Stramaccioni backs Pellegrini as key to Como, says Roma have narrowed gap with Inter

Andrea Stramaccioni, a technical commentator for DAZN and former Roma Primavera manager, has analysed the Como–Roma fixture scheduled for 11 October at 12:30 in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. He positions the match as a contest between two of Inter's principal challengers, noting that both teams strengthened significantly in the final stages of last season and resumed this campaign more competitive, though Inter still hold an edge. Stramaccioni identified the tactical battleground as one between Como's model of technical possession and horizontal circulation—characteristic of Cesc Fabregas's setup—and Roma's aggression, speed and vertical intensity under Gian Piero Gasperini. He said: "The key will favour whoever succeeds in removing more 'certainties' from their opponent, that is, preventing them from playing as they wish by imposing their own rhythm." He predicted Como will employ rotations to draw Roma's key markers out of position and create space in transition. Against this, Roma can replicate their dominant performance in last season's home fixture, when they limited Como's possession and suffocated their creative sources, though he cautioned against an imbalanced approach. On Roma's midfield balance, Stramaccioni highlighted Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential dual role as a left-sided player who can drop deeper. He noted that in all four Serie A meetings between Gasperini and Fabregas—each won two apiece—a midfielder with an "equilibrating" function has started in Roma's attacking three: Pasalic and Samardzic against Atalanta, Pellegrini against Como. Alternatively, Matías Soulé could be deployed in a match requiring greater defensive sacrifice, as occurred against Inter. On the respective playmakers, Stramaccioni assessed Paulo Dybala and Nicolás Paz: "Both are players who captivate lovers of the game. They are obviously at different stages of their development and have different characteristics. Paulo has won everything; he is a player who determines outcomes and functions as a second striker. Nico has crystalline talent and is more of a number ten, capable of dropping deeper or starting decentred on the right. Today, however, Paulo is slightly more decisive in Roma than Nico is in Como."

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.

Gian Piero Gasperini and Cesc Fabregas share mutual respect but little affection, with tension between the Roma coach and his Como counterpart having boiled over repeatedly in recent Serie A seasons. The Spanish tactician's boldness has often frustrated other Italian managers, but Gasperini's chief complaint centres on Como's on-field conduct. At their last meeting, Gasperini declined to shake Fabregas's hand after the final whistle, publicly questioning the visitors' behaviour both on and off the pitch. Further exchanges followed in recent days, including Fabregas's tactical demonstration using a tabletop football game to illustrate how to stop Roma. Sunday's fixture by the lake will pit the two clubs in what shapes as a significant clash in the title race. On paper, Roma and Como are bidding for the role of Inter's closest challengers this season. With five league matches played, Roma have accumulated 13 points—a tally Como can at best match at this stage of the campaign. Both sides represent the most credible threats to the defending champions, making their head-to-head encounter a barometer of genuine title credentials. The ingredients for a heated contest are fully in place. October remains early in the season, with much ground still to cover for all contenders, but the intensity of the personal rivalry between Gasperini and Fabregas ensures this will be far more than a routine fixture.

Roma's radio phone-in shows debated the Friedkin Group's position in football following reports of the sale of Everton, with opinion divided on whether the move signals a strategic retreat from sport or a commitment to focus solely on Roma. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport argued the Everton sale could be a precursor to exiting Roma: "The sale of Everton by the Friedkin could be a step towards also selling Roma. They invested first in the stadium and then in the club there. Here in Rome they did the opposite. It may be they realised football is not the business they imagined and are liquidating. When there is final approval for the stadium construction, they could decide to leave Roma too." Tiziano Moroni took the opposite view, seeing the move as freeing resources to concentrate on Roma. Checco Oddo Casano suggested Everton's position in England and location offered poor strategic returns, though he too speculated the Friedkin might eventually sell Roma. Piero Torri expressed hope the sale was genuine, saying: "If the Friedkin have only Roma, it is better for us." On the pitch, David Rossi criticised Gasperini's approach to midfield strength: "There is one thing Gasperini is very wrong about: the number of central midfielders Roma needs to have available. I think four is too few, given the type of strain they undergo. When one gets injured, you have only one substitute at midfield. If there is an unfortunate suspension or something else, you are left with two central midfielders for two places. An ambitious squad cannot go into a grind like the one coming up with three midfielders for two spots. There is another aggravation: Pisilli is a different kind of reserve from all the others—more of an alternative than a reserve. If you need a thinking midfielder, that is another weakness." On Rodrigo Mora, Francesca Ferrazza of Tele Radio Stereo said: "The problem for Mora is that he needs time, but Roma has no time. He would need to be protected and sheltered, and for that another player should have been signed to give him time to grow. Instead he has to be a starter already, because you have Soulé who is adapted to the left, you have Pellegrini, and you have nothing else. The point seems clear to me: Mora would need to be sheltered, but we have no time for it." Mario Corsi backed Mora's quality and urged Gasperini to start him at Como. Roberto Pruzzo suggested Pisilli deserved midfield minutes on Sunday. Mario Mattioli rated a draw as the most likely result at Como, defending Marten de Roon's fitness despite his age: "I have followed him always—he is an inexhaustible motor. He has 35 years, and well, there are players who have an athleticism and longevity that others do not. Perhaps he cannot play every match, but we will see his contribution in the coming matches."

Andrea Stramaccioni, a technical commentator for DAZN and former Roma Primavera manager, has analysed the Como–Roma fixture scheduled for 11 October at 12:30 in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. He positions the match as a contest between two of Inter's principal challengers, noting that both teams strengthened significantly in the final stages of last season and resumed this campaign more competitive, though Inter still hold an edge. Stramaccioni identified the tactical battleground as one between Como's model of technical possession and horizontal circulation—characteristic of Cesc Fabregas's setup—and Roma's aggression, speed and vertical intensity under Gian Piero Gasperini. He said: "The key will favour whoever succeeds in removing more 'certainties' from their opponent, that is, preventing them from playing as they wish by imposing their own rhythm." He predicted Como will employ rotations to draw Roma's key markers out of position and create space in transition. Against this, Roma can replicate their dominant performance in last season's home fixture, when they limited Como's possession and suffocated their creative sources, though he cautioned against an imbalanced approach. On Roma's midfield balance, Stramaccioni highlighted Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential dual role as a left-sided player who can drop deeper. He noted that in all four Serie A meetings between Gasperini and Fabregas—each won two apiece—a midfielder with an "equilibrating" function has started in Roma's attacking three: Pasalic and Samardzic against Atalanta, Pellegrini against Como. Alternatively, Matías Soulé could be deployed in a match requiring greater defensive sacrifice, as occurred against Inter. On the respective playmakers, Stramaccioni assessed Paulo Dybala and Nicolás Paz: "Both are players who captivate lovers of the game. They are obviously at different stages of their development and have different characteristics. Paulo has won everything; he is a player who determines outcomes and functions as a second striker. Nico has crystalline talent and is more of a number ten, capable of dropping deeper or starting decentred on the right. Today, however, Paulo is slightly more decisive in Roma than Nico is in Como."

Roma's media panel debated squad selection and the Como fixture ahead of the club's return to action after an international break. Carina highlighted Gasperini's challenge in a congested fixture schedule: following weeks without the full squad available for training, the manager faced a first full session yesterday, 8 October, with today marking the real start of preparation. The key tactical doubt lay on the left wing—between Mora and Soulé—with Mora favoured so far due to more days at Trigoria, though that contest remained fluid. "Chi non giocherà a Como, giocherà contro il Real Madrid," Carina noted, pointing to Como's importance as a league fixture before the Champions League showdown. With only three central midfielders in the squad, Pellegrini's potential return offered vital depth; the pundit called Como–Roma "the most important match for Gasperini, not the Real Madrid one." Torri, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, predicted Soulé would start the Como match "if he is well." "Gasperini will assess him over these two days, and if he is fit, he will play," Torri said. Dybala and Malen were automatic selections. Pruzzo underlined the value of a healthy Pellegrini, noting that returning him to the three-man midfield would create a fourth option—"an alternative you must have." He stressed that beating Como would maintain Roma's level and force Como's manager Fabregas to chase a result against Fiorentina, establishing "a certain gap" in the standings. Orsi and Mattioli backed De Roon as a reliable midfield presence. "De Roon can start quite comfortably," Orsi said. "He doesn't move the centremidfield dynamically, but he already knows Gasperini's tactical systems." Mattioli called De Roon "an inexhaustible motor" with "incredible athletic longevity," though he acknowledged the midfielder cannot play 96 matches. "His contribution will come. I believe Roma can come away with points—I do not know if a draw or a win." Pes reflected on José Mourinho's tenure, commenting: "At an emotional level, Mourinho's period was a moment of truly great unity. Budapest could have been the crowning of his season with Roma—he would have entered history, and there his adventure ends. A season that finished badly and became worse with the De Rossi question. There were certainly better Roma sides in terms of play, but emotionally something unique was created: Mourinho left a mark on Roma. Against Como it is an open, difficult match to read. But Roma can win it, if it has more desire than it showed against Inter. I think Roma will hardly fail."

Andrea Stramaccioni, a technical commentator for DAZN and former Roma Primavera manager, has analysed the Como–Roma fixture scheduled for 11 October at 12:30 in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. He positions the match as a contest between two of Inter's principal challengers, noting that both teams strengthened significantly in the final stages of last season and resumed this campaign more competitive, though Inter still hold an edge. Stramaccioni identified the tactical battleground as one between Como's model of technical possession and horizontal circulation—characteristic of Cesc Fabregas's setup—and Roma's aggression, speed and vertical intensity under Gian Piero Gasperini. He said: "The key will favour whoever succeeds in removing more 'certainties' from their opponent, that is, preventing them from playing as they wish by imposing their own rhythm." He predicted Como will employ rotations to draw Roma's key markers out of position and create space in transition. Against this, Roma can replicate their dominant performance in last season's home fixture, when they limited Como's possession and suffocated their creative sources, though he cautioned against an imbalanced approach. On Roma's midfield balance, Stramaccioni highlighted Lorenzo Pellegrini's potential dual role as a left-sided player who can drop deeper. He noted that in all four Serie A meetings between Gasperini and Fabregas—each won two apiece—a midfielder with an "equilibrating" function has started in Roma's attacking three: Pasalic and Samardzic against Atalanta, Pellegrini against Como. Alternatively, Matías Soulé could be deployed in a match requiring greater defensive sacrifice, as occurred against Inter. On the respective playmakers, Stramaccioni assessed Paulo Dybala and Nicolás Paz: "Both are players who captivate lovers of the game. They are obviously at different stages of their development and have different characteristics. Paulo has won everything; he is a player who determines outcomes and functions as a second striker. Nico has crystalline talent and is more of a number ten, capable of dropping deeper or starting decentred on the right. Today, however, Paulo is slightly more decisive in Roma than Nico is in Como."

Donyell Malen has spoken about his move to Roma and early impressions under Gian Piero Gasperini. Asked about the nickname 'Dymalen' or 'Dybalen' with Paulo Dybala, Malen said: "Dymalen… it makes you think of the connection, yes, it's funny online… The feeling with Paulo was immediate." Malen left Aston Villa by his own choice, seeking regular first-team football. "I wanted to play, to be part of a team where I could get on the pitch every weekend and be important," he explained. "In that phase I didn't feel I was. I think I made the best choice." He believes Roma and Gasperini offer what he was looking for. "I think pretty much everything has changed. I've played a lot and everywhere, but today I believe I'm in the right place with the right people. The coach and my teammates give me a lot of confidence, and all these things together bring me to be what I dreamed of." On Gasperini's approach, Malen said: "The way he manages players—you know he will never lie to you about anything." Malen also recalled Gasperini's exuberant reaction after the Parma match: "It happened after Parma. Amazing. He was too happy—a table flew too."

Roma's media panel debated squad selection and the Como fixture ahead of the club's return to action after an international break. Carina highlighted Gasperini's challenge in a congested fixture schedule: following weeks without the full squad available for training, the manager faced a first full session yesterday, 8 October, with today marking the real start of preparation. The key tactical doubt lay on the left wing—between Mora and Soulé—with Mora favoured so far due to more days at Trigoria, though that contest remained fluid. "Chi non giocherà a Como, giocherà contro il Real Madrid," Carina noted, pointing to Como's importance as a league fixture before the Champions League showdown. With only three central midfielders in the squad, Pellegrini's potential return offered vital depth; the pundit called Como–Roma "the most important match for Gasperini, not the Real Madrid one." Torri, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, predicted Soulé would start the Como match "if he is well." "Gasperini will assess him over these two days, and if he is fit, he will play," Torri said. Dybala and Malen were automatic selections. Pruzzo underlined the value of a healthy Pellegrini, noting that returning him to the three-man midfield would create a fourth option—"an alternative you must have." He stressed that beating Como would maintain Roma's level and force Como's manager Fabregas to chase a result against Fiorentina, establishing "a certain gap" in the standings. Orsi and Mattioli backed De Roon as a reliable midfield presence. "De Roon can start quite comfortably," Orsi said. "He doesn't move the centremidfield dynamically, but he already knows Gasperini's tactical systems." Mattioli called De Roon "an inexhaustible motor" with "incredible athletic longevity," though he acknowledged the midfielder cannot play 96 matches. "His contribution will come. I believe Roma can come away with points—I do not know if a draw or a win." Pes reflected on José Mourinho's tenure, commenting: "At an emotional level, Mourinho's period was a moment of truly great unity. Budapest could have been the crowning of his season with Roma—he would have entered history, and there his adventure ends. A season that finished badly and became worse with the De Rossi question. There were certainly better Roma sides in terms of play, but emotionally something unique was created: Mourinho left a mark on Roma. Against Como it is an open, difficult match to read. But Roma can win it, if it has more desire than it showed against Inter. I think Roma will hardly fail."