Wesley fit and ready; Gasperini tempted by Rodrigo Mora

Roma will travel to the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October to face Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, with José Mourinho's side boosted by the return of key players from injury. Kylian Mbappé and Valverde have recovered from recent problems that had caused serious concern at the Spanish club, and defender Ibrahima Konaté is also on the path back to fitness. Mourinho had been deeply worried about the injury situation in recent days, but the outlook has become more reassuring ahead of fixtures against Villareal and Roma. The Real Madrid manager will likely manage his recovered stars carefully to avoid setbacks. Although the Portuguese coach could potentially field them in the league match against Villareal, he is expected to opt for longer rest periods for his key players given the congested fixture schedule across all competitions. Mourinho will aim to avoid any relapse among his squad as he prepares to return to the capital, where he previously managed Roma.

Roma's loanees made their mark during the international break, with Mohamed Seck delivering a commanding defensive display, Luigi Cherubini scoring for Italy's Under-21s, and Neil El Aynaoui clocking over 240 minutes for Morocco across three matches. Seck, a 2007-born defender, started the full 90 minutes in Foggia's 2-0 victory at Cosenza, keeping a clean sheet and earning praise from local media. The Corriere della Calabria awarded him 6.5, while Foggiacalciomania highlighted an almost flawless performance. He picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute but remained unaffected. Radoslaw Zelezny continued his fine form between the sticks for Perugia, playing all 90 minutes in a 3-1 derby win over Gubbio; he conceded little that was preventable and earned a 6.5 rating for his security in possession and distribution. Federico Nardin also impressed at Pescara, completing the full match in a 1-0 win at Livorno achieved by a late Sardo goal, and has now been called up to Italy's Under-19 squad for friendlies against Scotland on 10 and 13 October. Cherubini made the most impact during the break. After coming off the bench in the 79th minute of Italy U21's 1-0 win in Armenia, he was introduced again at the same stage against Poland on 4 October and scored just seven minutes later to seal a 6-2 victory and confirm Italy's direct qualification to the Under-21 European Championship final tournament. El Aynaoui started all three of Morocco's matches—a 2-0 win over Gabon (90 minutes), a 2-0 victory against Lesotho (67 minutes), and a 1-1 draw with Mali on 4 October (full 90)—demonstrating his standing with the national team. Anass Salah-Eddine also featured for Morocco, starting the full 90 minutes at left-back in the Mali friendly. Marash Kumbulla entered Albania's 3-0 Nations League win over San Marino at half-time and played the full second half. Artem Dovbyk, on loan at Bologna, skipped his Ukraine convocation to continue recovering from a muscular problem affecting his hamstring and has already resumed full training with the Bolognese squad ahead of the league's resumption.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing Roma for a return fixture against Como on Sunday, determined not to repeat the defensive confusion that haunted last season's meeting. The Italian manager joked about studying Cesc Fabregas's tactical setup like a Subbuteo game, but behind the quip lies serious intent: Roma must arrive prepared for Como's constant rotations and mid-match adjustments. Gasperini said: "Domenica sarà diverso" — Sunday will be different — signalling he will not allow Fabregas to seize control as he did before. Last season's encounter exposed a key weakness: the absence of Evan N'Dicka. The Ivorian defender sat out that match, and when Como pressed forward, Roma lacked the physical presence needed to contain Fabregas's attacking focal point. N'Dicka's presence proved crucial in the opening fixture of the previous campaign, shutting down opponents and frustrating Fabregas throughout. Now, with the rematch approaching, N'Dicka's physicality and ability to win defensive duels looms as a potential difference-maker. Balerdi offers greater speed, but the Ivorian possesses the frame to challenge Como's strikers — both the threat of Artem Douvikas and potentially Moise Kean — in direct contests. Gasperini has six days to finalize his blueprint. Roma's squad contains attacking talent — Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Wesley all carry above-average quality — but the match against Como requires more than technical excellence. It demands a willingness to battle, to win contested moments and to disrupt play when necessary. Last season, Douvikas's goal sparked Como's comeback, opening spaces that multiplied as the match progressed. That pattern must not repeat. The away support will follow Roma to Como; the visiting fans' section is already sold out.

Rome's radio stations offered contrasting takes on Roma's prospects heading into Sunday's visit to Como, with Endrick dominating transfer discussion and debate over the unconventional international break shaping preparation. Piero Torri suggested Endrick could develop into Gasperini's answer to Juan Fernando Muriel, saying: "Endrick for me could become the new Muriel of Gasperini, another player who, like Malen, when he gets the ball his first thought is the goal regardless of the role he would play." Lorenzo Pes compared the situation to last summer's protracted Zirkzee saga but expressed cautiously optimistic sentiment: "Endrick as a telenovela is very similar to Zirkzee's from last year, and I think we'll carry it with us for a long time. Last summer if he had left on loan there would have been excellent opportunities. Endrick is not playing despite Mourinho wanting to keep him, and Roma are watching. I hope the ending is not the same as Zirkzee—this time there are better foundations: Roma wants to sign a player there. If the squad stays close to the top of the table, I think you'll have to make an effort. Endrick has all the characteristics that appeal, and he is intrigued by Roma. Behind closed doors the contacts continue, it's a profile that appeals greatly." Torri added that Wesley has been in contact with Endrick, relaying: "There have been some conversations between Wesley and Endrick: 'Come here and have fun, with Gasp you score and play Champions League.' That's fine, in all transfer dealings these dynamics exist. For January I think there is the owner's willingness to make an effort." Alessio Nardo countered that Endrick does not match Roma's ideal profile, as "he is not the left-winger with right foot, he is not a winger." Gianluca Piacentini raised concerns about fielding Leonardo Balerdi and Matías Soulé together: "They are not Svilar and Koné. What scares me more is what the Argentines will do after the match than during it." Francesca Ferrazza noted the Como fixture's kickoff time as problematic: "How do you put a big match like Como–Roma at 12:30?" Stefano Carina praised Aurélien Tchouaméni's performance in international duty, saying "Doumbia is the best on the pitch, he has elegance and physical strength, you can see he is a top-level player. Our clubs slept, and Sporting took him away for €20 million. You'll see, they'll sell him for €50 million now." Roberto Pruzzo questioned the reported €600 million squad valuation, and Nardo Orsi observed that Como's squad, also valued at €580 million, was assembled far more economically—built from youth development at roughly €10 million outlay versus Roma's €400 million spend.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing Roma for a return fixture against Como on Sunday, determined not to repeat the defensive confusion that haunted last season's meeting. The Italian manager joked about studying Cesc Fabregas's tactical setup like a Subbuteo game, but behind the quip lies serious intent: Roma must arrive prepared for Como's constant rotations and mid-match adjustments. Gasperini said: "Domenica sarà diverso" — Sunday will be different — signalling he will not allow Fabregas to seize control as he did before. Last season's encounter exposed a key weakness: the absence of Evan N'Dicka. The Ivorian defender sat out that match, and when Como pressed forward, Roma lacked the physical presence needed to contain Fabregas's attacking focal point. N'Dicka's presence proved crucial in the opening fixture of the previous campaign, shutting down opponents and frustrating Fabregas throughout. Now, with the rematch approaching, N'Dicka's physicality and ability to win defensive duels looms as a potential difference-maker. Balerdi offers greater speed, but the Ivorian possesses the frame to challenge Como's strikers — both the threat of Artem Douvikas and potentially Moise Kean — in direct contests. Gasperini has six days to finalize his blueprint. Roma's squad contains attacking talent — Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Wesley all carry above-average quality — but the match against Como requires more than technical excellence. It demands a willingness to battle, to win contested moments and to disrupt play when necessary. Last season, Douvikas's goal sparked Como's comeback, opening spaces that multiplied as the match progressed. That pattern must not repeat. The away support will follow Roma to Como; the visiting fans' section is already sold out.

Evan N'Dicka is set to return to Trigoria after international duty with Ivory Coast and will target a starting berth against Como. Physical complaints, a virus, and Leonardo Balerdi's strong performances have limited his appearances; he was benched for tactical reasons against Inter. Bryan Cristante remains under assessment following a left knee collateral problem. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini explained the situation: "Bryan is recovering, he's being treated and it takes time. It's not certain he'll definitely miss Como and Real Madrid, but we won't be willing to risk anything. If he has to miss one or two more matches, the objective is to get him back in top condition." Wesley reportedly reached out directly to his friend Endrick, expressing how pleased he would be to welcome him to Roma as early as January. The contact between the two Brazilians drew on a bond formed through difficult moments; last June, Endrick had himself called Wesley after an injury forced him to leave Brazil's training camp. The roles have now reversed, with the Roma winger ready to tell Endrick about the club and Trigoria. The pair will have a chance to meet at the Olimpico on 14 October when Roma face Real Madrid. According to Football Benchmark estimates, Roma's squad is valued at approximately €600 million, the third-highest figure in Serie A behind Inter (€829 million) and Juventus (€777 million). The valuation is linked to resources invested by the Friedkin Group and Gasperini's work during his first year. Two Roma players feature in the top 10 in the league: Manu Koné at €64 million and Donyell Malen at €58 million. Roma supporters will return to away fixtures without residency restrictions for the first time in nine months. The away section at Sinigaglia will be full for the Como match, despite technical issues many fans encountered during ticket sales. From Sunday, Roma enter an intense stretch of nine matches in 27 days across Serie A and the Champions League, with approximately 62,000 spectators expected at the Olimpico for Real Madrid's visit.

Gianluca Mancini has re-established himself as a defensive cornerstone for Italy under new head coach Mancini, starting in matches against Belgium and Turkey during the current Nations League window. The Roma defender, who was sidelined at Euro 2024 under Spalletti when Italy lost 2–0 to Switzerland, has returned to prominence in the national team and reclaimed his place at the heart of the defence. Mancini was a fixture under Gattuso before falling out of favour, but the new coach has shown no doubts about his qualities—he had already backed him during a previous spell in charge. Against Turkey, Mancini demonstrated his trademark qualities: anticipation, defensive composure, personality and the sharpness that marks him out when defending in advanced positions. The same reliability is evident in his performances for Gasperini's Roma. Some minor errors and criticism have come his way during the early stages of the season, but nothing that changes the overall assessment. Errors are part of any team's journey at the start of a campaign. Mancini remains one of Roma's certainties—and now increasingly one for Italy as well. His focus turns next to Roma's fixture against Como.

Italy closed their Nations League window with a 3–1 victory over Turkey at the Dall'Ara in Bologna, following a 4–1 win in Bursa, to reach 7 points in Group A1. Roberto Mancini's side made nine changes from the draw with France. Gianluca Mancini started in central defence alongside Bastoni; Scamacca opened the scoring at the 26th minute after Di Lorenzo's cross, finishing low past the goalkeeper. Turkey equalised through Aral Simsir on the hour, left unmarked at the far post following a low cross from the right, but Italy responded within three minutes when Riccardo Calafiori, greeted by the Bologna crowd's ovation, rose above the Turkey defence to head in Barella's cross and make it 2–1. Gianluca Mancini's return to the Italy starting eleven was a positive night for the Roma defender, though the article notes Daniele Ghilardi was absent from the squad. Italy made it three consecutive positive results—after the 4–1 win in Turkey and the 1–1 draw in France—and secured a third successive competitive outing without defeat heading into November's final two group matches against France and Belgium. At the 87th minute, Doumbia broke down the right, crossed low, and Romano's shot was deflected in by Pio Esposito to seal the 3–1 scoreline. Esposito, with that goal, took his tally to seven in thirteen national team appearances. Donnarumma made an important save late in the match to preserve Italy's lead.

Italy host Turkey at the Dall'Ara in Bologna in the fourth matchday of the UEFA Nations League group phase. The Italians come into the match off the back of a draw away to France, while Turkey suffered a 4–1 defeat to Italy in the reverse fixture a week earlier. Coach Roberto Mancini makes further squad rotation and hands Scamacca a starting position in attack. From Roma's perspective, Gianluca Mancini starts in defence for Italy, while Daniele Ghilardi does not feature in the squad. ITALY (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Ruggeri; Barella, Romano, Doumbia; Vergara, Scamacca, Maldini. Coach: Roberto Mancini. Substitutes: Carnesecchi, Vicario, Scalvini, Calafiori, Kayode, Tonali, Fagioli, Frattesi, Cambiaghi, Inacio, S. Esposito, P. Esposito. TURKEY (4-3-3): Cakir; Celik, Bardakci, Kabak, Kadioglu; Elmali, Ozcan, Kahveci; Simsir, Akgun, Yuksek. Coach: Vincenzo Montella. Substitutes: Bayindir, Sengezer, Demiral, Topcu, Elmaz, Tiknaz, Kabasakal, Eskihellac, Fakili, Akturkoglu, Aydin, Gul.

Matías Soulé, Leonardo Balerdi and Santiago Castro will arrive back in Rome on Thursday after three weeks away with Argentina, leaving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini just one day to assess their fitness before the match against Como. The trio will not train on Thursday, needing time to recover from a 13–14 hour transatlantic flight and adjust to the time difference after an extended spell away from the club. Friday's training session will be Gasperini's first opportunity to evaluate their condition on the pitch—a crucial window given the toll a long absence across the Atlantic can take both physically and mentally. With so little preparation time, the initial expectation is that all three may start on the bench. Castro was already considered a candidate for such a role, though Soulé and Balerdi present greater uncertainty about their readiness. Rodrigo Mora or Lorenzo Pellegrini could replace Soulé in the squad, while Evan N'Dicka remains the most natural solution in defence. However, a match lasts 90 minutes, and all three Argentine players retain the capacity to become decisive from the bench—a possibility Gasperini clearly understands. The timeline is tight: the players depart Argentina following a farewell celebration linked to Lionel Messi, then face the long journey home and the immediate challenge of reintegration ahead of the Como fixture.

Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing Roma for a return fixture against Como on Sunday, determined not to repeat the defensive confusion that haunted last season's meeting. The Italian manager joked about studying Cesc Fabregas's tactical setup like a Subbuteo game, but behind the quip lies serious intent: Roma must arrive prepared for Como's constant rotations and mid-match adjustments. Gasperini said: "Domenica sarà diverso" — Sunday will be different — signalling he will not allow Fabregas to seize control as he did before. Last season's encounter exposed a key weakness: the absence of Evan N'Dicka. The Ivorian defender sat out that match, and when Como pressed forward, Roma lacked the physical presence needed to contain Fabregas's attacking focal point. N'Dicka's presence proved crucial in the opening fixture of the previous campaign, shutting down opponents and frustrating Fabregas throughout. Now, with the rematch approaching, N'Dicka's physicality and ability to win defensive duels looms as a potential difference-maker. Balerdi offers greater speed, but the Ivorian possesses the frame to challenge Como's strikers — both the threat of Artem Douvikas and potentially Moise Kean — in direct contests. Gasperini has six days to finalize his blueprint. Roma's squad contains attacking talent — Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Wesley all carry above-average quality — but the match against Como requires more than technical excellence. It demands a willingness to battle, to win contested moments and to disrupt play when necessary. Last season, Douvikas's goal sparked Como's comeback, opening spaces that multiplied as the match progressed. That pattern must not repeat. The away support will follow Roma to Como; the visiting fans' section is already sold out.

Evan N'Dicka is set to return to Trigoria after international duty with Ivory Coast and will target a starting berth against Como. Physical complaints, a virus, and Leonardo Balerdi's strong performances have limited his appearances; he was benched for tactical reasons against Inter. Bryan Cristante remains under assessment following a left knee collateral problem. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini explained the situation: "Bryan is recovering, he's being treated and it takes time. It's not certain he'll definitely miss Como and Real Madrid, but we won't be willing to risk anything. If he has to miss one or two more matches, the objective is to get him back in top condition." Wesley reportedly reached out directly to his friend Endrick, expressing how pleased he would be to welcome him to Roma as early as January. The contact between the two Brazilians drew on a bond formed through difficult moments; last June, Endrick had himself called Wesley after an injury forced him to leave Brazil's training camp. The roles have now reversed, with the Roma winger ready to tell Endrick about the club and Trigoria. The pair will have a chance to meet at the Olimpico on 14 October when Roma face Real Madrid. According to Football Benchmark estimates, Roma's squad is valued at approximately €600 million, the third-highest figure in Serie A behind Inter (€829 million) and Juventus (€777 million). The valuation is linked to resources invested by the Friedkin Group and Gasperini's work during his first year. Two Roma players feature in the top 10 in the league: Manu Koné at €64 million and Donyell Malen at €58 million. Roma supporters will return to away fixtures without residency restrictions for the first time in nine months. The away section at Sinigaglia will be full for the Como match, despite technical issues many fans encountered during ticket sales. From Sunday, Roma enter an intense stretch of nine matches in 27 days across Serie A and the Champions League, with approximately 62,000 spectators expected at the Olimpico for Real Madrid's visit.