Summer closes with Castro and Mora as key arrivals; Çelik and El Shaarawy depart

Real Madrid will not allow Endrick to leave in January, with head coach Mourinho convinced of the Brazilian's quality and determined to keep him. According to Fabrizio Romano, the forward will remain in Spain despite interest from multiple clubs. Endrick, born in 2006, played a decisive role in Real Madrid's comeback against Roma on Wednesday and will continue his spell at the Bernabéu. Roma, Aston Villa and AC Milan had all made enquiries about the forward's availability. The setback for Roma's attack comes as Gasperini, speaking in today's press conference, has called for the squad to be expanded. The club will now need to pursue alternative targets to strengthen the forward line.

Roma remain interested in Issa Doumbia, the midfielder now at Sporting Lisbon after his summer move from Venezia. Doumbia, born 2003, had already caught Roma's attention last summer, but Sporting's deal was already substantially agreed by then, and the Italian midfielder moved to Portugal directly from Serie B. He has recently made his debut for the Italian national team under coach Mancini. According to A Bola, Juventus, Newcastle and Brentford are also tracking Doumbia alongside Roma. Sporting Lisbon's intention, however, is clear: to secure the 2003-born player. The club has inserted a €80 million release clause into his contract to ward off interest.

Roma director D'Amico has identified central defender Gabriel Zarrella as a target for the future, according to reports. The 2008-born player, who has an Italian father and Brazilian mother and was born in Cologne, currently plays for Stuttgart's Under-19 side and has featured in two Youth League matches for the German club. Zarrella's contract with Stuttgart expires on 30 June next year, though the club holds an option to renew for another season. With Roma managing their workload across Serie A and the Champions League, the club is also planning ahead for January and beyond. Zarrella's father, Giovanni, previously spent time in Roma's youth academy, adding to the club's familiarity with the family. Roma are monitoring the defender's development, as is the Italian Football Federation, which is keen to convince him to represent Italy at international level.

Gian Piero Gasperini has flagged Roma's squad depth as a major concern ahead of the match against Genoa, with four key players unavailable. Donyell Malen is suspended, while Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante are all sidelined through injury. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Gasperini said: "Tomorrow I am worried about the fact that we have few substitutes and we will have to face the match in some positions with someone from the Primavera." The coach emphasised that European football demands a larger squad: "Whoever plays in the cups cannot have the squad of five years ago, numerically." Koné is sidelined by a first-degree muscle injury sustained against Real Madrid, with recovery targeted for the Sassuolo fixture. Dybala, dealing with fatigue in his calf, is closer to fitness; Gasperini said: "We hope to get him back next week." Cristante, troubled by inflammation of the knee, is aiming for the Napoli match but the coach is cautious: "I don't want to put his recovery at risk." Goalkeeper Mile Svilar faces a longer layoff due to a stress fracture of the finger and is expected back after the international break. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking exclusively to Romanews, framed the fixture from Genoa's perspective, noting their confidence after a win over Fiorentina: "The victory has unblocked the team's mind, so, despite the limits it has, Genoa will give battle." For Roma, Pruzzo stressed the importance of a response: "Beating Genoa would mean immediately starting to march again." He praised Gasperini's tactical choices, highlighting Lorenzo Pellegrini's deployment in midfield and Santiago Castro's opportunity to replace Malen: "He is a centre-forward—if not now, when?" The article also reflected on José Mourinho's return to the Olimpico as an opponent during the Real Madrid match, describing the warmth shown by Roma's supporters. Mourinho thanked the crowd on Instagram: "When the finest moments of a long career are not goals or victories, but rather emotions for which I can only humbly express my gratitude. Thank you Roma, thank you Roma fans. Emotions and eternal gratitude to you."

Roma face Genoa on Saturday at 20:45 at the Olimpico, three days after a defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said in his pre-match press conference: "We must broaden the squad. Now the young players must make us win." Gasperini will draw on Primavera reinforcements, with Panico highlighted as a midfield option. The first team faces forced selections in midfield and attack, with Soulé and Mora operating as playmakers behind Castro on the trequarti. Both were recruited for significant fees during the summer and are now expected to justify that investment immediately. Defenders Balerdi and Lulli will return to the starting line-up. Stephan El Shaarawy will feature in a significant personal moment on his return to Roma. The club has not won after the international break since 2024, a streak Gasperini's side will look to end.

Roma will face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on 17 October in Serie A matchday 8, with Daniele De Rossi in charge of the visiting side. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad, with Rodrigo Mora returning to the starting lineup after providing an assist in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Matías Soulé will play alongside the Portuguese midfielder, while Emanuele Lulli is expected to replace Nahuel Molina at left-back, with Wesley confirmed on the opposite flank. Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal behind a three-man defence of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, with Leonardo Balerdi pressing for a place. Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon complete the midfield four. Santiago Castro leads the attack. Roma's expected formation: 3-4-2-1.

An exhibition dedicated to Giorgio Rossi, AS Roma's historic masseur who died in 2018, was inaugurated today at Centro Culturale Espositivo 'La Vaccheria' by Roma Club Eur Torrino on the occasion of the club's 25th anniversary. Rossi spent 55 years at Roma, from 1957 to 2012, working with generations of the club's greatest players including Agostino Di Bartolomei, Bruno Conti, Giuseppe Giannini, Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi. He remains the only person to appear in photographs of both Roma's 1983 Serie A title and their third Scudetto in 2001, eighteen years later. During his career Rossi witnessed 12 AS Roma presidents, 26 managers, 15 captains and over one thousand players. He accumulated 18 trophies across Serie A titles, cups and supercups — more than any other Roma player in the club's history. The exhibition traces his life through photographs, newspaper articles and memorabilia, with the upper floor housing a dedicated section featuring signed shirts, pennants from the Scudetto-winning seasons, his historic tracksuit and a banner that hung in the Tribuna Tevere during his final match at the Olimpico on 5 May 2012. Former Roma defender Ubaldo Righetti, speaking on behalf of Mayor Gualtieri, said: "It has been the greatest honour, deeply moved that I cannot be here. Being here today is an immense emotion, I wear two roles and both speak of affection, esteem and gratitude — and perhaps in this too I must thank Giorgio. He was the historic and unforgettable masseur of Roma. A man who for years with his hands, his commitment, his smile and above all his love for Roma accompanied moments of our sporting and human history. He did not cure us only physically but also mentally. To his family goes our closeness and the most sincere thanks of the entire community for what Giorgio gave to each of us." Righetti recalled his first encounter with Rossi: "Once the changing rooms between youth and first team were divided by the massage room. Giorgio gave massages there, sometimes I would pass by and look in and he would tell me 'it is not yet time, go go'... my greatest objective was to get on that bed. When I succeeded for the first time it was the most beautiful day of my life." Former Roma athletic trainer Vito Scala said: "He was a master for me, every day I stole with my eyes what he did and how he conducted himself. If I became Vito Scala it is thanks to him. Not only in the professional aspect, but in the human and protective aspect, he treated all the boys the same way." Bruno Conti concluded with a wish: "Giorgio was a great man, always smiling and never angry. My hope, even if I am no one to make this happen, is that we might name the physiotherapy centre at Trigoria after Giorgio Rossi." A film documenting Rossi's life, featuring testimonies from Giuseppe Giannini, Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti, is available for viewing during the exhibition.

Roma face Genoa on Saturday at 20:45 at the Olimpico, three days after a defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said in his pre-match press conference: "We must broaden the squad. Now the young players must make us win." Gasperini will draw on Primavera reinforcements, with Panico highlighted as a midfield option. The first team faces forced selections in midfield and attack, with Soulé and Mora operating as playmakers behind Castro on the trequarti. Both were recruited for significant fees during the summer and are now expected to justify that investment immediately. Defenders Balerdi and Lulli will return to the starting line-up. Stephan El Shaarawy will feature in a significant personal moment on his return to Roma. The club has not won after the international break since 2024, a streak Gasperini's side will look to end.

Roma will face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on 17 October in Serie A matchday 8, with Daniele De Rossi in charge of the visiting side. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad, with Rodrigo Mora returning to the starting lineup after providing an assist in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Matías Soulé will play alongside the Portuguese midfielder, while Emanuele Lulli is expected to replace Nahuel Molina at left-back, with Wesley confirmed on the opposite flank. Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal behind a three-man defence of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, with Leonardo Balerdi pressing for a place. Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon complete the midfield four. Santiago Castro leads the attack. Roma's expected formation: 3-4-2-1.

Gian Piero Gasperini held his pre-match press conference on 16 October ahead of Roma's Serie A fixture against Genoa on 17 October at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico. The manager provided injury updates following Roma's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid: Manu Koné has sustained a grade-one muscle lesion and Roma hope to have him available for the Sassuolo match, while Paulo Dybala is suffering fatigue to his calf and may return within a week. Gasperini confirmed that young players including Santiago Castro will feature prominently due to injuries and suspensions affecting the squad. Gasperini reflected on the defeat to Real Madrid, acknowledging Roma's quality whilst highlighting the importance of reacting immediately. He said the squad has demonstrated value over recent months and can compete with elite teams, but must avoid moral collapses. He noted that Roma were reduced to ten men against Como in their previous match, and highlighted the specific damage inflicted by Real Madrid's set-piece goals: "Three goals from corners…I had seen three missed penalties and thought that was a record, the other evening we surpassed ourselves." Gasperini stressed the need to strengthen the squad depth, saying that sides competing in the Champions League cannot operate with a squad of only 15 players and that substitutions are essential. On team selection for Genoa, Gasperini confirmed Lorenzo Pellegrini can operate in midfield and that Bryan Cristante is being assessed with a view to facing Napoli. Castro will lead the attack, offering "a good opportunity" for the youngster. De Roon, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora were discussed as young players in development. Gasperini defended the use of five substitutes and set-piece defending, noting: "In such tight spaces, you defend anyway on the man, on the opponent. You don't follow him everywhere. It has always been effective; last year we won matches with Mancini, Hermoso, N'Dicka, Cristante…the other evening this happened." He added that some recent substitutes had performed well: "Mora came on well, Pellegrini too, Pisilli came on immediately, Koulierakis came on at the end." Gasperini emphasized that Roma must produce a strong response against Genoa. He stated: "Tomorrow we have a need for strength, conviction, energy…In the league we are protagonists, and tomorrow is a match that in one way or another we must pull out. If you win this type of match you recover players and give value to the players." The manager indicated that young academy players from the Primavera may be used if necessary.

Rome's radio stations offered their verdict on Roma's 3–2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, with analysis focused on the team's physical and mental state, defensive instability, and the depth of Gasperini's squad for the coming fixture against Genoa. Ugo Trani pointed to Bryan Cristante's absence from set-piece duties and a collective loss of focus after conceding the 3–2 goal. He noted that Mario Hermoso was withdrawn after struggling against Endrick's attacks and recovering from a first-half error, and predicted that one of Evan N'Dicka, Gianluca Mancini or Hermoso would rest against Genoa, with Leonardo Balerdi in line to feature. Trani also suggested Lorenzo Pellegrini could be used as a midfield change, with Niccolò Pisilli and Marten de Roon having shown they can form a functional partnership—the pair were on the pitch for three goals against Real. Roberto Pruzzo told Radio Radio that Roma exited the Real Madrid match in pieces, both physically and mentally. "Alla Roma mancano quei 2–3 giocatori che ti mandano la palla nel Tevere," he said—Rome lack those two or three players who take risks and put the ball where it matters. Mario Mattioli raised concerns over Konstantinos Koulierakis, who he said "was wandering in midfield like a lost soul, with no marking responsibility, nothing." Piero Torri described the squad depth as critical: Gasperini has 16 players of movement available, 11 starters and five substitutes—an emergency. Lorenzo Pes suggested Cristante would attempt to recover for the Napoli fixture. The coverage reflected wider concern about how Gasperini will manage Roma's limited resources in back-to-back domestic and European fixtures.

Roma's radio stations dissected a difficult Champions League defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday and looked ahead to Saturday's Serie A fixture against Genoa, with broadcasters divided on whether the 3–0 loss represented a damaging setback or an isolated collapse against a vastly wealthier opponent. David Rossi on Rete Sport argued perspective was essential: Real Madrid's squad value stands at around €1.5 billion compared to Roma's €498 million—triple the gap—and Roma had been weakened by injuries to Svilar, Cristante and Koné, who came off after 15 minutes. He also noted Roma had played an entire first half in ten men against Como only days earlier. Gianluca Piacentini agreed the performance merited credit, noting Roma had been excellent for 80 minutes and calling the final ten minutes an anomaly that should not define the season. Mario Corsi acknowledged Roma were pressured late but flagged the anomaly of conceding three goals from corners: "you can't concede a goal to every throw-in from the corner flag, otherwise it would have ended 18–3." He attributed the collapse to character and mentality rather than tactics. Lorenzo Pes on Tele Radio Stereo expressed concern about constant defensive rotation, saying: "Changing all these defenders generates some confusion—I don't know if it's wise to always change so much at the back." He expects Koné to return after the international break, hoped for his comeback against Manchester United, and anticipated Cristante would target recovery for the Naples fixture. Daniele Lo Monaco on Radio Romanista linked recent injuries to the international break, suggesting Koné's injury after 21 days away was telling: "I'm not saying they don't train in the national team, but we know how much they work." Roberto Pruzzo on Radio Radio said Roma lacked "those 2–3 players who throw the ball in the Tiber"—shorthand for missing decisive midfielders—and called this week's loss one of the worst defeats of recent times. Mario Mattioli critiqued Konstantinos Koulierakis's positioning in the final minutes, saying he "wandered around in the middle like a lost soul" with no clear marking. Gasperini must revive Roma's mood before Genoa arrive on Saturday; Nando Orsi warned that a 3–0 scoreline leaves lasting damage in the dressing room, though he expected Roma's recent form to overcome a side struggling tactically. The international break looms, with attention turning to Manchester United and Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.