Antonio Arena

Roma's Primavera side scored twice away at Inter in a Primavera 1 ninth-round fixture, with Basile giving them the lead in the 33rd minute and Arena doubling it in the 59th. The Friday early kickoff at 18:00 at the league leaders was the Primavera 1 match of the week. Roma come into the game fifth in the table with 13 points, five behind Inter, who top the standings. They were held 2-2 at home by Genoa last Saturday. Coach Mattia Scala set Roma up in a 3-5-2, with Marchetti and Cama on the flanks and Paratici and Arena paired up front. Inter lined up in a 4-3-3 under Emiliano Bigica, with Breda booked for the home side. Roma's starting XI was Kilvinger; Bonifazi, Terlizzi, Basile; Marchetti, Giammattei, Ballarin, Cama; Maccaroni, Paratici, Arena. Terlizzi was replaced by Paul in the 69th minute, Giammattei by Arduini in the 66th, Paratici by Romero Corredera in the 69th, Ballarin by Forni in the 80th and Maccaroni by Loreti in the 80th. Basile and Terlizzi were also booked for Roma, as was Cama. Goals: 33' Basile (R), 59' Arena (R).

Roman radio pundits have urged Roma to move quickly for Endrick, while debating the Udinese fixture and the club's attacking options. Mario Corsi (Tele Radio Stereo) said that Roma must act first, warning that AC Milan could beat them to the forward. He pointed to Roma's spending: "Dopo aver speso 60 milioni per Ramos, uno che non segna mai, se può spendere anche per questo... ecco perché dobbiamo muoverci." Corsi also claimed that Endrick would agree to join Roma if he chose the club, and he suggested Mourinho was still thinking about Roma. David Rossi (Rete Sport) raised concerns about Paulo Dybala's fitness before the international break. He said playing Dybala in the game before the break would be "una forzatura" and suggested that Matías Soulé would be used in every match, which could become a problem. Rossi also asked why Roma did not try Guaglianone in the current emergency, noting that Guaglianone had brought forwards such as Arena and Paratici but had never brought in a "mezza punta", the role where Roma are struggling. Gianluca Piacentini (Rete Sport) said that Roma now feel more confident in the strength of the squad than they did last season, when a top-four finish was essential. He said he wanted Roma to aim for first place rather than fourth, and he admitted he would now prefer AC Milan to win the derby over Inter. Lorenzo Pes (Tele Radio Stereo) expected Hermoso and Balerdi to play at Udine, and said Marten de Roon, whom he had seen declining against Cagliari, would likely start alongside Bryan Cristante with Niccolò Pisilli pushed forward. He tipped Rodrigo Mora and Santiago Castro to come off the bench. Pes said Mile Svilar would return after the break, and that Manu Koné had resumed training on the pitch to be available against Sassuolo. Of Dybala, he said: "Dipende da lui. Ma per Manchester mi sembra obiettivamente difficile." Alessio Nardo (Tele Radio Stereo) questioned whether Gasperini already had an XI in mind for Manchester and, consequently, for Udinese. He said: "Sia United che Udinese sono due panchine a fortissimo rischio, bisognerà capire se è un vantaggio o meno per noi." He added: "Io non dico che vincere a Udine domani sarebbe un'impresa, ma comunque sarebbe un grandissimo risultato per la Roma." Nando Orsi (Radio Radio) was the most confident of a Roma win, arguing that Udinese were in free fall. He said: "Questa è l'occasione giusta per la Roma... Non vedo un altro tipo di risultato oltre alla vittoria della Roma." Roberto Pruzzo (Radio Radio) warned that Roma must settle the match early, cautioning that Udinese had recovered Davis and Zaniolo and could cause problems if Roma conceded space. He added: "È una partita da prendere con le molle." Mario Mattioli (Radio Radio) argued that Udine would not be easy for Roma despite Udinese's crisis, and said a Roma win would be "un'altra piccola impresa di questo campionato." Ubaldo Righetti (Radio Romanista) said Roma were not tired against Cagliari, though Mancini may have been, and that De Roon was still effective because he worked through the lines rather than chasing opponents. Righetti said the problem was frenzy, with simple passes going astray. Daniele Lo Monaco (Radio Romanista) warned that Mora risked the same fate as Bojan, who never fulfilled the promise he showed after leaving Barcelona.

Nicolò Zaniolo returns to face his former club Roma on Sunday, in a fixture the Italian press has already framed as a reunion between a player and a fanbase that feels betrayed. The 1999-born midfielder, who once looked set to become a Roma flag-bearer, now plays for Udinese, and more than 5,000 supporters are expected at the Dacia Arena to treat him as a sporting enemy. The relationship soured over several years. Zaniolo arrived in the capital as a complete unknown and quickly showed his quality, with goals, assists and classy touches, including the goal in Tirana that will remain in the club's history. Two anterior cruciate ligament ruptures tested the patience of supporters who had backed him through hard times. The break came in winter 2023, when a stormy departure was followed by a move to Galatasaray, a few months before the painful Budapest final. Along the way, Mourinho stopped defending him, saying: "non ha voglia di lottare" (he doesn't want to fight). Zaniolo had also rejected Bournemouth before joining Galatasaray. His career has not taken off since. He disappointed at Aston Villa in the Premier League, and Gasperini tried to revive him without success before he rediscovered his smile at Udinese. Further clashes with Roma fans followed. In 2024, while playing for Atalanta, he scored at the Olimpico, took off his shirt and celebrated wildly, drawing a storm of whistles and an irreparable rift. Last year the stadium also gave him an unwelcoming reception, and Hermoso was the one who kept him in check. The Spaniard could once again be the key to stopping the player, who is ready to challenge his past once more. Zaniolo has apologised in recent months, but his words have not been heard. The Italian press has suggested the match could be headlined "C'eravamo tanto amati" (we loved each other so much).

Around 10,000 Roma supporters are set to fill the away sections in Udine and Manchester this week. Some 5,000 are expected at the Dacia Arena for tomorrow's match, and around 3,000 at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Many have already bought flights for England and will travel without tickets to soak up the Champions League atmosphere, which supporters are calling a real invasion. The travelling numbers reflect the strength of Roma's support, with away sectors regularly selling out. Fans will be present both in the curva and in the stands, thanks to the friendship linking the two supporters' groups. The trips come as the Giallorossi prepare for their Champions League fixtures in the coming days. Before the international break, Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico, and another sell-out crowd is expected there. The home match follows the Olimpico's usual pre-match tradition, where the club's fans sing Marco Conidi's famous anthem "Mai sola mai" before kickoff.

Mile Svilar will not return before the international break, with doctors refusing to clear the goalkeeper early despite new instrumental tests on his foot injury, which had been examined with a view to a return for the Champions League clash with Manchester United. He will miss the trips to Udinese, Manchester United and Sassuolo, with a probable comeback after the break in the match on 21 November at Parma. Roma continue a demanding run of fixtures, and they travel to Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00 with further important absences. Paulo Dybala will not be available for the match at the Bluenergy Arena. Despite Gasperini's optimism and his partial return to group training, the Argentine has been held back as a precaution. He has suffered no setback and the injury has fully healed, but he had felt a slight discomfort before the Cagliari game and the medical staff preferred not to take a risk. The goal is his availability for the Champions League match against Manchester United on 3 November. Roma's attack remains a target in the market, with Endrick, the Brazilian talent of Real Madrid, a name of interest. Despite Mourinho's wish to keep him, the player is weighing offers received in recent weeks, and Serie A would be a welcome destination. AC Milan and Roma remain among the interested clubs, and the player's camp does not rule anything out for January. Michael Yormack, president of Roc Nation Sports International, said: "It is an evolving process. We will see how things go until the end of the year. Endrick is very talented and wants to play. He loves Madrid and his teammates, but a career is short and he wants to make the most of it." With the winter window approaching, further names linked to Roma are circulating. German reports revive interest in Federico Chiesa, who is finding little space at Liverpool and is now willing to sell him for around 15 million euros. The winger is reportedly unhappy with the limited minutes given to him by the new coach Iraola and has begun looking at the Italian market. Initial contacts with Inter were reportedly made without reaching an agreement. Atalanta, Lazio and Milan are also interested alongside Roma. On Rome radio, Alessandro Vocalelli praised the way the substitutes have come on. He said: "I like the way the players coming off the bench enter. The latest was Gollini, who seemed not up to it and instead came on and did very well, as did Balerdi and Mora. It is a Roma that is confirming what was said on the eve of the match." Luigi Ferrajolo added: "On an individual level I really like Lulli: he is growing and deserves to play all the time. Against Cagliari Roma played with fire, not only in terms of the result but also in terms of the game they played."

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.