Wesley unwinds in Brazil with keepie-uppie and Roma shirts

Rodrigo Mora made a striking impression against Real Madrid on 14 October, coming on at half-time in place of Paulo Dybala and delivering a performance that caught the attention of both Roma supporters and Blancos fans alike. The Portuguese midfielder, born in 2007, picked apart Real Madrid's midfield repeatedly and provided an assist for Donyell Malen's goal that brought Roma level at 2–1. His display was sufficiently compelling to prompt Spanish fans to praise him on social media. Mora had appeared only from the bench in earlier fixtures against Inter and Como before manager Gian Piero Gasperini handed him a starting opportunity of sorts against the Spanish giants. The 19-year-old has seen limited first-team action so far this season, rotating with Matías Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the left of Roma's attacking three. His performance against Madrid, however, gave notice of his potential and may prompt Gasperini to deploy him from the start in the forthcoming league match against Genoa. Real Madrid supporters responded enthusiastically on social media. One commented: "That Rodrigo Mora is incredible, what a player!", while another wrote: "Mora made Real dance, he has more football in him than our entire midfield." A third noted: "He cost only 25 million this summer..." Gasperini's decision to introduce Mora at the interval, replacing a player of Dybala's calibre, underscored the manager's confidence in the young Portuguese talent's ability to handle elite opposition.

Roma aim to bounce back from a 4–3 defeat to Real Madrid when they travel to Genoa on Saturday evening. The match kicks off at 20:45 as the Giallorossi look to recover from the dramatic comeback they conceded against the Spanish side. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference tomorrow at 13:30 from Trigoria. The Giallorossi boss will assess the fitness of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala before finalising his team selection for the Serie A encounter. Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante remain unavailable for the trip.

Roma must quickly put behind the disappointment of conceding a late comeback against Real Madrid, who scored twice in the final minutes to win 4–3. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will address the media tomorrow at 13:30 ahead of the Genoa fixture. Gasperini will be without five players for the match. Bryan Cristante, Donyell Malen, Mile Svilar, Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala are all unavailable. Koné and Dybala will undergo instrumental tests tomorrow to establish their recovery timescale.

Roma face Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 17 October at 20:45 in Serie A matchday seven, aiming to return to winning ways after a 4–3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. The Giallorossi drew 0–0 against Como and 0–0 against Inter before the Real Madrid loss; they have not won since facing Torino. Genoa, managed by Daniele De Rossi, won their first match of the season last time out, beating Fiorentina 2–1. Gasperini will make changes to his squad following injuries sustained against Real Madrid. Manu Koné left the pitch in the first half with a muscle problem, while Paulo Dybala was substituted at half-time with a muscular strain; both remain under assessment as of 15 October, with recovery timings unclear. Mile Svilar is out with a fractured toe, Bryan Cristante with a knee problem, and Donyell Malen suspended following his red card against Como. Roma last won on matchday six against Torino. In Gasperini's 3–4–2–1 formation, Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in the three-man defence. Emanuele Lulli and Wesley are set for the full-back positions, with Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli in midfield. Santiago Castro will lead the attack in place of the suspended Malen, Matías Soulé will play behind him, and Rodrigo Mora is favoured to complete the attacking line if Dybala cannot recover; Lorenzo Pellegrini is an alternative. De Rossi's Genoa are likely to line up in a 4–4–1–1 with goalkeeper Bijlow, but a 3–5–2 with Vitinha alongside the striker remains possible. Roma hold a dominant record at the Olimpico against Genoa: across 65 official matches played in the capital, the Giallorossi have won 48, Genoa 9, with 8 draws. Most recently Roma won 3–1 on 29 December 2025; before that, on 17 January 1990, Genoa last won at the Olimpico, prevailing 1–0. The official lineups will be confirmed before kickoff. The match will be broadcast on DAZN and Sky Sport, with streaming available through NOW and Sky Go according to subscription level.

Rodrigo Mora has praised Wesley for playing a central role in his integration into the Roma squad following his arrival at the club. Speaking to TNT Sports after Roma's match against Real Madrid, the Portuguese midfielder highlighted Wesley's importance in helping him settle, particularly because they share a common language. "He was the one who helped me most when I arrived at Roma, also because he speaks Portuguese like me," Mora said. Mora's swift adaptation to the club's international environment reflects the multilingual nature of Roma's dressing room. The midfielder drew on his experience at Porto, where he had played alongside numerous Brazilian players and formed strong relationships with them. His comments underline how crucial those early connections have been to his transition to Italian football. Mora offered a broader message of gratitude to the squad: "I thank Wesley and the whole team for welcoming me so well. Now we must continue on this path." His remarks confirm that Mora has integrated smoothly into a cosmopolitan squad, with his partnership with Wesley proving particularly influential from his opening days at the club.

Wesley was among Roma's brightest performers in the match against Real Madrid, earning praise from José Mourinho, who said: "I knew he was strong, but seeing him up close is another thing." The Brazilian defender spoke to TNT Sports Brasil after the match, reflecting on his individual performance and the team's missed opportunity. "I'm happy, it's nice to receive a compliment from a coach like Mourinho," Wesley said. When asked about his individual display, Wesley expressed satisfaction with his personal contribution while emphasizing disappointment at the overall result. "We deserved to win," he stated. He detailed his preparation for the match and his focus on his opposing number, explaining: "I was telling myself I have to stop Vinícius, I have to stop Vinícius. I was prepared and happy with my match. I still have a lot to improve in many aspects, but I'm satisfied with my individual performance. However, I'm not satisfied with the team result, because we deserved to win." Wesley also revealed details of his pre-match conversation with Gasperini. The manager told him: "I'll put you on Vinícius. I have confidence in you." Wesley responded: "Okay, let's go. Let's see what happens." He remarked on the shift in Real Madrid's attack: "To Vinícius I said, 'Today you'll deal with me. Go to the other side and see what you can do.' But then Vinícius came off and Endrick came on, who with all respect scored a goal and an assist. He's a special kid, destined for greatness, and I support him. Obviously not today, but there's little to be done about that."