Svilar eager to experience Bernabéu in Champions League

Roma head coach Alberto Aquilani has confirmed that Berardi and Volpato will not be available for Saturday's Serie A clash with Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, which kicks off at 20:45 on 7 November as part of the 11th matchday. Aquilani spoke to reporters at his pre-match press conference, where he was asked about Sassuolo's recent slide and his own situation. Sassuolo started the season well, but their momentum has stalled, and the Sassuolo defenders' problems have been part of the picture. Aquilani said the cause of such turbulent spells cannot be reduced to one thing: "When there are these turbulent, particular, ugly moments, the reasons must necessarily be a series. This is a team game, of episodes and dynamics, and the reasons can be many: tactical, which we work on, mental, and the individual factors of the players. I have been a player, and every footballer lives it differently, it is a series of reasons, and it is undeniable that at this moment we have to identify these reasons and try to solve them, because this team started in a way that showed certain things, and we entered a tunnel we did not expect in such a continuous way, even though the calendar has not helped us. We have to play the match, we must not fall apart, you do not have to win at all costs, and there are a series of components that are ruining this path we had begun well." Aquilani also addressed the emotional side of the fixture, which carries personal significance for him. "This is an important challenge also for what it represents for me, and I would have liked to return to the Olimpico in a different mood, but we must be men and look reality in the face, and prepare by analysing the things we can improve. There is the tactical aspect, certainly, but we have to grow and increase our perception of danger, because we are paying dearly for avoidable errors. The goal conceded to Fiorentina in the first half, you cannot concede it, there is a minute left, you are ten inside the box against two Fiorentina players, and that goal was a blow; we probably lack a bit of morale. Then the match lasts 90 minutes, you can lose in a certain way, but you have to put many things in, and the man matters more than the player." He added that the Fiorentina game had been going well before it unravelled: "Whether it was pretty or ugly, we were doing it well against Fiorentina, it was coming together, then it got messy, and when it gets messy you have to stay on it, otherwise it is too easy. In the bad moment you have to give more, and now it is harder and you have to give more." On his own position, Aquilani said: "It is the first time I have entered that stadium as a coach, and nobody can take that away from me. I have to put the emotions aside, because once we step onto the pitch there is no room for them." Asked about the speculation that has begun to circulate after these results, he replied: "I have people close to me who are extraordinary, but I am the coach, and now the results are not there; I am the first to question myself, because I am trying to get out of this situation with a good squad available. The club has been close to me, as it has been from the first day. We look ahead, knowing that tomorrow will be a complicated match, and we must go and do our best." Asked about the two things he wants to see on Saturday, Aquilani said: "Correcting the error, certainly, because it steers the match, and trying to limit errors, because in Serie A certain errors cannot be allowed, but I am not talking about the defenders, I am talking about something global. The second aspect is knowing how to live in the turbulence; in rough seas you have to stay in it, otherwise you put the oars down and there is nothing more you can do. Tomorrow there will be complicated moments and we have to stay in them, because it is our job, we chose it, and it would be too easy otherwise when it is all roses." Asked how Volpato is, Aquilani replied: "No." On Berardi, he said: "No, the others are available." He also said his players have no option but to respond: "There is no other way than to react. We have to react, stay in the match. We have to do serious things; we must run a bit more than the opponents, because probably that is also what we are lacking, winning tackles and going for second balls. That is what I expect, knowing that 100 per cent might not be enough, but from 100 per cent upwards we must do it, because we have dignity."

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has received a new injury setback, with Devyne Rensch suffering a muscle injury and expected to return after the international break. The club's pause for the national team fixtures comes at a useful time to recover several players and prepare for upcoming commitments. The defeat at Manchester has left Gasperini with clear lessons, particularly the need to widen the options available in the squad. Until the derby in mid-December, the fixture list contains no other big league match. Gasperini will not speak at a press conference on the eve of the match against Sassuolo. From the English trip, a message came from Matías Soulé, who urged the team to learn from the defeats and keep working with the same commitment. The Argentine is now one of the main attacking reference points alongside Malen, but it is precisely this dependence that worries the coach. Even without Svilar, the team has shown fragility: goals conceded have increased and the save percentage has dropped noticeably.

Gian Piero Gasperini will not speak to the media on the eve of Roma's home match against Sassuolo, the same pattern that has often followed Champions League games. The fixture at the Stadio Olimpico comes just before the international break. The Roma coach has regularly skipped the pre-match press conference after Champions League matches. Sassuolo's coach, Aquilani, will speak as normal on Friday ahead of the Saturday fixture. The match is scheduled for Saturday 7 November at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma must put the sting of their Champions League defeat to Manchester United behind them and refocus on Serie A, when Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Sassuolo are coached by Aquilani, a former Roma player, and are in serious difficulty, although they had impressed earlier in the season with their football and individual quality. It is a test that should not be taken lightly for Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Roma have closed the gap on Inter, moving to within one point of them, but they are four points behind league leaders Lazio. Roma remain without Svilar, Dybala and Koné, as well as Rensch and Pellegrini. Sassuolo will be missing Volpato, Koné, Boloca and Leysen. The match is available to watch on Sky and Dazn, with kickoff time and probable line-ups also confirmed in the build-up to the fixture.