Stadium project approved by Lazio Region; Cristante to speak

Slim Bouaskar, a goalkeeper born and raised in Rome who chose to represent Tunisia internationally, has been named by The Guardian among the world's most talented and promising players born in 2009. Though largely unknown to Roma's supporters, Bouaskar continues to impress in the club's youth ranks and at the U17 World Championship. He has not yet made a senior debut, but Ranieri gave him an opportunity following José Mourinho's words to him: "In a few years you will train with my team." Bouaskar's dream is to compete for the number one shirt with Mile Svilar in the coming years. The two goalkeepers speak often, and Svilar's recognition of the young talent underscores Bouaskar's standing within the club's goalkeeper contingent.

José Mourinho discussed his time at Roma ahead of Real Madrid's upcoming match against the club, revealing that his dismissal stemmed from a breakdown in his relationship with owner the Friedkin Group. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho described the Europa League final in Budapest as both the pinnacle of his connection with Roma and the catalyst for his downfall. He said: "The Budapest final is the pinnacle of this connection" and explained the circumstances of his departure: "The day of the final in Budapest, I was fired: when I returned from vacation, I was already dead." Mourinho also addressed the controversial nature of the final itself, taking responsibility for his own conduct while distancing himself from fan reactions. When asked about referee Anthony Taylor's treatment by Roma supporters, he responded: "My responsibility is only for what happened in the tunnel with the referee, not for what happened at the airport." The Portuguese manager elaborated on the reasons for his sacking, stating: "I paid the price with my relationship with the owners, who had a different profile than mine, and a different approach to that final." Roma fans maintain a strong emotional connection with Mourinho, who became emblematic of the club's pursuit of silverware during his tenure and cultivated an us-against-the-world mentality that resonated with supporters. His return to Rome with Real Madrid next week is expected to receive a special reception from the Giallorossi faithful.

Alessandro Ciullini, an athletic trainer at Fiorentina since 1991, has warned that the lengthy international break will produce unexpected results when Serie A resumes, but Roma face particular difficulties in preparing for the restart. Ciullini highlighted the challenge of assessing players' physical condition after the break and understanding their individual needs. He identified a specific problem for Gasperini's Roma: the coach has been able to work only with the squad members who remained at Trigoria while integrating Primavera youth players. "When you have to train only 10 players and integrate young academy players, the rhythm is different and it can be difficult to raise it to match fitness levels when working at full capacity," Ciullini explained. The complexity of managing such a reduced group during the break could leave Roma at a disadvantage compared to clubs operating at normal training intensity.

Rodrigo Mora is in line to start on the trequarti for Roma's trip to Como on Sunday, having impressed with Portugal Under 21 with a goal and an assist across three matches. Matías Soulé will train with the main group for the first time on 9 October, while Lorenzo Pellegrini returns after six months out through injury. Mora started today against Sorianese, putting him ahead of both teammates in the pecking order according to Sky Sport. Pellegrini featured in the second half of that friendly. The forward pairing of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala is unchanged. At the back, Evan N'Dicka is favored over Leonardo Balerdi, while Marten de Roon steps in midfield in place of the injured Bryan Cristante.

Roma travel to Como on Sunday at 12:30 with the aim of maintaining their position at the top of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed that Donyell Malen and Wesley are fully fit after both featured in a friendly played today, recovering from earlier absences. Gasperini has minor doubts in defence but expects to field Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso as his back three, with Leonardo Balerdi pushing for a place after returning from a trip overseas. Marten de Roon will replace Bryan Cristante in midfield alongside Manu Koné, while Nahuel Molina and Wesley occupy the flanks. Rodrigo Mora is set to start as an attacking midfielder, ahead of Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, with Donyell Malen leading the line. Roma's probable formation: Svilar; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Rodrigo Mora; Malen.

Roma held a friendly match against Sorianese, a team from the Eccellenza division, at Trigoria on the morning of 8 October as Gian Piero Gasperini's squad continued preparations for Sunday's trip to Como. The most significant development came with Donyell Malen and Wesley returning to full group training after working only partially with their teammates in recent sessions, confirming their progress towards the Sinigaglia fixture. Manu Koné and Rodrigo Mora also trained with the squad after returning from international duty. Gasperini is close to having almost his entire squad available just days before the league resumes, with Matías Soulé, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi undergoing a recovery session following their long journey back from Argentina. From tomorrow the coach should have virtually the full group at his disposal, with the exception of the injured Bryan Cristante.