Wesley back in contention as Roma prepare for Bologna trip

Leonardo Balerdi was the standout figure in Roma's 3-3 draw against Napoli, scoring a brace after coming on in the second half for Mario Hermoso. The goals were the first of his career with Roma. Before the match at the Maradona, the Argentine defender had received two paintings in the style of The Simpsons from artist Stefano Monda: one showing him and his girlfriend in Roma colours, the other showing his whole family. Balerdi returned the gesture with a signed shirt, and the gift brought him luck on the night. The performance underlines how Balerdi is carving out a place in the side and earning the trust of the coaching staff. His double came at a difficult venue and helped Roma secure a point from a match that swung back and forth. Monda's artwork and the shirt exchange made for a light-hearted pre-match story, but it was Balerdi's second-half impact that dominated the afternoon. The video of the paintings and the goals has been shared widely by fans.

Leonardo Balerdi returned from Napoli not only with his first career brace but also with two portraits from artist Steart, whose real name is Stefano Monda. Steart had commissioned the works ahead of the trip to Naples, and both are themed on The Simpsons. The Roma defender received them before the match against Allegri's side. One portrait shows Balerdi with his girlfriend, who is wearing a Roma shirt. The other shows his family, this time with Balerdi in an Argentina shirt. Balerdi is set to return to the starting line-up tomorrow evening at the Olimpico against Cagliari. In return, Balerdi gave the artist a signed giallorossi shirt.

Roma host Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday in a midweek fixture for Serie A's ninth matchday, and the club have confirmed that defender Emanuele Lulli has signed a new contract running to 2031. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini admitted the schedule leaves no time to rest, saying at his pre-match press conference: "Today is the first training session and it is already the eve of the match." Gasperini did not rule out changes to his starting eleven. Hermoso and de Roon could be rested, with a chance for Mora, while Balerdi and Lulli are in contention for a place from the first minute. Paulo Dybala's return also looks likely, at least as part of the matchday squad. Gasperini said: "We will try to get him onto the bench. I have good confidence." Cagliari coach Pisacane spoke on the eve of the game, saying: "Gasperini is extraordinary. We have to exploit Roma's weaknesses." Referee Feliciani will take charge of the match. He has been a lucky charm for Roma, who have won all five of the matches he has officiated, while Cagliari have lost all three of theirs under him.

Roma right-back Wesley has answered accusations of infidelity from his wife with a video posted to his social media profiles. The accusations were made by his wife on 26 October 2026. Wesley's video shows him stretching and recovering at home, and its caption reads: "Concentrati su ciò che conta davvero." The Brazilian's response came on the same day his wife publicly accused him online. In a related report, Amanda, Wesley's wife, accused him on social media: "Mi ha tradito varie volte" ("He cheated on me several times").

Roma goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini produced a key save against former team-mate Matteo Politano during Napoli-Roma, and the two shared a light-hearted moment afterwards. In the 57th minute at the Maradona, with Napoli leading 2-0, Politano took advantage of an error by Wesley to go one-on-one with Gollini and try to seal the match. Napoli's number 21, however, had not reckoned with the effective rush off his line by the Roma keeper, who closed down the angle. The two were team-mates at Napoli in the 2023-24 season, and the exchange showed that their friendship runs deeper than the 90 minutes. Roma were beaten 2-0 at the time of the incident, with Wesley's mistake proving costly in the build-up. According to DAZN, which published the clip on Instagram, Gollini approached his friend after the save and embraced him, almost as a consolation, before giving him a friendly nudge towards the centre of the pitch.

Amanda Martins, wife of Roma full-back Wesley, has announced their separation in a video posted to her Instagram profile, making serious accusations against him and confirming the end of their relationship. Wesley is one of Roma's standout performers this season, and the matter has drawn wide attention on social media in recent hours. Amanda said she decided to speak out "given all the rumours that are circulating", describing repeated infidelity and a lack of respect. She said: "He doesn't owe me anything any more, because today we are separated. And that doesn't make much difference, because even when he had duties towards me, he still disrespected me. He didn't cheat on me once, not twice, not three times, but a great many times. And not with one woman, nor two, but with many, including prostitutes. And I know these things because I saw them." She went on to describe her suffering: "I have already cried all the tears I had. I gave him a great many opportunities to confess, but he kept lying. He never asked for forgiveness: he thinks everything he has done is normal." Her accusations also extend to her pregnancy: "Even during the pregnancy I was betrayed and abandoned. I never made any of these things public. I forgave, I tried to build a family, but it didn't work. When a person is like that, they don't change." Finally, Amanda described incidents in bars and restaurants and their psychological toll: "I am telling you only a very small part. I had reached the point where I no longer felt comfortable even leaving the house. In restaurants he would ask the waitress for her number, or other girls waiting for the bathroom. When he drinks he has no self-control. I began suffering from anxiety attacks, something that had never happened to me before. At times I blamed myself. But when a man is no good, it doesn't matter."