Soulé is not Roma's problem—selling him now would be a strategic mistake

Tonino Tempestilli, who played for both Roma and Como, gave an exclusive interview to Retesport ahead of Roma's visit to Como. Tempestilli expects a competitive match, noting that Roma will approach the fixture with the same intensity they have shown at the start of the season, though facing an organised Como side will present challenges. He believes a positive result at the Sinigaglia would be valuable for Roma, and predicted that Gasperini will field his team to win despite Como's quality. Templestilli drew a comparison between Como's current project and his own time there. "It didn't have an ownership backing it like this has," he said of Como's setup. "There was good work with the youth sector. Times have changed; now there is exceptional planning: the ownership has identified players who, at least to me, initially seemed unknown. Through Como I got to wear Roma's shirt." On Lorenzo Pellegrini's situation, Tempestilli cautioned against external judgment: "It's hard to judge from outside. When we see him on the pitch it will be because Gasperini thinks it's appropriate; the manager doesn't make exceptions for anyone. I hope he returns as soon as possible to being a value." When asked if Como's ownership had ever approached him, Tempestilli joked: "They don't even know who I am." Asked whether he misses Trigoria, Roma's training ground, he replied: "Absolutely yes. I'm doing well as things are, given that I have the chance to enjoy my family." On Gasperini's management style, Tempestilli drew a direct parallel: "Yes, because he doesn't look anyone in the face. He tries to impose his football against anyone; he's a coach capable of delivering results like what happened at Bergamo with Atalanta."

Roberto Mancini is settling into his return as Italy manager with the Azzurri in second place after four Nations League matches, despite an early defeat to Belgium. He has maintained his trademark approach of rapidly integrating young talent into the senior setup, with 64 youth debutants in 65 matches spent in the national team dugout. During the most recent international window, he introduced Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia, Michael Kayode, Sebastiano Esposito, Matteo Ruggeri, Antonio Vergara, and Mohamed Alì Zoma, who all performed credibly. Niccolò Pisilli, a Roma squad member, is among the next group of youngsters in line for a call-up, alongside Alphadjo Cissè, Cher Ndour, and Antonio Raimondo. A couple of them already featured for Italy in June when Silvio Baldini was caretaker manager. Three additional newcomers—Honest Ahanor, Eddy Kouadio, and Samuel Inacio—made their first squad call-ups but will have to wait until November to earn their maiden caps; Mancini held back the latter two partly to avoid triggering national team calls from Côte d'Ivoire and Brazil, though he notes Italy's U-21 side also needed them for European Championship qualification. Mancini observed that the players showed greater unity, tactical cohesion, spirit, and commitment than in the final stretch of his previous reign and the subsequent periods under different coaches. Most of the young talent are expected to remain at the forefront, with their quality and energy already evident.

Roberto Policano, a former Roma player, analysed the team's condition ahead of their Serie A match against Como, discussing both opponents' strengths and Roma's advantages in the championship battle. Policano praised Como's transformation into a relevant force, noting: "They have become a significant reality: some say they have money, it's true but they spend it very well. They have interesting young players who are growing well, and much of the credit goes to the coach who manages to give them awareness. His football works well, they always go to win the ball back. They attack and defend well." He acknowledged Como's Spanish recruitment strategy as an impressive target for many clubs. However, he backed Roma to have an edge over Como in the league title race, citing Como's youth and their potential inability to maintain their intensity and handle the pressure throughout the season. Policano also noted that Como's Champions League campaign will consume considerable energy, and he identified Inter, Milan, Juventus and Napoli as the teams to watch in the title fight. On where Roma can win the match, Policano stated: "In individual duels, it will be important not to make mistakes on exits and not to be caught exposed. If Roma plays as they know how and as the coach demands, they can get a result." He also discussed his work at Udinese, mentioning that Solet and Ekkelenkamp are ready for a big move and that the club fears losing them next season.

Lorenzo Pellegrini returned to speak ahead of Serie A's resumption after the international break, offering an update on his fitness and Roma's title ambitions. The midfielder, honoured at the twelfth edition of the Giuseppe Colalucci Prize, confirmed he is available for selection after two substitute appearances before the pause and declared himself ready for the restart. "I feel good, we're also celebrating my return to the pitch," Pellegrini said. "This break was perfect because it gave me the chance to train and push. I'm very happy and charged for this restart." Roma sit top of Serie A after five matches, and Pellegrini acknowledged the unusual situation of entering the campaign with genuine title hopes. When asked whether fans can dream of the Scudetto, he said: "Fans must dream just like anyone in sport—nobody takes to the pitch thinking they'll lose. We all dream. There were five matches where the lads were exceptional. There are always doubts at the season's start, but from training I could see the level is high. I'm pleased because we deserve this enthusiasm. Let's carry on this way until March and then set more concrete objectives." On Roma's next fixture against Como on Sunday and whether it might determine who emerges as Inter's main challenger, Pellegrini was cautious. "It's hard to say—we're still in the early stages of the season," he explained. "Now it restarts after a long break, which is new for us too. We have lots of fixtures because we'll also play in the Champions League. It's complicated to say this match will decide the anti-Inter contender. It will be a good match for sure, the best thing for people watching."

Lorenzo Pellegrini embraced a familiar figure at an encounter on 7 October. The Roma midfielder greeted Gattuso, the former Italy national team coach, in an emotional moment between the two. The article does not provide further detail about the specific circumstances of their meeting or what was discussed beyond the warm greeting captured in the headline.

Lorenzo Pellegrini expressed confidence in Roma's title ambitions while speaking at the twelfth edition of the Premio Giuseppe Colalucci. The midfielder said fans should dream of the Scudetto and stated he is ready for his return to action, though he cautioned that clarity on Roma's championship credentials will come in March. Pellegrini's comments underline his commitment as Roma continue their campaign this season. His readiness to feature again marks an important moment for the squad's depth and attacking options as the club pursues silverware.

Roma return to action on Sunday 11 October at 12:30 at the Sinigaglia for Serie A's sixth round against Como, following the international break. Wesley and Malen trained partially with the group on 7 October, while Bryan Cristante remains sidelined and will miss the match. Rodrigo Mora and Manu Koné have returned to Rome after completing their international commitments; Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi are expected back tomorrow after finishing their respective obligations. Lorenzo Pellegrini is in contention for a starting role in the offensive line, having remained at Trigoria throughout the break and trained consistently under coach Gian Piero Gasperini. He is reportedly ahead of Soulé and Mora in the selection battle, a positioning helped by his uninterrupted preparation while his rivals were engaged with their national teams. Soulé will arrive in the capital only close to kickoff following Argentina's campaign, while Mora returned today after Portugal's Under-21 commitments. Michael Fabbri of Ravenna has been appointed to referee the match, with Imperiale and Baccini as assistants and Sozza as fourth official. Gariglio will manage the VAR with Abisso as AVAR. Fabbri has refereed Roma on 19 occasions: the club holds a record of 9 victories, 4 draws and 6 defeats under him. His last match involving Roma was in the 2025-26 season, when he officiated Roma's 1–0 defeat to Atalanta in Bergamo in round 18. Radio commentary before the match has focused on the title race. Stefano Carina remarked: "We need to understand what effect the Champions League has, it costs many points. But it is too early for any judgment, Como and Roma are already going at maximum, difficult they can do more." Paolo Marcacci added: "I have positive feelings about the match with Como. After this break another championship begins: between 13 and 10 points there are eight teams, so this round can become important for the table. If I had to pick a result, I would say Roma will win or at least not lose. But it is too early to say that whoever wins will become the anti-Inter."

Roma will travel to Como in four days with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini preparing his squad for the match. Bryan Cristante is unavailable through injury, while Donyell Malen and Wesley have trained separately but pose no fitness concerns. Rodrigo Mora and Manu Koné returned to Rome today following the international break, with Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi due back tomorrow. Como's prospects have improved ahead of the fixture. Moise Kean is recovering from muscle fatigue that forced him to leave the national team camp, and confidence is growing that he will feature against Roma. Como's director of sport Ludi addressed the upcoming match, saying: "It will undoubtedly be a stimulating match, extremely difficult against one of the strongest teams in the championship. We want to test ourselves seriously to prove we are their rivals." Michael Fabbri has been appointed as referee. Como's last meeting with Roma came in January, a 1–0 defeat at Atalanta where Scalvini scored an irregular goal after committing a foul on Mile Svilar.

Roma travel to Como this weekend as Serie A resumes after a three-week international break, with the clash carrying direct implications for Champions League qualification. Historically, Roma's record against Como is strong overall—16 wins, 8 draws and 7 defeats—and the Giallorossi have won both recent meetings at the Olimpico: 2-1 in 2025 and 1-0 last season, when Wesley scored. Away at the Sinigaglia, however, the picture is starkly different. Since Como's return to Serie A, Roma have lost every fixture there, falling 2-0 and 2-1 in those contests. The last Roma victory away from home against Como stretches back 37 years. On 30 April 1989, Roma won 0-1 with a goal from Manfredonia in the 2nd minute; that match also featured a missed penalty from Giannini. A defeat also came in 2003, underlining Como's status as a venue where Roma have consistently struggled.

Como–Roma will feature a clash between Paulo Dybala and Nico Paz, two Argentine stars of Serie A. The match pits the experienced Dybala against the younger Paz in a contest that extends beyond the pitch itself, representing a generational encounter between the two playmakers.

Radio pundits across Rome's major stations offered contrasting views on Roma's immediate prospects and Serie A title race as Gian Piero Gasperini's side prepares for a difficult run of fixtures. The central debate centred on Roma's chances against Como in the coming days and their broader credentials this season, with several voices backing the team to succeed despite midfield concerns. Lorenzo Pes argued that Roma has the tools to win both the Como match and later the Real Madrid fixture, though he cautioned against rushing Lorenzo Pellegrini back too soon. "I don't really expect Pellegrini to start, even though the Como match calls more for a trequartista," Pes said. "But putting a player who hasn't played since mid-April into a match that will be very intense doesn't seem wise." Mario Corsi framed Gasperini's anxiety around injury prevention as evidence of the manager's belief in the squad's potential. "Gasperini has a terror of losing players to injury," Corsi explained, "because he is convinced that this Roma with all its full complement can do something frightening. The injury to Cristante is not a tragedy; the tragedies would be injuries to Malen, Dybala or Svilar." Other contributors highlighted the volatility of post-international-break football. Fabio Petruzzi noted that both Como and Roma had individual duels to determine the outcome: "Where is the mismatch? Perhaps the head, how you prepare psychologically. I see Gasperini calm. He is a pain in the neck, in the good sense of the term, but he transmits tranquility to me; he seems like someone who knows he has something important in his hands." Alessio Nardo recalled Roma's poor record returning from breaks, citing defeats to Torino (0–1 in September), Inter (0–1 in October) and a 5–2 loss at San Siro in March of the previous season. On the title race, Roberto Pruzzo held firm to the view that Inter held a structural advantage despite a compressed table. "Despite the league being very tight at the moment, I still think Inter has 10 points of advantage over the others, but then it must put those points together and that isn't easy." Nando Orsi disagreed sharply, countering that Roma had nearly closed the gap and positioning the two teams as the likeliest contenders for the championship, with Como as a dark horse.

Rafa Benítez has identified Roma and Como as the two teams best equipped to remain competitive with Serie A's defending champions this season. Writing for Gazzetta.it, the Spanish manager analysed the upcoming Como-Roma fixture and the wider title race, highlighting the challenges both clubs face after the international break. Benítez recognised Roma as the embodiment of Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical vision, praising the key players driving their campaign. He said: "Roma is the expression of Gasp, his all-field pressing, high re-aggression, immediate long balls; an attacker like Malen exalted by the schemes and devastating, Dybala who has returned to his levels; Koné in midfield who demolishes and pushes, Rodrigo Mora who comes in and breaks things. When they are playing well, you struggle to hold them." Benítez also commended Como's setup under Cesc Fabregas, describing him as "special for the way and timing in which he is establishing himself" and highlighting young talents including Nico Paz, Baturina, Ramon (21 years old), and Da Cunha. Benítez expressed concern about the difficulty of restarting the campaign after an unusually long international break. "It seems unusual, therefore hard," he explained. "The last time championships stopped for such a long period mid-season – and even longer than this – was during the Qatar World Cup, and that time it was even necessary to bring squads back into retreat with different preparations. Three weeks turn you upside down, everyone had their players scattered around the World and few were left to train. I foresee problems."