The Svilar Factor: Roma's Title Hopes Rest on the Goalkeeper's Hands

Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico, speaking to reporters at the Stadio Olimpico before the Serie A clash with Sassuolo, the club's eleventh league matchday, said the squad lacks a fast, direct wide player and that the club will try to address it in January. Asked whether an extra wide attacker would help solve the problem of coming back from behind, D'Amico said: "This is the problem we understood at the end of the transfer window. We are missing a winger with pace, for counterattacks. We will try to do it in January, evaluating the opportunities. We will try to give these characteristics to the coach." On Manu Koné, D'Amico said Roma are in contact with all national teams, and confirmed the Frenchman was back available after a good week. "Today Manu is back, he has had a good week. The coach has decided to play him and we are happy. It is his ninth match in 28 days, and with him in the side we can let others who have spent a lot in these games recover." D'Amico was also asked whether Roma lacked experience in Manchester. He said: "Environments like Manchester's you know. The stadium pushed hard, but I think it was there, and against Real, that they showed us a great Roma that imposes its own game. Against these teams there are moments of difficulty. The penalty I think was more than generous. It was a difficult moment, but that does not mean a penalty like that should be conceded. These experiences are still important for a Roma that, after 7 years, is back in the Champions League. It helps all of us, including the club."

Tony D'Amico has said Roma need a winger with pace and counter-attacking quality, and the club will try to sign one in January. Speaking to SkySport before the match against Sassuolo, he said the need became clear at the end of the transfer window. "This is the problem we realised at the end of the transfer window. We lack a winger with pace, for counter-attacks. We will try to get one in January, weighing up the opportunities. We will try to give these qualities to the coach." Asked whether an extra attacking winger would help solve Roma's problem of coming back from behind, D'Amico agreed it was a key issue. He also addressed the club's dealings with national teams over Manu Koné, saying Roma talk to all national teams. Koné returns today after a good week of training, and the coach has decided to play him, which D'Amico said pleased the club. This is the ninth match in 28 days, and with Koné in the side, the club can rest others who have played a lot in these games. On the atmosphere in Manchester, D'Amico said: "You know environments like Manchester's. The stadium pushed hard, but I think it was there, and against Real, that they showed us a great Roma imposing its game. Against these teams there are moments of difficulty. The penalty, I think, was more than generous. It was a difficult moment, but that does not mean a penalty like that should be given. These experiences are still important for a Roma that, after seven years, is back in the Champions League. It serves all of us, including the club."

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico looking to bounce back from their defeat to Manchester United and to secure a third straight win. Gian Piero Gasperini has named Leonardo Balerdi in defence in place of the injured Gianluca Mancini. Manu Koné returns to the starting midfield after almost a month out with injury, and the Champions League front three of Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé behind Donyell Malen is retained. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Koné, Cristante, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. Sassuolo, coached by Aquilani, play a 4-4-2: Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Caleta-Car, Cinquegrano; Sulemana, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Laurienté, Esposito. The Roma substitutes are De Marzi, Kilvinger, Koulierakis, Ghilardi, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Castro, Maccaroni and Arena. Sassuolo's bench includes Turati, Satalino, Candé, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Obrador, Adzic, Bakola, Lipani, Ghion, Berardi, Bowie, Skjellerup and Pierini. The referee is Di Bello, with assistants Peretti and Scatragli. The fourth official is Abisso, the VAR is Pezzuto and the AVAR is Guida.

Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico this evening in Serie A's eleventh matchday, looking to bounce back quickly from the painful comeback they suffered against Manchester United in the Champions League and to stay in the top reaches of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini's side are without Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch, while Pierluigi Gollini is not yet fully fit and is expected to give way again to Devis Vásquez. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, arrive without Berardi and Volpato and after four consecutive league defeats. Gasperini is expected to keep Vásquez in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in defence. Nahuel Molina is favoured on the right flank, while Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are set to operate behind Donyell Malen up front. Manu Koné is back available and is expected to start. The probable Roma formation is a 3-4-2-1: Vásquez; Balerdi, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Mora; Malen. The Roma bench lists De Marzi, Kilvinger, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Castro, Arena and Maccaroni. Sassuolo line up in a 3-4-2-1 as well: Turati; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Candé; Cinquegrano, Matic, Thorstvedt, Doig; Esposito, Laurienté; Bowie. Their bench includes Muric, Satalino, Van der Brempt, Odenthal, Caleta-Car, Obrador, Ghion, Sulemana, Adzic, Lipani, Dominguez, Pierini and Skjellerup. The match is refereed by Di Bello of Brindisi, with Peretti and Scatragli as assistant referees, Abisso as fourth official, Pezzuto as VAR and Guida as assistant VAR.

Gian Piero Gasperini has been forced once again to turn to the Primavera for Roma's match against Sassuolo, calling up Valerio Maccaroni and Levente Kilvinger, born in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Arena will also be on the bench at the Olimpico, having scored for the Primavera in Youth League against Manchester United. The call-ups come as a result of numerous injuries. Goalkeeping has been hit particularly hard. Svilar has been out for several weeks, while Gollini has not yet recovered from the back problem he picked up before the Manchester United game. Vasquez starts in goal, with De Marzi and Kilvinger named among the substitutes. Kilvinger, a Hungarian goalkeeper born in 2009, arrived in the capital in 2025 and is the first-choice goalkeeper for the Primavera under Mattia Scala. His side recently drew with Manchester United in Youth League. Senior football is not new to him: before moving to Trigoria, he made five appearances for Pécsi MFC in the Hungarian third division in 2025. Those performances caught Roma's attention, and the club was ready to bet on the young talent, bringing him to Roma at the end of that season.

Manu Koné is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma after more than 20 days out with the injury he picked up against Real Madrid, and he is set to start against Sassuolo. The midfielder has recovered from the thigh (flexor) injury and will begin from the first minute. The return is a timely boost for Gasperini, who has also lost Mancini to injury. Dybala, Svilar and Gollini remain sidelined, so Koné is the only player returning at the last minute for the fixture. The news matters all the more given the demanding run ahead: Roma play seven matches in 29 days after the international break. Koné will stay at Trigoria for the whole break after not being called up by France, giving him time to work back to full fitness. The aim is for him to be at his best for the trip to Parma on 21 November, and above all for the following Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain.