Totti reveals Roma asked him to hand number 10 to Dybala

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at Roma's first official event with commercial partners on the evening of 23 September, held at Relais Appia Antica, addressing the demands of managing at the club and reflecting on Roma's recent form. Currently top of the table, Gasperini acknowledged that Roma is a historically demanding destination. "Roma is a difficult place? I knew that footballistically it is very demanding and difficult. But what matters in football beyond results is the demonstration of knowing how to work seriously. And that is always appreciated," he said. Gasperini highlighted the entertainment value of Roma's recent 0–0 draw against Inter at the Olimpico, crediting new competition regulations that reduce delays and prioritise spectacle. "It was a spectacle. Also thanks to the new rules that now allow us not to have time losses and to privilege the spectacle, we are working well and I am very happy," he told the assembled sponsors and entrepreneurs. He drew a parallel between football and business, emphasising the importance of sound ideas and the responsibility that commercial support brings to the club. Beyond football matters, Gasperini revealed a personal passion for amatriciana pasta and discussed his involvement in the wine business. Cantina Gilli in Asti will present a new wine label on 5 October: a Freisa wine named 3-4-3. "I chose this name because the 3-4-3 has been my fortune and so I hope it is a good omen; with that formation I built almost all my successes," Gasperini explained. The tactical formation that defines his managerial career now appears on the bottle's label.

Francesco Totti has revealed in his latest autobiography, *Oltre*, that Roma made an indirect approach asking him to present the iconic number 10 shirt to Paulo Dybala during the forward's official unveiling. Totti declined the request and refused to be drawn into the decision-making process. When Dybala arrived at Roma from Juventus, where he had worn the number 10 before departing in tears, the club sent Totti a message through indirect channels proposing the transfer of the legendary shirt. Totti rejected the suggestion outright. "You are all mad," he told them in his account. He made clear his position was not personal animosity towards the player: "Nothing against the player—in fact, I like him very much, also as a person. He is a very good lad. If you have this intention, go ahead, without putting me in the middle." Dybala ultimately chose the number 21 instead, a decision Totti attributed partly to respect for his predecessor. Totti explained his refusal to hand over the shirt by emphasizing the weight and responsibility attached to Roma's number 10. "I didn't want responsibility for someone else's choice, a decision I had absolutely nothing to do with, to fall on me," he wrote. "The number 10 of Roma carries weight, and it would bring inevitable comparisons with me. Dybala, if he is well, can make a difference." He stressed that the choice rightfully belongs to the club rather than to him personally. Totti articulated a broader philosophy on who should wear the shirt. He said he would never retire it outright, as that would deny "a wonderful dream to children" who might one day embody the same commitment. However, he expressed a clear view on criteria: "It is a symbol too important and significant to be entrusted only to someone who, at Roma, can potentially play for fifteen or twenty years." He contrasted that with players arriving from elsewhere who stay only temporarily before departing.

Lionel Messi has invited Paulo Dybala to participate in a match marking his farewell to the Argentina national team. According to La Repubblica, Dybala is keen to attend given the symbolic weight of the occasion, his bond with Messi, and their shared World Cup triumph. However, the move requires approval from Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Gasperini has granted the squad four days' rest starting tomorrow, but that does not automatically permit an intercontinental trip. The same situation applies to Nahuel Molina, though Dybala's case carries greater significance. The forward has enjoyed an unusually intense start to the season at Roma, playing with a consistency the club has rarely seen from him, and crucially maintaining freedom from the physical problems that have often hampered his performances. The summer preparation, training work, and management by Gasperini's staff have made Dybala practically always available, rendering him one of the coach's most-used players in this early stretch of the campaign. Given that form, Roma will approach any decision with caution. La Repubblica reports, however, that the sense is Gasperini may ultimately grant permission, with a precise recommendation: avoid any overexertion and carefully manage energy and physical condition. For Dybala, it would be an emotionally significant occasion—a final match alongside Messi in Argentina colours, honouring their World Cup success together, before returning to Roma and rejoining the giallorossi's push.

Abel Balbo, the former Roma striker, has praised the club's attacking prowess in an interview with Il Messaggero, backing them to challenge for the Serie A title this season. Balbo said Roma are "beautiful to watch, entertaining and getting results" and predicted "an extraordinary campaign", though he acknowledged Inter remain the stronger squad overall. "Roma is the only one that can compete for the title," he said. Balbo reserved special praise for Dybala and Malen's partnership. On Malen specifically, he said: "He is a simple and effective player and the most difficult thing in football is to play with simplicity and he does it better than anyone. He's quick, he knows how to move, he attacks spaces, he sees goal easily. He is outstanding. He scores goals the way great strikers do." Balbo highlighted Malen's versatility: "He scores in every way. With great play or as he did against Torino by shooting from the ground. The striker is like that — he doesn't care how he puts the ball in the net as long as he scores and reaches the objective." When asked if Malen could surpass the 36-goal record held by Higuain and Immobile, Balbo said: "It's difficult to maintain that goal average but if others have managed it why can't he? I wish it for him because if he does it means Roma would get close to or even actually win the title." On Dybala, Balbo added: "Paulo is a champion and he always improves. This year he is doing extraordinary work, with him on the pitch the team flows better. He is magic and fantasy." Balbo also noted the importance of Roma's Argentine contingent, saying they bring "character and quality" and a "winning mentality that they transmit to the group."

Francesco Totti has revealed in his latest autobiography, *Oltre*, that Roma made an indirect approach asking him to present the iconic number 10 shirt to Paulo Dybala during the forward's official unveiling. Totti declined the request and refused to be drawn into the decision-making process. When Dybala arrived at Roma from Juventus, where he had worn the number 10 before departing in tears, the club sent Totti a message through indirect channels proposing the transfer of the legendary shirt. Totti rejected the suggestion outright. "You are all mad," he told them in his account. He made clear his position was not personal animosity towards the player: "Nothing against the player—in fact, I like him very much, also as a person. He is a very good lad. If you have this intention, go ahead, without putting me in the middle." Dybala ultimately chose the number 21 instead, a decision Totti attributed partly to respect for his predecessor. Totti explained his refusal to hand over the shirt by emphasizing the weight and responsibility attached to Roma's number 10. "I didn't want responsibility for someone else's choice, a decision I had absolutely nothing to do with, to fall on me," he wrote. "The number 10 of Roma carries weight, and it would bring inevitable comparisons with me. Dybala, if he is well, can make a difference." He stressed that the choice rightfully belongs to the club rather than to him personally. Totti articulated a broader philosophy on who should wear the shirt. He said he would never retire it outright, as that would deny "a wonderful dream to children" who might one day embody the same commitment. However, he expressed a clear view on criteria: "It is a symbol too important and significant to be entrusted only to someone who, at Roma, can potentially play for fifteen or twenty years." He contrasted that with players arriving from elsewhere who stay only temporarily before departing.

Lionel Messi has contacted Paulo Dybala to invite him to a special celebratory match marking his official farewell to the Argentina national team, with the Roma forward keen to accept. Messi also wants Nahuel Molina alongside Dybala for the fixture, which will reunite players from Argentina's triumphant 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. However, the invitation requires approval from Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma's head coach, who must sign off on both players' participation. According to reports, Gasperini is expected to grant clearance for the pair to attend. Molina has made a strong start to the season and has put behind him the uncertainties of the past, while Dybala represents the highest quality in Roma's tactical setup. Any permission from the coach will come with a strict instruction: intelligent management of their fitness and avoidance of any physical strain. Roma face a challenging away trip to Como as they resume their league campaign, followed by a dense block of fixtures. Gasperini is intent on preserving the sharpness of his best players ahead of that demanding schedule.