Zaniolo and Soulé face off as Udinese host Roma in Serie A

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has set his sights on Roma after his side's draw with Parma, saying his team must keep collecting points. Speaking to Dazn on Wednesday, Okoye said: "We always want to win and we need points. At Parma we took one and that's fine, now straight away our focus is on the next one." The clash with Roma is at the Dacia Arena on Saturday, with kickoff at 18:00. Udinese were left frustrated by their recent results, and Okoye believes they have been unlucky in these type of games. He also pointed to the absence of Nicolò Zaniolo, the former Roma midfielder now at Udinese, as a reason for the setbacks. Okoye said: "In these matches we have been unlucky, then we have missed players like Zaniolo, whose importance we have seen today."

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 in Serie A matchday 10, just days after a 4-2 win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico. It is Roma's fourth match in a few days, and Gian Piero Gasperini must manage a number of absences while the fixture list stays tight. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, are coming off a 0-0 draw at Parma. Gasperini may rotate several players again. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Svilar has not been cleared to return early and will only come back after the international break, after the medical staff chose not to rush his recovery from a foot problem. Hermoso remains one of the main candidates to start from the first minute. Mancini, who did not look at his best against Cagliari, could make way for Ghilardi, and the battle between N'Dicka and Balerdi is still open, with Balerdi gaining ground after scoring a brace against Napoli. Wesley should return to the starting line-up on the left, while Lulli and Molina are competing for the right-back spot. Lulli, born in 2007, came off a strong performance against Cagliari, which ended with a goal and an assist. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, with De Roon and Pisilli in contention to partner him, and Pisilli could also be deployed a few metres further forward. Soulé remains a fixed starter, while Mora is set to play slightly ahead to complete the line behind Malen. Pisilli is also an option to add intensity and runs into the box. Udinese are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1. Okoye, who saved a penalty against Parma, is in goal, with Palma, Kabasele and Abankwah in defence. Kamara and Bertola are set for the wing-back roles, and Karlstrom should partner Chakvetadze in midfield. In the number 10 role is former Roma player Zaniolo, who has recovered from injury and is a candidate to start alongside Ekkelenkamp behind Davis. Karlstrom is suspended after a caution. Udinese are without Solet, Zanoli, Bayo, Gueye and Alaba. Roma are also missing several important players. Svilar will miss the match after recent foot checks, and Paulo Dybala has not yet recovered fully from his injury, with his return being managed more cautiously than initially expected. The aim is to have him back for Roma's next Champions League trip against Manchester United. Manu Koné remains unavailable, and Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery from a serious muscle problem. Roma have no players suspended or doubtful for the match. The historical record leans towards Roma overall, but Udinese won the last meeting at the Bluenergy Stadium, beating them 1-0 on 2 February 2026. In the first leg of that same season, Roma won 2-0 at the Olimpico. Across the last five Serie A meetings, Roma have won four and Udinese one. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Rodrigo Mora's decisive header against Cagliari has delighted Roma supporters and revived regret among Porto fans over the midfielder's departure. Before Tuesday evening, the young Portuguese had had an uneven spell in the capital. He arrived in August with high expectations after an initial outlay of €25 million, alternating flashes of talent with less convincing displays and even finding himself on the bench in recent weeks. Then came a superb header at the Olimpico, followed by the assist that set up Malen's 4-2, which changed the picture overnight. His performance was noticed in Portugal too. As Il Romanista reports, the debate over a sale that some Porto supporters have never accepted has resurfaced on social media. One fan wrote: "Mora was sold because of Farioli, and now he is showing why everyone said 50 million was a bargain... Roma are lucky." Another went further, saying: "Great technique and grit, the place in Portugal's team must be his, not Ronaldo's." A third took a swipe at Roma: "He is too great a talent for a club that doesn't know how to value its players." Among the regret, though, there is also pride from those who watched Mora grow in the blue and white shirt. One Porto supporter wrote: "Even though there remains regret over how he could have become with us with more time, seeing him score like this makes us proud. May he keep growing, shining and showing the qualities we already knew. Talent has never been in doubt!" The message shows how much the player left his mark on the Dragão, despite a departure marked by controversy and division. Gian Piero Gasperini continues to manage him carefully. Mora has made 10 appearances in the first 12 matches, totalling 425 minutes, numbers that reflect a talent still seeking full consecration. The coach has always defended him, pointing out that he must improve above all physically and in his stamina over 90 minutes. After the Cagliari game, however, Gasperini described him as "una mina vagante", a wildcard. The header was his seventh goal of a young career, scored despite his height of 168 centimetres. Mora said: "I dream of being a decisive player." A first start could come soon, on Saturday at Udine, with Paulo Dybala absent. It is a chance to show that the Cagliari performance was not an isolated flash. Roma hope they have found a future protagonist, while in Porto some still wonder whether a mistake was made in letting him go so early.

Roma returned to training this afternoon after a rest day granted by Gasperini, with the team two days away from the trip to Udinese. Paulo Dybala is set to miss the match at the Dacia Arena and is doing individual training. The Argentine is hoping to be fit for the Manchester United game, but the calf pain has not fully gone away. Manu Koné is working on the pitch with the aim of being available for the Sassuolo fixture, the last match before the international break. The Frenchman has increased his workload and his condition is improving. Mile Svilar is out and will return directly for the away trip to Parma, scheduled for 21 November. Nahuel Molina's teammate Leonardo Balerdi trained with the group after missing Tuesday's match against Cagliari, which followed a heavy blow he suffered in Naples. Gasperini will not speak at the press conference on the eve of the match tomorrow.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 in Serie A matchday 10, just days after a 4-2 win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico. It is Roma's fourth match in a few days, and Gian Piero Gasperini must manage a number of absences while the fixture list stays tight. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, are coming off a 0-0 draw at Parma. Gasperini may rotate several players again. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Svilar has not been cleared to return early and will only come back after the international break, after the medical staff chose not to rush his recovery from a foot problem. Hermoso remains one of the main candidates to start from the first minute. Mancini, who did not look at his best against Cagliari, could make way for Ghilardi, and the battle between N'Dicka and Balerdi is still open, with Balerdi gaining ground after scoring a brace against Napoli. Wesley should return to the starting line-up on the left, while Lulli and Molina are competing for the right-back spot. Lulli, born in 2007, came off a strong performance against Cagliari, which ended with a goal and an assist. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, with De Roon and Pisilli in contention to partner him, and Pisilli could also be deployed a few metres further forward. Soulé remains a fixed starter, while Mora is set to play slightly ahead to complete the line behind Malen. Pisilli is also an option to add intensity and runs into the box. Udinese are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1. Okoye, who saved a penalty against Parma, is in goal, with Palma, Kabasele and Abankwah in defence. Kamara and Bertola are set for the wing-back roles, and Karlstrom should partner Chakvetadze in midfield. In the number 10 role is former Roma player Zaniolo, who has recovered from injury and is a candidate to start alongside Ekkelenkamp behind Davis. Karlstrom is suspended after a caution. Udinese are without Solet, Zanoli, Bayo, Gueye and Alaba. Roma are also missing several important players. Svilar will miss the match after recent foot checks, and Paulo Dybala has not yet recovered fully from his injury, with his return being managed more cautiously than initially expected. The aim is to have him back for Roma's next Champions League trip against Manchester United. Manu Koné remains unavailable, and Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery from a serious muscle problem. Roma have no players suspended or doubtful for the match. The historical record leans towards Roma overall, but Udinese won the last meeting at the Bluenergy Stadium, beating them 1-0 on 2 February 2026. In the first leg of that same season, Roma won 2-0 at the Olimpico. Across the last five Serie A meetings, Roma have won four and Udinese one. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar will not return from his foot injury early and will instead come back only after the November international break, according to Filippo Biafora of Il Tempo. The club took the decision after further tests carried out this morning to assess his recovery. Svilar will therefore miss the Champions League trip to Manchester United on 3 November and the Serie A match against Sassuolo on 7 November. Until a few hours earlier, there had been hope that he could be available for the European fixture or, at the latest, for the league game against Sassuolo. The latest checks, however, led Roma not to accelerate his timetable, avoiding any risk to one of their most important players. Pierluigi Gollini will therefore continue in goal for the next three matches in Svilar's absence. Gollini has produced convincing performances while the first-choice keeper has been out. His most recent display, particularly positive, came against Cagliari and earned him praise from Gasperini. The club can afford to wait for Svilar's full recovery without forcing his return, which is an important reassurance for Roma.

Paulo Dybala continued training individually at Trigoria on Wednesday, without rejoining the rest of the squad, a fresh sign that the Argentine is struggling to complete his recovery from the muscle injury he picked up against Real Madrid. Dybala is now all but certain to miss Saturday's trip to Udinese, which kicks off at 18:00, barring a surprise. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini had already voiced serious doubts after the win over Cagliari, explaining that the forward's recovery time had stretched beyond initial expectations. It remains to be determined whether Dybala can be available for the Champions League trip to Manchester United on 3 November. Sassuolo, on 7 November, remains the possible target the coach has indicated for his return. In a further update from Trigoria, Gasperini will not hold his usual press conference on the eve of the match. Tomorrow, Friday 30 October, the Giallorossi boss will not meet journalists before the Saturday fixture in Friuli, at a particularly intense point in the season, with Roma also facing the European commitment against Manchester United. The report was published by Giallorossi.net.

Roma have begun preparations for their away trip to Udinese on Saturday 31 October, with kickoff at 18:00, when the Giallorossi face Kosta Runjaić's side. The squad trained in the afternoon at Trigoria, but Paulo Dybala did not work with the rest of the group. He completed a personalised session to manage his recovery from injury, with the aim of being available for the Champions League match against Manchester United. Manu Koné trained on the pitch as he targets the game against Sassuolo, the last fixture before the international break. The fixtures come in quick succession, and Gian Piero Gasperini has chosen not to take questions from journalists at the pre-match press conference. He wants to focus entirely on preparing for the match against the Friulani. Roma's Champions League campaign continues against Manchester United, and Dybala's progress is the main concern for the coaching staff ahead of a busy stretch. The Udinese trip is the first of several key fixtures before the break.

Roma returned to training this afternoon after a rest day granted by Gasperini, with the team two days away from the trip to Udinese. Paulo Dybala is set to miss the match at the Dacia Arena and is doing individual training. The Argentine is hoping to be fit for the Manchester United game, but the calf pain has not fully gone away. Manu Koné is working on the pitch with the aim of being available for the Sassuolo fixture, the last match before the international break. The Frenchman has increased his workload and his condition is improving. Mile Svilar is out and will return directly for the away trip to Parma, scheduled for 21 November. Nahuel Molina's teammate Leonardo Balerdi trained with the group after missing Tuesday's match against Cagliari, which followed a heavy blow he suffered in Naples. Gasperini will not speak at the press conference on the eve of the match tomorrow.

Roma travel to the Bluenergy Stadium to face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 in Serie A matchday 10, just days after a 4-2 win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico. It is Roma's fourth match in a few days, and Gian Piero Gasperini must manage a number of absences while the fixture list stays tight. Udinese, coached by Kosta Runjaic, are coming off a 0-0 draw at Parma. Gasperini may rotate several players again. Gollini is set to keep his place in goal, while Svilar has not been cleared to return early and will only come back after the international break, after the medical staff chose not to rush his recovery from a foot problem. Hermoso remains one of the main candidates to start from the first minute. Mancini, who did not look at his best against Cagliari, could make way for Ghilardi, and the battle between N'Dicka and Balerdi is still open, with Balerdi gaining ground after scoring a brace against Napoli. Wesley should return to the starting line-up on the left, while Lulli and Molina are competing for the right-back spot. Lulli, born in 2007, came off a strong performance against Cagliari, which ended with a goal and an assist. Cristante is expected to keep his place in midfield, with De Roon and Pisilli in contention to partner him, and Pisilli could also be deployed a few metres further forward. Soulé remains a fixed starter, while Mora is set to play slightly ahead to complete the line behind Malen. Pisilli is also an option to add intensity and runs into the box. Udinese are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1. Okoye, who saved a penalty against Parma, is in goal, with Palma, Kabasele and Abankwah in defence. Kamara and Bertola are set for the wing-back roles, and Karlstrom should partner Chakvetadze in midfield. In the number 10 role is former Roma player Zaniolo, who has recovered from injury and is a candidate to start alongside Ekkelenkamp behind Davis. Karlstrom is suspended after a caution. Udinese are without Solet, Zanoli, Bayo, Gueye and Alaba. Roma are also missing several important players. Svilar will miss the match after recent foot checks, and Paulo Dybala has not yet recovered fully from his injury, with his return being managed more cautiously than initially expected. The aim is to have him back for Roma's next Champions League trip against Manchester United. Manu Koné remains unavailable, and Lorenzo Pellegrini continues his recovery from a serious muscle problem. Roma have no players suspended or doubtful for the match. The historical record leans towards Roma overall, but Udinese won the last meeting at the Bluenergy Stadium, beating them 1-0 on 2 February 2026. In the first leg of that same season, Roma won 2-0 at the Olimpico. Across the last five Serie A meetings, Roma have won four and Udinese one. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Former Roma striker Paolo Poggi, who played for the club in 2000-01 and for Udinese between 1994 and 2000, has said Gasperini's current side has the same dominant character as the Roma team that won the 2000-01 Scudetto. Speaking exclusively to Retesport, Poggi also gave his view on Donyell Malen, saying the Dutch forward gives the sense that his team starts every match 1-0 up. "This is the level," he said of Malen's play. He played alongside strikers of the calibre of Bierhoff. Poggi was asked whether the current team resembles the Scudetto side coached by Capello's predecessor Capelli. He said the comparison is difficult. The 2000-01 Roma had come off a disappointing season, but then began to impose itself from the start thanks to a strong structure built around a plan put in place by Capelli, alongside structural changes at board level. The team was preparing to win the title and was of the highest quality, he said. Poggi added that it was predictable Gasperini's side would have this impact on the league. Its continuity and the force with which it imposes itself can surprise, and it is this aspect that makes the two versions of Roma look alike. On the differences between Roma and Udinese, Poggi said the provincial club gives players time to grow because there are no major targets to reach. Pressure in the capital is different, he said, but it is not a negative factor. It is up to the player to adapt and understand what is required. He admitted that he himself had not managed to do so, and that his own spell had not been up to standard, but said he remained proud to have been part of one of the most beautiful clubs in the world, an experience he described as pleasant both footballing and personally. Of Udinese, he said the city and the club are the two key factors. Fans welcome players and do not judge them immediately, waiting for them and valuing the small things that can be done early on. Balance is not what defines Roma, he said with a laugh. Udinese help players organisationally, letting them think only about the pitch and removing all the surrounding noise through a top-level set-up. The real change came in the 1990s, when the club moved from Serie B to Serie A, and since then there has been no relegation. Asked about Udinese's current situation under Runjaić, Poggi, who captained the club, said it was hard to explain from the outside. He believes Udinese have one of the most competitive squads of recent seasons, but a negative start to the league has not helped them find consistency. He watched the last two matches live, against Lecce and Milan, and as an observer he was concerned to see the features that typically define the team missing: physical strength, running, and everything that made Udinese difficult to play against. Runjaić's side, with greater confidence, could have won the previous day, but seemed afraid of losing. On the Under-23 rule, which he had seen in his time working in Udinese's youth sector, Poggi said he believes it is one of the solutions available. A player at the age limit must play for the first team. Serie C is a good school for players leaving the Primavera who need one last step of experience. Some players develop late, while others are strong enough to leave early to test themselves against those who are ready. He hopes more clubs can run Under-23 sides, provided Italian players are given opportunities.

Roman radio pundits debated Roma's squad depth, Paulo Dybala's fitness and the Udinese and Manchester United fixtures in a round-up of the capital's football talk shows. David Rossi of Rete Sport said he was worried that Roma are short of players, pointing to Matías Soulé and Niccolò Pisilli, who he said have been playing three matches a week for some time. He said Roma play a demanding style and that the midfield is very thin: if Roma rest Roon, who is not in good shape, Cristante still has to play against Udinese, and then in Manchester he asked what would happen without him. Rossi called the decision to use four midfielders, attributed to Gasperini and D'Amico, an enormous error of judgement. He said Gasperini had wanted the contracts of Dybala and Pellegrini, adding that Roma would be in a better position had they signed two players who were alive, even if less talented. On Dybala, Rossi said: "Dybala was a beast here, a beast there, but now Gasperini has realised he has the pain threshold of a 5-year-old child. Mora has done more than Dybala, the same as Soulè, but you can't say it..." Fabio Petruzzi of Rete Sport said Roma have clearly improved on last year, showing they are a strong side. He said last year you struggled and created little, while now Roma look like a stronger Atalanta. He said they have reached the top but can improve in the transfer market with two wide players and a midfielder. He said Roma were less of a team than usual against Cagliari but still won, and that Cagliari had given them more problems than Como and Inter. He added that some tiredness is to be expected. Claudio Moroni, also of Rete Sport, argued that Dybala should be sacrificed on the left with Soulè on the right, saying Soulè's best form comes from the right and that Dybala's performance hardly changes between the two flanks. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo praised Mora for a fine headed goal, but warned against calling him a new Messi. Turning to Juventus, he said their crisis was 80% the team's fault and 20% Spalletti's, adding that Conte was not being considered and that Pioli is the available option. Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Dybala only did physiotherapy yesterday but he remains convinced the player wants to play the Champions League match against Manchester United. He said the injury has healed, that Dybala can theoretically train and has overcome the physical problem. He said the medical staff and the player's own feelings will decide, and that Dybala would probably try to rejoin the group partially today. He said keeping the door open for Manchester is important, and that having him on the bench for Udine would also be valuable. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said Roma were robbed in yesterday's match against Venezia. He said Udinese have shown signs of revival, having recovered most of their players including Zaniolo, and that the fixture worries him. If Balerdi has recovered, he expects him to start, with Ghilardi possibly replacing Mancini, and expects Lulli alongside Wesley and Pisilli with Cristante. On Como, he said they have always been title candidates and that anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong, given their strong players, great football and a fine coach. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said he had backed Castro but that a player who has not played for two months cannot simply step in and become a star. He said the transfer market has brought Roma reserves, good alternatives who are not able to play as starters, and that when Malen is missing you notice straight away. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio questioned whether Roma are too dependent on Malen, pointing out that he brought Roma into the Champions League. He said that when he has been absent, Roma have struggled to score, but that Roma are not bottom of the table despite heavy absences, noting Lazio are top despite missing four key players. Ilario Di Giovambattista of Radio Radio named the Roma players he would take for Lazio: Malen, Svilar, and Ghilardi, whom he said he adores. He would also take Koné for midfield, and said that for Soulè he would keep Isaksen and put Soulè on the bench.