Vierchowod on Como–Roma: 'I hope for a draw' as double ex reflects on 1983 Scudetto win

Roma face Como on matchday 8 without goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who has suffered a stress fracture to the fifth toe of his right foot sustained in training and will be sidelined for a month — a costly absence given Gasperini's fixture list includes Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United among other heavyweight opponents. Pierluigi Gollini will start in his place after nine months without a match and two years without a Serie A appearance, his last coming on 5 October 2024. The tactical matchup pits Paulo Dybala against Como's Nico Paz, two Argentine left-footed talents whose contest takes on symbolic weight in the week Leo Messi announced his retirement from international football. A decade ago, Messi said of Dybala: "He is a phenomenon and will have a great future." That future is already present for Paz, who scored in Tuesday's Argentina farewell match and is a candidate to inherit Messi's number 10. Roma will deploy Dybala in partnership with Donyell Malen as they seek to bounce back from defeats, while Como manager Fabregas looks to erase the memory of a loss to Frosinone three weeks ago.

Como and Roma meet at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 12:30 on Saturday in one of Serie A's most tactically intriguing fixtures, pitting Cesc Fabregas's approach against Gian Piero Gasperini's high-intensity system. The match centres on a duel between two Argentine left-footers: Como's Nico Paz, who scored for Argentina in a farewell tribute to Lionel Messi, and Roma's Paulo Dybala, set to lead the attack alongside Donyell Malen. Fabregas said ahead of the tie: "We respect Roma but we will not change our way of thinking—we will play with our faces open." Roma's preparation has been disrupted by injury to Mile Svilar. The Serbian goalkeeper has suffered a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal on his right foot and will miss approximately one month, ruling him out of a crucial run of fixtures spanning Serie A and the Champions League, including matches against Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester United. Pierluigi Gollini will make his first start in Serie A, stepping in after a long spell without competitive action. Gasperini must also contend with the absence of Bryan Cristante in midfield. Como face their own forward problems: Moise Kean has been sidelined by an injury sustained during international duty with Italy and will be unavailable for around ten days. Fabregas responded sharply to the situation, saying: "Moise will be out for 10 days. He took a blow in the first match against Belgium and then returned to play another match as an injured player for the full 90 minutes. Communication between the clubs and the Italian Football Federation should improve." The two managers have faced each other three times in the past year, deploying five different formations across those meetings.

Lorenzo Pellegrini holds a slight edge over Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora in Gasperini's selection for today's match at Como, with the attacking midfielder spot the key tactical question before the side faces Real Madrid. Gasperini is ready to rotate his offensive resources across the trequarti, where Pellegrini is favoured alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in a fluid attacking setup. At centre-back, Evan N'Dicka is the preferred option over Leonardo Balerdi, while Konstantinos Koulierakis is unavailable after suffering a contusion on international duty but will return to the squad from tomorrow onwards. On the flanks, Gasperini intends to keep faith with the pairing of Nahuel Molina and Wesley.

Roma prepare to face Como after the international break with Gian Piero Gasperini contending with significant absences. Goalkeeper Mile Svilar is sidelined and will miss the entire run of matches until the next international pause, while Bryan Cristante remains injured. Konstantinos Koulierakis is also unavailable due to a contusion, leaving the manager stretched in key areas as the campaign resumes and the title race intensifies. The tactical picture remains fluid across the available reports. Pierluigi Gollini will deputise in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive line in a three-man system. Marten de Roon is expected to start in midfield, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is favoured over both Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield slots. The formation varies between configurations, with some reports suggesting a 3-4-2-1 shape featuring Paulo Dybala and Pellegrini behind Donyell Malen, while others propose a 3-4-1-2 with Pellegrini in a deeper midfield role supporting Dybala and Malen in attack. Nahuel Molina and Wesley feature as wing-backs across most predictions, with Manu Koné anchoring the midfield. The competing lineups reflect ongoing debate among observers about Gasperini's preferred balance between defensive security and attacking thrust, particularly given the personnel constraints imposed by injury.

Roma will face Como in the Serie A sixth round at 12:30 on Saturday. Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to the starting XI after recent absence, according to Italian newspaper line-ups. The leading outlets Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, and Corriere dello Sport project Roma in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Pellegrini deployed in an attacking midfield role alongside Paulo Dybala, who will lead the line with Donyell Malen. Gazzetta and Corriere della Sera's predicted XI places Pellegrini and Dybala as the two attacking midfielders behind centre-forward Malen, while Il Messaggero and Corriere dello Sport see Pellegrini as a single playmaker in a 3-4-1-2 shape with Dybala and Malen paired in attack. Defence and midfield remain consistent across all predictions: Pierluigi Gollini in goal; Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso at centre-back; Nahuel Molina and Wesley as wing-backs (or Emanuele Lulli on the left in Corriere dello Sport's formation); Marten de Roon and Manu Koné anchoring midfield.

Atalanta are preparing to tie down striker Gianluca Scamacca with a contract extension to 2030, after he remained with the Bergamo club despite Roma's interest this summer. Head coach Gasperini had wanted to reunite with Scamacca at Roma, where he could have filled the role of backup to Donyell Malen. Atalanta never seriously considered selling him, viewing him as a cornerstone of their attacking unit. The 26-year-old has established himself as essential to the Bergamo side's attacking plans. According to reports, Atalanta are now moving to protect their investment and secure his future by extending his current deal, with the new contract set to run until 2030.