Wesley and Malen star in viral Ponza beach moment

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Roma goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini has become a father, with the birth of his first child, a son named Loen, to him and his wife Ariel Serra. The baby was born in the past few hours. The couple married on 30 May 2025 and announced the pregnancy in mid-August with a sweet message on social media: "Life, at times, gives you what you have always dreamed of, we have been very lucky. I LOVE YOU." The birth was announced by Top Player Agency, the agency that manages the goalkeeper's interests, with a post captioned: "A new Top Player has arrived. Welcome Loen." The news comes at the end of a particularly positive period for Gollini, who in recent weeks, helped by the injury to Mile Svilar, has won the starting shirt for Roma.

AS Roma have blocked a last-minute call-up for right-back Nahuel Molina to join Argentina's squad, despite the player's suspension being cut from seven matches to four. Argentina coach Scaloni had decided on the evening of the previous day to add Molina in extremis, which would have seen him join fellow Roma players Balerdi, Soulé and Castro in the national squad. The club of Trigoria stepped in and opposed the late call-up. Molina had been due to play the friendly against Costa Rica on 17 November before returning to Rome ahead of the league fixture against Parma. Gasperini and the club said no, and the full-back will remain in Rome to train with the other players not selected by their national teams. The suspension stemmed from a brawl in the World Cup final against Spain, and Molina had obtained the reduction from seven games to four before the call-up was made. Roma's refusal means the defender stays with the Giallorossi squad while Argentina play Costa Rica without him.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Wesley has become far more than a traditional attacking full-back for Roma, according to an in-depth assessment of the Brazilian's development under Gian Piero Gasperini. The 23-year-old has channelled his disappointment at missing the World Cup through injury into a sharper, more complete game, adding creativity, reading of the game and defensive awareness to the running that has always been his main asset. The article notes that Gasperini has been instilling a never-give-up mentality in his Roma side, capable of bouncing back after the Real Madrid defeat and reacting after the heavy beating in Manchester. Wesley embodies that approach. Early in the season some had questioned whether he was falling short of expectations, and his goals have not yet arrived compared with last season. The writer argues that stopping there would be a mistake, because Wesley now offers much more: he creates, defends with greater attention, beats his man and poses a constant threat to opposing defences. The statistics underline the change. Wesley has created 23 chances in Serie A, level with De Bruyne, and the article describes this as the figure that best captures his evolution. Last season he created 33 chances across the whole campaign. He also has 57 passes that break lines, 45 balls won back and 14 successful crosses. He now creates 2.81 chances per game, compared with 1.21 last season. Gasperini said before the trip to Manchester: "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto" (He is doing well, he has grown). The article adds that Roma are enjoying Wesley, and Gasperini even more so. Carlo Ancelotti, who continues to select him for Brazil, has also noticed his progress. Last season, the article says, Wesley was more raw: he ran tirelessly, scored and had begun showing early signs of his talent, but his work was far from finished. Now he covers more defensively and, when attacking, drifts inside, breaks opposition lines and becomes an extra option for team-mates. The relationship with Mora is described as increasingly important. The two understand each other on the pitch. Wesley starts on the flank but does not stay tied to the line, moving into central areas between the lines and supporting attacks as an additional offensive presence. Mora can exploit these runs to find more space and freedom in the final third without having to guarantee width and depth himself. Wesley attacks, Mora creates, and Roma gain two extra options in the same area of the pitch. The article acknowledges that he is not, for obvious reasons, a De Bruyne, but says this version of Wesley fits Gasperini's Roma perfectly. The coach wanted him strongly and has no intention of giving him up. Off the pitch, the article says Wesley seems to have found his place at Trigoria: he enjoys himself, goes live on social media and always smiles. Gasperini sees him as the hidden gold this squad needed.

Thirteen Roma players have been called up by their national teams for the November international break, a sign of the squad's growing standing at the highest level, according to Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi. Trigoria will be almost empty in the early part of the week, with the gates reopening on Wednesday, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini to prepare for the resumption with a heavily reduced group. Gasperini had already made clear his view of the break, calling the upcoming international fixtures "amichevoli o poco più" (friendlies or little more) after the match against Sassuolo. Argentina, the runners-up at the World Cup, begin a new cycle without Lionel Messi and have recalled Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro for friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica. Wesley faces a much longer trip, travelling to Singapore with Brazil for games against the hosts and Japan. Italy boss Roberto Mancini has opted for youth for the Nations League matches against France and Belgium. Niccolò Pisilli and Daniele Ghilardi will join up at Coverciano, while Bryan Cristante remains at Trigoria. Donyell Malen has also been called up and will meet Xavi, the new Netherlands coach, for the first time. Rodrigo Mora returns to the senior national team a year after his last call-up, which coincided with the campaign that ended in victory in the Nations League.

Roma have 13 players called up by their national teams for the November break, a total that places them level with AC Milan and Como in the chasing pack behind Inter, Torino and Frosinone, who lead on 14. The squad list was drawn from the official call-ups for the November fixtures and is subject to changes before the matches. The Roma contingent includes goalkeepers Devis Vásquez and Giorgio De Marzi; forwards Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; defenders Leonardo Balerdi, Daniele Ghilardi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Emanuele Lulli, Evan N'Dicka and Wesley; and midfielder Niccolò Pisilli. Behind the leaders, Atalanta and Udinese are on 12, Juventus have 11, and Napoli and Lazio have eight, with the two Lazio absentees excluded from that count. The total could have been higher, potentially reaching or exceeding 17, had several physical issues or technical decisions by the national coaches gone differently. Gianluca Mancini was initially called up by Italy but had to withdraw with a muscle problem that has also kept him out of the recent match against Sassuolo. Italy coach also left Bryan Cristante out of the squad, although the coach explained he had no need to test him at this stage. Manu Koné, who returned and started against Sassuolo, was left out of France's squad by coach Zidane to avoid a possible physical setback. Nahuel Molina had been called up late by Argentina, but a one-match suspension still to be served, together with opposition from Roma and Gian Piero Gasperini, blocked his departure.

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez has made clear that Roma forward Donyell Malen is, in his view, a centre-forward, even though he can also be used on the right. Malen has been recalled to the Dutch squad after missing the nation's most recent fixtures through injury. Speaking at a press conference, Xavi said: "For me Malen is a centre-forward. Of course, he is an option on the right, but he feels more comfortable playing as a striker." The comments appear to settle any doubt about the Dutchman's role. His predecessor Koeman often used him as a right winger, the same position he occupied during his time at Aston Villa. Since arriving in the capital, however, Gian Piero Gasperini has deployed him at the heart of the attack, producing thrilling results and convincing Xavi, the former Barcelona midfielder, of his value in that role. Xavi added: "The best thing we can do is give him confidence. Explain to him what we expect from him as a centre-forward. He knows how to attack the spaces, he understands what is asked of him. He recognises the right moment to be involved in the play. I think he can give the best of himself with the Oranje." Having won over Rome, Malen now wants to make his mark on the national team as well.

Roman radio pundits have been debating the Serie A title race, with several arguing Roma can genuinely challenge for the scudetto and that Lazio's surge should not be dismissed as a miracle. Rete Sport's David Rossi said the negative reaction after the Manchester defeat was undeserved by the club and by Gasperini. He said: "The negativity after Manchester was not deserved, neither by us nor by Gasp. Roma on Saturday offer another performance; they have become a team that always wins these matches. If you lose against the top 5 and win against the others, with a few draws here and there, you win the scudetto with ninety points… We not only win these games, we win them well." He added that against Sassuolo, Malen did not want to score and missed a couple of important chances, and that the first half could have been closed out 5 or 6 nil. Gianluca Piacentini, also on Rete Sport, discussed Kvernadze, who has a €4 million release clause in July, saying a January deal could cost between €10 and €12 million. On the Champions League race, he said Roma are in the mix, having reached the 11th matchday, alongside Lazio and Milan, which he said he did not expect. He noted that Napoli and Juventus are well behind. Piacentini argued that finishing second rather than fourth matters for the club's growth: "If you finish fourth you feel you have taken a step back; finish second and you have taken one forward. It is a matter of growth, so second is better than fourth." Checcо Oddo Casano, also on Rete Sport, praised the club's fitness record compared with other sides. He said: "Roma have held up well compared with other teams in terms of injuries. The work done by Gasperini and his staff is aimed at minimising injuries. Up to now, people who are always injured have stopped, such as Pellegrini and Dybala. Svilar has been unlucky with a broken foot, as has Koné… This squad runs, recovers, and we see a much more productive team than in previous years. This is down to better training. The intensity of the match is the result of the intensity of the weekly work. Competition for places has also raised the level of training, because no one is certain of his place." Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo said this league is Inter and Roma, as it was at the start, and that Como can come back. He warned about Milan: "Be wary of Milan. Not so much this year, although anything can happen. Voices from Milan are talking about the January market, and beyond, they are also talking about next year. The madman (Cardinale, ed.) could build a team… I would not want Inter to win the scudetto this year and Milan next year." He added that Roma will do something in January, as the sporting director has said, and that Mora always scores, knowing where to place himself with an educated foot. Francesca Ferrazza, also of Tele Radio Stereo, praised Koné for turning down France, saying those matches do not count for much, and said Hermoso has become one of Gasperini's fixed points. She added that Gasperini had made his position clear, saying he will not sign for second place. Lorenzo Pes, also of Tele Radio Stereo, said the club now has a technical guide with clear ideas from the first day, and that Gasperini has accelerated the project. He said: "Now Roma have a technical guide with clear ideas from day one. For years we have heard about projects and building; now all of this has been accelerated by Gasperini from the first season. He has never hidden the real objective, which is to shorten the timelines as much as possible." Alessio Nardo, also of Tele Radio Stereo, said Roma should be among the top four and that finishing from fifth down would be a drama, adding that he would also be disappointed if Roma did not reach at least the Champions League playoff. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said Lazio play well and have an identity, and that they play only once a week, which helps them. On Roma, he said the side walk over weaker teams, and that Dybala, who has not played for two months, needs to be recovered. On Milan, he said they should leave Europe, as a double commitment would be a problem. On Mora, he said: "His growth is not something you see, because his height is what it is… joking aside, he still has half an hour of stamina." He said Mora is at his best against this type of team and becomes decisive in the final metres, though in other games he bounces and must be ready to be substituted after half an hour. On Hermoso, he admitted he had been wrong to think his career was finished, saying he had bounced back spectacularly. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said he never doubted Roma would fight for the scudetto, and that Lazio are playing well with one match a week, describing them as a humble, convinced and empathetic side. He said: "It cannot just be a miracle; miracles do not last long. This is a team that must go all the way, or at least try. Napoli and Atalanta are far away." Mario Mattioli, also of Radio Radio, said Roma have more players but also more fixtures, while Lazio have a coach who is more realistic than the king in judging what happens on the pitch. He said: "I believe Lazio will last; whether they last longer than Roma, I don't know."