Totti on Roma return and Dybala's number 10: 'The club must decide'

Vincent Candela, Francesco Totti's teammate for eight seasons and close friend, has shared his memories of the Roma legend on his 50th birthday today. Speaking to Il Tempo, the former French left-back recalled Totti as both a player and a person, describing how he approached the most intense matches. "At first he speaks little, but when you get to know him you discover a fun person," Candela said. "Totti always makes a certain impression, but he's approachable, a man of the people. I never saw him refuse an autograph." Candela noted that Totti's popularity never changed his connection with supporters. On receiving the captain's armband from Aldair, Totti was initially uncomfortable with the role. "He was a man of few words, though he observed everything. He was more of a leader on the pitch, where he always asked for the ball especially in moments of difficulty." Candela also reflected on Totti's particular attachment to the Derby della Capitale, which the Roma native felt deeply but tried to conceal. Before derby matches, Totti and Candela would play football tennis to ease the tension—a habit that infuriated manager Fabio Capello. "He used to get furious," Candela recalled. For Totti's milestone birthday, Candela offered his wishes: "So much peace of mind. He always seems happy, but recently he has lived through some particular and certainly difficult moments."

Francesco Totti turned 50 on 27 September, marking half a century since his birth on that date in 1976. The Roma legend gave an extended interview to Corriere dello Sport director Ivan Zazzaroni, reflecting on his 25 years with the club, his retirement from playing, and his decision to step away from a role in the club's administration. On his departure from Roma's executive structure, Totti was direct: "I left an executive post with a three-year contract. Staying in the company and doing nothing made me feel useless—like an extra body." He emphasised that any return to the club must be a genuine partnership: "I think you don't give a ten out of ten the moment you do 5–6 matches well. You have to organise an important player who stays at Roma for a long time, not just passing through. In the end, it's the club that has to decide—the important thing is that they wear it as it should be worn." Totti offered candid reflections on his playing career and his only regret about remaining at Roma. He described sitting on the Olimpico steps before his final goodbye, haunted by uncertainty: "I was afraid. When you turn the page you never know what you'll find. In that moment I thought back to all 25 years with Roma, the same shirt, the people. And that I wouldn't start the following season." Had he left, he said, AC Milan would have been his choice in Italy, drawn to the club during Arrigo Sacchi's era and the spell of three Dutch players. On Roma as a city and club, his gratitude was unambiguous: "To Roma I owe everything. I've always felt protected and I still do. We did something different, something exceptional. Roma gave me the chance to realise my dream—to wear a single shirt, number 10, and to be captain."

Roma legends and media figures paid tribute to Francesco Totti in radio comments collected by Romanews.eu. Roberto Pruzzo told Radio Radio: "Totti is the living history of Roma. It seems like only yesterday that he had the desire to kick and tackle. I wish him the best." Fabrizio Aspri reflected on Totti's character beyond his technical abilities, describing a humble and kind man whose presence defined everyday life at the club. "I remember feeling unwell after his goal against Genoa," Aspri said. "The Totti I knew was an everyday Totti. He seemed like a schoolmate we could never have had. If Totti missed a game, the airport was empty. Simplicity was the most beautiful thing he had. I remember in an interview with Cassano, I asked what his dream was. Cassano said he wanted to become a champion and win the Ballon d'Or—something Totti would never win. Francesco woke up and laughing, with his usual irony, said: 'With that head you've got, you won't go anywhere.'" Andrea Pugliese, who grew up alongside Totti, described his departure as a watershed moment. "I grew up with Francesco. The most beautiful day was his farewell. I had never seen so many people cry for a footballer. For many, a cycle ended," Pugliese said on Radio Radio. The tributes underscored Totti's singular place in Roma's identity and the emotional impact his 25-year career at the club left on those who witnessed it.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina want to attend a farewell match for Lionel Messi with Argentina on 6 October, but the timing poses a logistical and sporting problem for Roma. The event is scheduled for 22:00 in Argentina, and factoring in travel, time zones and recovery, both players would not be available until 8 October. Roma face Como three days later on 11 October at 12:30 in a crucial fixture for the top of the league that also opens a demanding run of consecutive Serie A and Champions League matches. The question of whether the pair should travel has become one of the most delicate issues during Roma's current international break. Reports differ on where the resistance lies. According to Il Messaggero, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini gave approval for Dybala and Molina to depart, recognising the special significance of the occasion for two players who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi. However, Corriere dello Sport reports that the Friedkin family themselves have applied the brakes, judging the cost in fatigue, travel and recovery too high ahead of such an important match. No final decision has been made. The situation remains open, though the lean of opinion is currently towards preventing the trip. A definitive resolution is expected on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria, when the club, Gasperini and the players must weigh sporting demands against personal wishes and reach a shared conclusion. Meanwhile, other Argentina internationals will attend the Messi event regardless. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are all on regular national team duty and will participate in the farewell ceremony, meaning they will be among the last national team players to return to Rome ahead of the Como fixture.

Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina face uncertainty over attending Lionel Messi's final Argentina match, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini having approved the trip but the club moving toward blocking it. The two Argentine players, not called up for Argentina's opening international break friendlies, were invited to the farewell friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Both would not return to Italy until 8 October, leaving only three days before Roma's away fixture against Como on 11 October—the start of a gruelling run of nine matches in 27 days. The decision will be made on Tuesday when training resumes at Trigoria. Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi will definitely return, as all three have been called up and are the last to arrive back in Italy.

Roma have decided to deny Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina permission to travel to Buenos Aires for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at the Monumental stadium, organised by the Argentine Football Association to mark Lionel Messi's farewell from the national team. Despite the symbolic weight of the occasion—particularly for Dybala, who won the 2022 World Cup with Messi—the club has rejected the request. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was decisive in his opposition, viewing the intercontinental round trip to South America as excessively demanding at a critical point in the season, just five days before Roma's Serie A match at Como on 11 October. Dybala had hoped to make the trip a rapid visit, but no authorisation came from the club's Trigoria training ground. The club's rigid stance reflects broader concerns among Italian sides about the match's timing and short notice. Both Inter and Fiorentina have formally registered their disapproval with the AFA over the scheduling, which they regard as poorly timed during the European campaign. Gasperini's firmness was the decisive factor, with the club unwilling to release two key players for an unofficial fixture. The decision marks a firm boundary as Roma prepare for the resumption of their season.