero reports that the club must act urgently in the January window. Roma still lack the left-sided winger who plays on his right foot, a signing they did not make even in the previous window. Gasperini reportedly expects at least two additions: one forward and one player to complete the options on the wings of midfield. The club's scouts have Gittense Leweling on their list. Signing Endrick will be harder, though that lead is far from closed. Oosterwolde is also under consideration. The newest name is Balde of Barcelona, a left-back who is finding little playing time under Flick. His availability has been offered through Mendes, the same agent who represents Rodrigo Mora. Any strengthening will require a real effort from the Friedkin Group, which must reinforce a squad that risks reaching the midpoint of the season badly depleted. The hope in Rome is that another signing of Malen's quality can be secured to keep the team performing well.