Wesley and Dybala nearing return as Roma prepares for Bologna

Roma returned to Trigoria on 12 September to prepare for Monday's Serie A away match against Torino, one day after drawing in the Champions League at Fenerbahce. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had the full squad available except for Manu Koné, who undertook a separate training session as Roma continue to manage a knee problem he sustained in Istanbul, where he was forced off at half-time. Koné's availability for the Torino fixture remains uncertain. Roma's medical staff have not needed to order instrumental examinations, which had prompted some optimism in recent hours, but the fact that the midfielder continued working apart from the group on 12 September demands caution. Gasperini will assess Koné over the coming sessions to determine whether he can rejoin full training and be available for the trip. The remainder of the squad trained without significant issues. Upcoming sessions will also reveal Gasperini's thinking on possible rotation after the demands of European football.

Roma continue preparations for their away fixture against Turin. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini remains focused on extending the run from the first three matches and securing victory on the road. The squad may see tactical adjustments, with reasoned rotation planned. Niccolò Pisilli is positioned to take the place of Manu Koné in midfield. The French midfielder trained separately on 12 September and could be given a rest day. There is no cause for alarm at present. Gasperini intends to wait and assess Koné's condition more fully before making a final decision, which will be clarified in his press conference on 13 September. The rest of the group trained as normal.

Roma travel to Turin on Monday to face Torino, with encouraging news from the medical department. Manu Koné, who left the Istanbul match with knee discomfort, did not require scans and will be managed day by day; his inclusion in the squad for Monday is very likely, though he is expected to start on the bench. With Torino followed by an Inter fixture just five days later, Gasperini is preparing to rotate more heavily across the squad. Wesley, not yet fully recovered from ankle problems, could give way to Rensch or Molina, who is seeking his first start. The defence faces changes too: Mancini is struggling for form and faces competition from Balerdi, who has impressed in recent outings, and Ghilardi. Up front, Santiago Castro is pushing for a starting role, but a rotation with Malen appears more likely at present. Cristante is the only guaranteed starter in midfield, with Pisilli or De Roon potential partners alongside him. There is also positive news on the horizon: Lorenzo Pellegrini could return to the squad list, giving the coach more tactical options.

Salah-Eddine is leaving Roma to join Greek club Panathinaikos on a loan deal with a right of redemption. The full-back underwent medical tests in Athens and signed his contract today. He had rejected approaches from Olympiacos in August and turned down West Ham's offer in the closing days of the transfer window. Head coach Gasperini confirmed last week that Salah-Eddine had been offered several moves he declined and plays no part in Roma's plans. The decision to part ways came despite Wesley not arriving as a replacement from the transfer market. Gasperini said: "Salah-Eddine has had quite a few opportunities that he refused. As far as Roma is concerned, I have already made my choices and he does not feature in Roma's plans."

Roma drew their first match of the season, a result that has handed fuel to the club's most vocal critics. A goal by Brown was enough to stir the naysayers from silence after Roma's bright start to the campaign. The criticism ranges widely: that Roma have faced no genuine test in the league; that Malen has misfired; that Mora is merely a former Porto substitute out of his depth; that Gasperini has grown quiet where he once railed against "Ricky"; that Mancini is finished; that Wesley's focus lies elsewhere; that Koné avoids celebrating goals with teammates for unexplained reasons; that Gasperini's substitutions were wrong; that when he withdrew Malen he brought on De Roon out of friendship rather than judgment, a claim absurd coming from those who called Castro an inexplicable signing in the first place; and that Rensch played only as a favour, a serious tactical error. The draw in Istanbul itself has become a flashpoint for those determined to cast shadows over both Roma and their manager. Critics claim it proves Roma have not faced quality opposition in domestic play. The broader narrative from the pessimists is one of decline and poor judgment—both in the squad assembled and in how it is being used. Yet the tone of the piece suggests the critics are opportunistic, seizing on a single result to resurrect doubts that the strong start had quieted. The article offers no quarter to this chorus of doom, treating their complaints with contempt as a predictable cycle: the naysayers announced player exits before 30 June; they questioned the signings of Castro and Balerdi; and now, having seen their early predictions of collapse proven wrong by the opening fixtures, they are back in full voice. The sense is one of inevitable, tiresome repetition—the "Brancaleone Army" undeterred and unrelenting in its determination to find failure.

Roma's opening week in the Champions League has delivered both significant encouragement and a small warning signal. The club's comeback victory against Atalanta—from 1–0 down to a 2–1 win in four minutes—and a draw away to Fenerbahce have created a picture of a squad with considerable depth and psychological resilience, but also a pattern worth monitoring in the matches ahead. Bryan Cristante emerged as the week's standout performer and the clearest evidence of Roma's evolution under Gasperini. Against Fenerbahce, Cristante scored the opening goal and touched the ball 112 times, completing 91 passes and playing 24 balls into the final third. His rise from useful squad member to gravitational centre of the team's balance, personality and order has become impossible to ignore. The bench itself proved the most interesting development of the week. When Gasperini made changes against Atalanta, the team did not lose force but gained it. Nahuel Molina increased the team's thrust down the flank, Santiago Castro signalled he is ready to make an impact, and Matías Soulé came off the bench to decide the match. Leonardo Balerdi also impressed, intent on climbing the manager's hierarchy. Roma's refusal to accept defeat completed the narrative: at 89 minutes against Atalanta, trailing 1–0, the side won 2–1 in the next four minutes through Mario Hermoso and Soulé. That capacity to keep playing and pushing until the final second is among the week's best signals. Two consecutive early-second-half goals, however, have begun to form a pattern. Ederson scored at 47 minutes in Roma's win over Atalanta; Brown equalised at 48 minutes in Fenerbahce's match against Roma. Gasperini himself acknowledged after Istanbul: "they are two clues." It does not necessarily signal a structural problem, but Roma has taken a few minutes too long to fully switch back on after the interval in both games. Donyell Malen's dip comes not from genuine crisis but from unrealistic expectations. He began the season in exaggerated form—multiple goals, a barrage of them, and the sense that every touch would create a chance. Two scoreless matches were enough to shift perception, though he supplied an assist for Cristante against Fenerbahce. At Istanbul he appeared less brilliant and dominant than in his opening displays. Gianluca Mancini and Wesley, meanwhile, remain undisputed pillars but have not yet shown their best form. Mancini has appeared less dominant and assured than his standard, while Wesley must rediscover the continuity, brilliance and ability to devastate the flank that had made him among Roma's most incisive players. No alarm: simply two important engines not yet running at full revs.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rotate his squad heavily ahead of matches against Torino and Inter, with Koné, Dybala, Malen and Mancini among those likely to be rested. Castro, Mora, Soulé, Pisilli and De Roon are expected to see more action as Roma look to preserve their key players and test the depth of the squad while addressing defensive issues that have emerged in recent fixtures. Salah-Eddine's departure to Panathinaikos is confirmed. The left-back moves on a loan deal with a right of redemption and underwent medical tests in Athens today to complete the transfer. Separately, defender Oosterwolde has reopened the possibility of joining Roma. An achilles tendon operation had scuppered a move earlier this summer, but Oosterwolde met with Roma officials in Istanbul and signalled his willingness to return. "I hope to come back to Roma in the coming months," he said. The club remains interested with D'Amico continuing to monitor developments. Gasperini values Oosterwolde's versatility, and his recovery from surgery will be key to determining whether Roma can revive the deal as early as January. Carina told Radio Radio: "I've read plenty of criticism of Roma. In 30 years doing this job I'd never known a situation where I couldn't speak to my colleague—there was an absurd broadcast an hour and a half before the match and 30 minutes after. Given where it was played, Roma put in a more than decent performance: they dominated the first half. From the stadium, I had the sense that Roma wouldn't lose it, and could even have won it." Pruzzo added: "I saw a good Roma. What I keep thinking is that I have many doubts about whether the squad is qualitatively as strong as people say: I don't have that perception. In the first half they played like last season, but in the second, when you need to change, there isn't the same level. I think Castro is Roma's best option off the bench. Then Molina comes on and does the same thing as Rensch, and Mora yesterday did nothing."

Roma drew their first match of the season, a result that has handed fuel to the club's most vocal critics. A goal by Brown was enough to stir the naysayers from silence after Roma's bright start to the campaign. The criticism ranges widely: that Roma have faced no genuine test in the league; that Malen has misfired; that Mora is merely a former Porto substitute out of his depth; that Gasperini has grown quiet where he once railed against "Ricky"; that Mancini is finished; that Wesley's focus lies elsewhere; that Koné avoids celebrating goals with teammates for unexplained reasons; that Gasperini's substitutions were wrong; that when he withdrew Malen he brought on De Roon out of friendship rather than judgment, a claim absurd coming from those who called Castro an inexplicable signing in the first place; and that Rensch played only as a favour, a serious tactical error. The draw in Istanbul itself has become a flashpoint for those determined to cast shadows over both Roma and their manager. Critics claim it proves Roma have not faced quality opposition in domestic play. The broader narrative from the pessimists is one of decline and poor judgment—both in the squad assembled and in how it is being used. Yet the tone of the piece suggests the critics are opportunistic, seizing on a single result to resurrect doubts that the strong start had quieted. The article offers no quarter to this chorus of doom, treating their complaints with contempt as a predictable cycle: the naysayers announced player exits before 30 June; they questioned the signings of Castro and Balerdi; and now, having seen their early predictions of collapse proven wrong by the opening fixtures, they are back in full voice. The sense is one of inevitable, tiresome repetition—the "Brancaleone Army" undeterred and unrelenting in its determination to find failure.

Radio pundits dissected Roma's recent performances in commentary collected by Romanews.eu, with particular focus on individual players and the squad's depth in key areas. Carina highlighted criticism of Roma as excessive, noting that in 30 years of broadcasting he had rarely been unable to speak with colleagues—disrupted by an unusually long pre-match show of an hour and a half before kickoff and 30 minutes after. He praised Roma's first-half display as dominant, saying from the stadium he had the sense Roma would not lose and could even win. However, he identified a pattern of defensive lapses: "Mancini has made errors in three matches: Lecce, Atalanta and Fenerbahce. There are some interpreters who at the moment are not doing well—for example, Mancini and Wesley." He noted Atalanta and Fenerbahce have both played with tight lines to double-mark Malen, a problem requiring tactical adjustment. Carina expected three changes for Monday's fixture, anticipating Balerdi might play and raising doubt about whether Koné would be risked after requesting a change mid-match. He observed Roma is short in midfield: "Koné came out and Pisilli came in, but he is a midfielder. De Roon is the substitute for Cristante. To me something is missing there." Pruzzo took a more critical view of squad quality, stating: "I have many doubts about the fact that the squad is qualitatively strong as one hears said—I don't have this perception." He praised Roma's first-half football but saw a dip in the second half when tactical changes were required. Pruzzo identified Castro as Roma's best option from the bench and believed the forward needed to unlock his potential. "The next one could be the right occasion," Pruzzo said. "It is inevitable that Castro has the need to score." He questioned other signings, noting Molina replicates Rensch's role and Mora contributed little in the most recent match.

Roma are preparing for their trip to Turin with manager Gian Piero Gasperini planning several changes to manage the squad across a long season. Leonardo Balerdi is set to start in place of Gianluca Mancini, who will rest. The Argentine defender has been a standout performer in Roma's recent matches and has impressed every time Gasperini has called upon him, including a moment that went viral after contact with Lukaku. In attack, Rodrigo Mora is in line to start ahead of Paulo Dybala, with Mora among the Golden Boy candidates and keen to prove himself. Niccolò Pisilli is positioned to replace Manu Koné in midfield, as the French midfielder continues to train separately and is heading towards missing the match. Gasperini is taking no risks with Koné's fitness. The strategy reflects Gasperini's intention to rotate his squad without compromising quality, with the season stretching ahead and every player needed. Mora, alongside Emanuele Lulli, is among those in contention for the Golden Boy award and will see the Turin fixture as an opportunity to demonstrate his value. Koné's absence is being managed carefully, with the manager preferring not to force the situation. Separately, Salah Eddine has found a new club. The Moroccan player will join Greek side Panathinaikos.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing to rotate his squad heavily ahead of matches against Torino and Inter, with Koné, Dybala, Malen and Mancini among those likely to be rested. Castro, Mora, Soulé, Pisilli and De Roon are expected to see more action as Roma look to preserve their key players and test the depth of the squad while addressing defensive issues that have emerged in recent fixtures. Salah-Eddine's departure to Panathinaikos is confirmed. The left-back moves on a loan deal with a right of redemption and underwent medical tests in Athens today to complete the transfer. Separately, defender Oosterwolde has reopened the possibility of joining Roma. An achilles tendon operation had scuppered a move earlier this summer, but Oosterwolde met with Roma officials in Istanbul and signalled his willingness to return. "I hope to come back to Roma in the coming months," he said. The club remains interested with D'Amico continuing to monitor developments. Gasperini values Oosterwolde's versatility, and his recovery from surgery will be key to determining whether Roma can revive the deal as early as January. Carina told Radio Radio: "I've read plenty of criticism of Roma. In 30 years doing this job I'd never known a situation where I couldn't speak to my colleague—there was an absurd broadcast an hour and a half before the match and 30 minutes after. Given where it was played, Roma put in a more than decent performance: they dominated the first half. From the stadium, I had the sense that Roma wouldn't lose it, and could even have won it." Pruzzo added: "I saw a good Roma. What I keep thinking is that I have many doubts about whether the squad is qualitatively as strong as people say: I don't have that perception. In the first half they played like last season, but in the second, when you need to change, there isn't the same level. I think Castro is Roma's best option off the bench. Then Molina comes on and does the same thing as Rensch, and Mora yesterday did nothing."

Gasperini is preparing to rotate his Roma squad for the Torino match while maintaining the quality displayed in the opening three Serie A fixtures. The coach said months after his arrival: "I need everyone." That statement has become urgent now that Roma have returned to the Champions League after seven years, making a packed fixture list impossible to navigate with the same eleven players throughout. Gasperini, not naturally inclined toward rotation, will make targeted changes across defence and attack—adjustments studied carefully rather than wholesale alterations. The forward line will see the most significant shifts. Paulo Dybala, who has started every match so far and remains injury-free, will be protected by dropping him from the starting eleven to preserve his fitness over the long season. Rodrigo Mora is ready to replace him and operate alongside Matías Soulé in support roles. The key decision surrounds the central striker position: Gasperini must choose between Santiago Castro, the Argentine keen to prove himself beyond a reserve role—he scored the decisive goal against Torino last season when he was at Bologna—and Donyell Malen, who has scored four goals in three matches and shows no sign of slowing down. Gasperini may start Malen again to try to settle the match early. The decision will be confirmed in the coming 48 hours. Roma possess sufficient alternatives to rotate without sacrificing quality, marking a rare shift in Gasperini's approach to squad management this season.