Soulé set for Argentina debut against Burkina Faso; Balerdi and Castro pushing for starts

Radio pundit Piero Torri has voiced concern that Bryan Cristante's injury could be more serious than initially thought, and has outlined how he would approach Roma's upcoming fixtures if the midfielder is unavailable. Speaking on Radio Manà Manà Sport Roma (90.9), Torri said: "I'm afraid Cristante's injury may not be a short one. If he's not fit, I wouldn't risk trying to get him back for Real Madrid. I would play de Roon at Como and Pisilli against Real Madrid." Torri also reflected on head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's handling of Paulo Dybala's minutes, saying the manager's approach has shifted his perspective. "What Gasperini said about Dybala struck me—it erased my previous beliefs about his playing time and management. And so far he's been proved right," Torri noted. He suggested Roma should begin discussions about Gasperini's contract intentions, given that the coach's deal will expire at the end of the season. Former Roma striker Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio Mattino (104.5), praised goalkeeper Mile Svilar's importance to the team: "Svilar is a world-class goalkeeper for Roma, I have no doubt about it. If there's a normal goalkeeper, it's easy to lose 3–1. But with him it's different."

Wesley was spotted at Ponte Milvio test-driving his new Lamborghini during the international break. The Roma defender, born in 2003, remained in the capital rather than travel during the national team pause, taking the opportunity to enjoy some leisure time away from Trigoria. Wesley is currently recovering from a physical problem that prevented him from answering Brazil's call-up. He is expected to rejoin full training in the coming days with the goal of returning to Gian Piero Gasperini's squad for the resumption of the league campaign.

Roma's international break will conclude this weekend, with the Serie A campaign resuming on Sunday 11 October at Como (12:30 CET, Stadio Sinigaglia). The Giallorossi arrive on the back of a 2–2 draw against Inter, a result that underlined their strong start to the season and their ability to compete with title contenders. The timing of the break is awkward—Roma must immediately shift mental gears for a relentless schedule that will see them play nine times in 27 days, a fixture run that will define their seasonal ambitions under Gasperini. The stretch begins at Como and continues without respite. Three days after the Lombard trip, on Wednesday 14 October, the Champions League returns to the Olimpico after seven years; Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, are the visitors. Saturday 17 brings Genoa to Rome, followed by Slovan Bratislava at home on Tuesday 20 in the Champions League league phase. Roma then travel to Napoli on Saturday 24 October, a fixture described as capable of revealing much about the Giallorossi's capacity to compete. There is no time to celebrate or recover: Tuesday 27 sees Cagliari at home in a midweek fixture. Saturday 31 brings a trip to Udinese, followed by a journey to England on 3 November to face Manchester United. The run concludes on 7 November with Sassuolo at home, the ninth and final match of the month-long cycle before the second international break of the season. The injury to Bryan Cristante is poorly timed, depriving the midfield of one of its key equilibrating figures at the start of this critical period. However, his absence opens a tactical opportunity: Marten de Roon is primed to take over the midfield and make his Roma debut from the start, likely already at Como. De Roon brings his customary aggression, solidity and experience. Niccolò Pisilli will offer freshness and enthusiasm, though he is more likely to deputise for Manu Koné than for Cristante. Lorenzo Pellegrini's return, even in a different role—more attacking midfielder than central midfielder in a two-man midfield—is the best possible news for Gasperini. The coach has made clear that there are no hierarchies at Trigoria: "those who are in better form play, for Roma's benefit." Roma's squad training resumes on Tuesday afternoon before the Como trip. The fixture list over the next month presents no respite and no room for fluctuation, with injury risk a constant concern as the team aims to navigate this pivotal stretch.

Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma a three-day break before the squad returns to work on Tuesday afternoon at Fulvio Bernardini to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will be sidelined for around two weeks with a lateral collateral ligament problem, forcing him to miss approximately five matches with a target return date of 24 October against Napoli. To manage the midfield absence, Gasperini is considering Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon, with the Dutch midfielder poised to make his starting debut at Como alongside Manu Koné. National team commitments will complicate preparations, with players returning to Trigoria in stages. Evan N'Dicka will be the first arrival back after his involvement with Ivory Coast. The final players to return will be the Argentine trio of Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are not expected at the training ground until Thursday. The staggered returns mean Gasperini must manage a gradual integration of the international contingent while addressing the pressing issue of Cristante's absence in midfield.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma's squad three days off before recalling them to Trigoria on Tuesday afternoon to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will not be available for training as he continues to recover from a knee collateral problem. The goal is to have the captain fit for Roma's fixture at Napoli on 24 October. Gasperini will begin reintegrating the players involved in the international break from Tuesday onwards. Evan N'Dicka will be among the first to return after completing Ivory Coast's final match of the international window today. The last players to report back will be the Argentines Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are expected at Trigoria on Thursday.

With a long international break giving Roma players downtime, the squad has been pursuing a diverse range of hobbies away from the pitch. Wesley has garnered attention for his collection of luxury cars stored in his garage, a sight that prompted teammate Soulé to make a quip about his fellow defender's automotive passion. The Brazilian is far from alone in his interests: Manu Koné, the French midfielder, describes himself as a homebody who loves spending his days resting at home, driven by an unconditional passion for French rap and trap music. His dancing and musical performances have become iconic within the group. Mario Hermoso prefers to listen to music by the pool and at the beach, his two great loves, and has recently become involved in the social ritual of mate preparation alongside Argentine players Dybala, Soulé, Balerdi, Castro and Molina. The traditional infusion travels everywhere with them, from long team bus journeys to sessions at Trigoria, serving not simply as a beverage but as a way to unwind and chat. Evan N'Dicka has revealed a strong attraction to architecture and art, appreciating Rome's historical richness during his leisure time and regularly reading history books at home. Marten de Roon curates his social media and seeks out food and wine experiences, while Mile Svilar dedicates considerable time to work with his mental coach before matches, regularly practising visualisation and breathing exercises to train self-control.

Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma a three-day break before the squad returns to work on Tuesday afternoon at Fulvio Bernardini to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will be sidelined for around two weeks with a lateral collateral ligament problem, forcing him to miss approximately five matches with a target return date of 24 October against Napoli. To manage the midfield absence, Gasperini is considering Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon, with the Dutch midfielder poised to make his starting debut at Como alongside Manu Koné. National team commitments will complicate preparations, with players returning to Trigoria in stages. Evan N'Dicka will be the first arrival back after his involvement with Ivory Coast. The final players to return will be the Argentine trio of Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are not expected at the training ground until Thursday. The staggered returns mean Gasperini must manage a gradual integration of the international contingent while addressing the pressing issue of Cristante's absence in midfield.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has given Roma's squad three days off before recalling them to Trigoria on Tuesday afternoon to prepare for the match against Como. Bryan Cristante will not be available for training as he continues to recover from a knee collateral problem. The goal is to have the captain fit for Roma's fixture at Napoli on 24 October. Gasperini will begin reintegrating the players involved in the international break from Tuesday onwards. Evan N'Dicka will be among the first to return after completing Ivory Coast's final match of the international window today. The last players to report back will be the Argentines Leonardo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé, who are expected at Trigoria on Thursday.

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at the ninth edition of Il Festival dello Sport in Trento alongside new Roma CEO Galantic, discussing the club's strong start to the season and his first months in charge. The coach explained his vision from day one: "My objective was to create something new, to lay new foundations immediately. We never spoke of my past—we had to build something fresh, founded on new concepts of play that were different from what several players were used to. There are two ways in football: waiting for the opponent to lose the ball or going to take it. This was the first concept, not waiting for the opponent, and everything else stemmed from that." Gasperini praised his defence, singling out Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso as standouts. On Mancini specifically: "I knew him, but when I was his opponent I'd think 'why is he so disagreeable?' and I told him straight away 'this penalises you—for years you haven't gone to the national team because of these attitudes.' It was the first thing I worked on. He had a fantastic season, people started talking about Mancini as a player again, and he returned to the Nazionale." Hermoso, he said, brought defensive grit combined with Spanish quality and important experience from his time at Atlético Madrid. Gasperini also highlighted Mile Svilar and Evan N'Dicka, noting they had been Europe's best defence for months. On Paulo Dybala's remarkable form, Gasperini revealed his belief that the Argentine's previous injury problems stemmed from training rather than fragility. "Lots of people told me he has silk muscles, that I had to preserve him, and he kept getting injured. He has remarkable fibre—some injuries were just bad luck. This season's start is extraordinary physically. He doesn't miss a minute of training or a match. It's proof of what I always believed: through training you can improve resilience and performance." When asked if Dybala's recent shot from distance showed progress, Gasperini explained: "That's a legacy we're overcoming soon. Last year he hurt himself shooting against Milan and Torino and it stayed with him. Now he's getting past it—he wasn't sprinting anymore and to see him jumping over opponents again is great. Soon we'll be back to shooting like before." He also offered high praise for Dybala's overall quality: "My career is long and I've coached many strong players. Dybala is among the top, if not the absolute top. Ilicic and the Papu too—they're poets because they touch chords different from everyone else." Gasperini discussed some younger squad members who have impressed him. On Emanuele Lulli, who was not always a starter in the Primavera: "I have the habit of bringing some young players from the Primavera into training. I saw important characteristics in him and this year brought him to the retreat. He played against Borussia Dortmund, a challenging match. The young players tell you through how they play if they're ready. The answers come from watching them on the pitch." He also defended recent criticism of another academy product: "It's another young man who grew through our youth system. He's very interesting. I was sorry about what happened last week—it seemed we'd found the player to fix the Nazionale and then he was excessively criticised. Perhaps it's the adults who need to stay calm in their judgment." On Santiago Castro's arrival, Gasperini said: "Sometimes the planets align and things happen you don't plan. He was a known player—we had a friendly where I saw his characteristics. The market is a place where sometimes you don't plan anything. We were looking for a striker because Dovbyk and Ferguson were injured. There were several names and suddenly I learned of this opportunity. He was leaving Aston Villa for tactical reasons; he wanted to be a centre-forward and I've always seen those qualities in him. He has three fundamental touches, and the closer he is to the box the more lethal he is." When pressed on whether Castro could surpass Gonzalo Higuaín's records, Gasperini said: "I said that to motivate him—I'm joking a bit. Let's say if he reaches 30 I'm happy." Gasperini reflected on his decision to leave Atalanta for Roma, calling it a major turning point in his career—comparable only to his shift from playing to management and his move to Crotone in Serie C. "I arrived with the conviction it was something owed rather than wanted, and that it was time to cross the Rubicon. You do it with lots of doubts, but you know when you make that choice you don't go back, and it's gone well." On the season's challenges ahead, he rejected the idea of being solely focused on rivals: "I always look at our path. Depending on the moment, Hannibal could be someone else. Before it was Juventus, now perhaps Inter, who is the best team in Italy. If you always chase the strongest you can lose yourself. The objective is to look at ourselves and improve."