Candela backs Roma for the title and praises Dybala and Koné

Roman radio pundits have split over the photo Wesley posted, with David Rossi of Rete Sport saying he would sell the Brazilian in January if he were Roma's sporting director. Speaking on Rete Sport, Rossi said: "On all this Wesley business, it seems clear to me that private matters are private, even if they did little to keep them private. Moreover, she committed a crime by transferring her husband's phone data onto her own. That said, it certainly wasn't an afternoon of very high cultural and social standing. The worst thing was perhaps the photo of the watches and the money. It looked like those TG reports on drug dens seized by the Guardia di Finanza... frankly we could have done without it. I've seen a few things, having been inside, and if I were Roma's sporting director, a player who publishes that photo I would sell in January. Someone who does something like that shows poor sensitivity, and doesn't have football as the priority in his life. I'd already be looking for him a club in January, and I'd be working to find his replacement..." Gianluca Piacentini, also on Rete Sport, urged a clear separation between what happens on the pitch and private life. He said: "I would make the effort to keep what happens on the field separate from what happens in private life, without necessarily linking them. Nainggolan and Maicon had particular situations, but we judged what we saw on the pitch, and I would do the same with Wesley. And I wouldn't say that if he plays badly, it's because he separated from his wife..." Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo was blunter about the spending on show. He said: "Wesley should think a moment before putting all that money up there. It's the only thing that can irritate, the rest are his private matters, I don't care. There are people who have to collect money to go and watch matches at the stadium, throwing all that money around like that is ridiculous... And the other thing that interests me is when the wife says 'when he gets drunk he can do anything'. So, drink less, in general. For the rest, he plays, runs, is good and we love him. He's a likeable lad. But let's try to go less to the newspapers... It was stupid to do all this, because now as soon as he plays badly they'll say he's been drinking, when a player can make mistakes in matches..." Francesca Ferrazza, also of Tele Radio Stereo, said Roma and Gasperini always keep a close eye on their players, especially young ones from modest backgrounds who suddenly find fame and are surrounded by people who may take advantage. Lorenzo Pes, also on Tele Radio Stereo, turned to the Ballon d'Or, saying Kane deserved it for his career, with his goalscoring numbers last year being "monstrous". He added that Yamal could have been in contention for the title but had a poor World Cup, and that he would have rewarded someone from PSG, probably Kvaratskhelia. On Dybala, Pes said: "If he said yes to the call-up, it's because he can play, and I expect him on the pitch tonight for twenty minutes or so." The match occupied the rest of the debate. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said: "Tonight's game worries me like all of them, and Cagliari come off two consecutive defeats, which I don't like at all. But they have 13 points in the table, they're very calm and can play with a certain serenity. The worry is that we are in the sixth match of a nine-game cycle, and the physical and mental fatigue, and the thought of the next ones, may in some way affect us. Roma tonight must win to add further confidence, I hope they manage it without struggling too much. If football were mathematics Roma would win without too many problems, but matches are strange. I hope this Roma is ever more Argentine in the spirit with which it goes on the pitch..." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio gave a sharper verdict on the Wesley affair, calling the intelligence level on both sides "very low", but said he would keep Wesley in the team. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said Cagliari were in freefall, having lost ground to ten points above the relegation zone after a fast start. He said: "Cagliari are in freefall. Roma must take advantage. Find out what kind of match you can put together, and then thanks to the quality of your players you should be able to get on top of it. Winning tonight with minimal effort and bringing home points..."

Fabio Capello has said Inter remain the favourites for the Serie A title, while admitting he enjoys seeing both Rome and Milan at the top of the table. The former Roma manager spoke in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have always argued that Inter were the favourites, the best-equipped squad for the Scudetto, and at the moment I have no reasons to convince me otherwise. Seeing all of Milan and all of Rome up there, however, pleases me and takes me back to my past," Capello said. Capello also compared Roma with AC Milan, and he gave Gian Piero Gasperini's side the edge. "I see Roma in better shape, because they have an established way of playing, while the Rossoneri are still searching for their definitive identity. It is not a criticism: Gasperini has been working with his players for a year, while Amorim has only just arrived, and the difference on the pitch is noticeable." His comments point to the advantage of continuity at the Giallorossi, with Gasperini's methods now bedded in across the squad. For Roma, the praise from a former coach who knows the club well is a boost as the side keeps pace with the leaders. Capello's view is that the team are playing well, even though Inter are still the team he expects to win the title.

Several Roman radio pundits have weighed in on Roma's forward options ahead of the match against Cagliari, with former striker Roberto Pruzzo calling for a new attacker in January to replace Rodrigo Mora. Francesco Balzani of Teleradiostereo said he has long admired Matías Soulé, though he was disappointed by the Argentine last year. He said Soulé is now making the step he had hoped for, and added: "Sta concludendo un mese incredibile. Sarà la serata di Mora? Mi auguro di sì." Balzani said that if Soulé can produce around 15 or 20 matches like his display against Napoli by the end of the season, he will become the player he had hoped for. He added: "Poi non è l'ultima spiaggia perché è un ragazzo giovane, però è una chance importante. Questa dev'essere la partita in cui fa vedere qualcosa in più." Balzani was not sure Donyell Malen would start and said Santiago Castro could play instead. He pointed to a busy schedule ahead, with Udine, Manchester and Sassuolo still to come, saying: "devi capire qual è la sfida in cui puoi far riposare qualcuno e credo che questa sia la più adatta." Roma therefore need to pick the right game to rest players, and Balzani believes this fixture is the right one. Pruzzo said Cagliari are in freefall and in difficulty, and that Roma must take advantage. "È importante trovare i tre punti e con la qualità dei giocatori può farcela," he said. He also stressed that Roma must start picking up points in the Champions League against Manchester United. "La Roma a gennaio deve prendere un attaccante al posto di Mora." Piero Torri of Radio Manà Manà said Roma are in the sixth match of a run of nine and he feared the physical and mental fatigue of the previous games could be felt. "La Roma deve vincere per continuare ad aggiungere consapevolezza ed autostima e spero ci riesca senza faticare troppo."

Paulo Dybala remains sidelined as his recovery timeline stretches, and Gian Piero Gasperini is unsure whether the forward will be available for the match against Sassuolo. The Argentine has a calf problem that has not cleared up. He had returned to group training on Sunday, but he stayed out again this evening and will also miss the games against Manchester United and Udinese. Gasperini, speaking at his press conference, admitted he is concerned about the situation. Dybala had looked close to returning, which made the setback more frustrating for the coaching staff. Roma are planning around both Dybala and Manu Koné for the trip to Sassuolo, but the head coach is not certain it will be possible. Gasperini said: "I was confident after training on Monday. Paulo takes a bit of time to recover from injuries. We thought it would take less time, but that hasn't been the case. With him and Koné we are aiming for Sassuolo, but I don't know if it will be possible." There is still no news on Dybala's fitness. There is better news on Nahuel Molina's teammate Leonardo Balerdi, who has no problem after a heavy blow he suffered in Naples and missed the last match. Balerdi will be available on Saturday.

Roma bounced back from their draw at the Maradona with a win over Cagliari, as goals from Mora and Malen secured three points after Maldini had equalised. The result was Gasperini's ninth consecutive positive result of this Serie A start. Speaking to Dazn shortly after the final whistle, the head coach was happy with the performance despite a flat second half. Gasperini said: "Va molto bene così. Questa sera avevamo qualche elemento in difficoltà, che non aveva recuperato al meglio. Alcuni giocatori loro, soprattutto in attacco, erano più freschi e ci mettevano in difficoltà. Il motivo è solo questo. Anche in mezzo ultimamente abbiamo giocato sempre con gli stessi uomini, per 90' ogni volta, e si è vista un po' di fatica. E' un merito ancora più grande aver vinto questa partita, un po' con i cambi e un po' con la volontà di tutti. Soprattutto sull'1-0, abbiamo avuto un ottimo momento anche di gioco. Poi anche nel finale". On the depth of the squad, Gasperini praised Ghilardi, who had recently produced strong performances. He said Ghilardi "probabilmente doveva entrare prima", but a situation made the substitution difficult, as it would have been the first change after the interval. "Sta facendo bene, è cresciuto molto rispetto all'anno scorso e troverà sempre più spazio", he added. Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable, having left the Napoli match battered, and Gasperini said the team needed to recover. Gasperini also noted the absence of Dybala, Koné and Pellegrini, and said Svilar had been less impressive while Gollini was "strepitoso". Cristante had returned after a month out and played two 90-minute matches in three days. Gasperini said: "Non avrebbe fatto 112 partite con me se non fosse stato un portiere di livello (ride, ndr). In una squadra che ha raggiunto anche la Champions e traguardi importanti. All'epoca era molto più giovane e anche più esuberante, diciamo, aveva magari meno spirito di lavorare e migliorarsi ed è stato un peccato. Già all'inizio era il terzo portiere della Nazionale. Ci siamo ritrovati a Roma e non ho mai avuto dubbi sulle sue qualità e potenzialità, abbiamo rimesso un po' di puntini a posto e da un'anno e mezzo a questa parte si allena benissimo. Sono molto felice per quello che ha fatto stasera e in queste ultime partite. Da vicino è straordinario, a volte prende gol dalla distanza ed è sempre stato un suo limite. Ma è un portiere di grande valore". On the youth products, Gasperini said: "Sono ragazzi straordinari. Nel settore giovanile della Roma ci sono sempre belle espressioni". Lulli had trained on heading the day before and scored with a header on Monday night, which Gasperini described as "non è il suo pezzo migliore, ma è stato straordinario". On Mora, Gasperini said: "Gli ho visto fare gol col Porto, simile a quello di stasera. E' piccolino, ma è molto coordinato e salta molto bene, oltre a colpire molto bene. Dà una frustata alla palla, questo è un gran gol". Asked about Mora's development, he said: "Deve formarsi dal punto di vista tecnico e fisico anche per giocare 90 minuti. Utilizzato così è una mina vagante, lo è stato anche a Napoli". Gasperini acknowledged some defensive lapses, explaining: "Questa era la sesta di continuo ogni 2-3 giorni, qualche giocatore te lo trovi stanco contro un avversario fresco come Maldini". On Dybala, he said the forward was confident after training on Monday, but recovery from injury was taking longer than expected. Gasperini added: "Con lui e Koné puntiamo il Sassuolo ma non so se sarà possibile". On Malen, he said: "Abbiamo fatto 23 gol in 9 giornate è una bella cifra. Lo scorso anno erano solo 10". He also commented on changes to Serie A, saying: "Hanno favorito il gioco del calcio, non si vede più una simulazione e i finali di partita si giocano".

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to reporters before and after his side's Serie A win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, the ninth matchday fixture, and said the team's second-half dip came down to fatigue and injuries rather than anything more serious. Gasperini said: "It's going very well like this. Tonight we had some players who were struggling, who hadn't fully recovered. Some of their players, especially up front, were fresher and put us under pressure. That's the only reason." He added: "Our midfield has been playing the same men every time for 90 minutes, and you could see some fatigue. Winning this game is an even greater credit, partly through the substitutions and partly through the will of everyone." The win came without a number of key players. Gasperini confirmed that Balerdi and Hermoso were unavailable as they were not in condition to play, and said Roma need time to recover. He said: "It's not easy to play so many games without Dybala, Koné, and Pellegrini, who isn't here... Svilar a little less, Gollini was sensational." Cristante returned after a month out and played two 90-minute games in three days, which Gasperini said was a factor. He also described Cagliari as a difficult side. On goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, Gasperini said: "He wouldn't have made 112 games with me if he weren't a goalkeeper of quality." He recalled that Gollini had been the third-choice goalkeeper for Italy at the start, and said: "I never had doubts about his qualities and potential. We put a few things right, and for the past year and a half he has trained superbly. I'm very happy with what he did tonight and in these last games. Up close he is extraordinary, although sometimes he concedes from distance, which has always been a limit of his. But he is a goalkeeper of great value." Gasperini praised the club's youth products after Lulli's assist for Pisilli's goal. He said: "They are wonderful boys. The Roma youth sector always produces fine talents. Lulli was training to head the ball yesterday, and today he scored with his head. It isn't his best piece, but it was extraordinary." On Mora, he said: "I saw him score against Porto, similar to tonight's goal. He is small, but very coordinated and jumps very well. He strikes the ball with real force, and that is a great goal." Asked about Mora's recent role, Gasperini said: "I'm fortunate to see the training sessions, so I decide based on those. Having not played some matches, or having played little at the end, he reacted in the best possible way. He has this speed and quickness. He is still very young and must still develop physically to last longer and to start games, perhaps even for 90 minutes. But at the moment, used this way, he is an important weapon." He noted Mora had already played a few minutes at Napoli, taking part in the move for the equaliser, and added: "Compared to the start of the year he is clearly evolving. The header, despite his height, is a sign of that." Asked whether the team's defensive lapses had cost them, Gasperini agreed in part. He said: "Yes, it has happened in other situations too. This is our sixth match in a row played every three days. You can find players who have produced important performances and then find them tired. Koulierakis played tonight in his first match. Unfortunately Balerdi and Hermoso could not play. I think the Napoli game also left some marks and knocks. We now have to recover them." He concluded: "Winning and scoring goals of this type is a great sign of strength. Rather than the negatives, I would focus on that." Asked about the squad's depth and his own role, Gasperini said: "This is a great reward, but I am very happy for these players. All of them, without exception, feel fulfilled right now. Every match counts, not just the ones against Real Madrid, Como or Inter. These matches are worth three points just like the others. Right now every player in the squad is involved and decisive. Even Gollini, for example. Wesley was not in the starting line-up, he came on only later. That is certainly one of our strengths." On Dybala, Gasperini said he had been optimistic about the forward's availability for selection, having seen him train on Sunday and Monday, but the Argentine was not available tonight. He said: "Unfortunately, when Paulo has to recover from injury, it always takes a little longer." Asked whether Dybala could be available for the trip to Udine, he gave no firm answer in the interview.

Roma came from behind to beat Cagliari on a midweek night at the Stadio Olimpico, with two youth-team products, Emanuele Lulli and Niccolò Pisilli, at the centre of the win. Cagliari took the lead in the 7th minute after Pisilli won a penalty, a handball that went to VAR before referee Feliciani pointed to the spot. Nzola sent the kick past Gollini to make it 0-1. Lulli then equalised, and Pisilli turned from culprit to decisive figure within 11 minutes. Their energy and willingness to take responsibility, from shots to runs to final passes, broke down a stubborn Cagliari side and reignited the crowd during a difficult spell. The match was not a polished performance, and the article describes this Roma side as young in its flaws. Just as it seemed the game was won, Maldini slipped past Mancini and beat Gollini, silencing the Olimpico. Gasperini was seen gesturing from the touchline as the tempo dropped and Mancini struggled. Mora and Malen, both thrown on to add freshness and weight to the final attack, changed the momentum and the scoreboard. Roma won, though more narrowly than expected. The article contrasts this response with the previous match against Real Madrid, where the pride to hit back was missing. Lulli, who recently signed a contract extension until 2031, opened Roma's scoring and was described as having been protected to avoid repeating past mistakes. Pisilli and Lulli together brought a contagious energy to the pitch, with their surges and hunger for loose balls breaking Cagliari's resistance. Their approach to the match, following a difficult game against Napoli, was seen as a sign of personality. The article also notes that the win recalled the phrase 'La Roma di Pisulli', a nod to the two young players who had dreamed of wearing the shirt from the stands or from Trigoria. The article leaves no further fixtures or decisions to report at this stage.

Mancini struggled and Lulli stood out in Roma's match against Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, according to the player ratings from the Italian press. Mina faded at the crucial moment, and Maldini was not enough to change the result.

Roma came away from Cagliari with the three points, but it was a night of frustration for Gian Piero Gasperini, who spent much of the match berating his players. Cagliari, who had been in a dip for a couple of weeks, proved a difficult opponent, and from the first minutes it was clear Roma could afford very few mistakes at the back. Gasperini's side made more slips than allowed against the likes of Mina and Fadera, and the rebukes came thick and fast: at Mancini himself, at Lulli, and at Koulierakis, among others. The result was secured in a match that was pulled through with teeth and claws, and the criticism came with more calm once the points were in the bag. Gasperini had to put much of his side right because Roma looked a little tired after a run of closely spaced fixtures, and when Maldini equalised it was clear the Sardinians had more fuel and more horsepower. Roma found the winner at the moment least suited to their performance, which could prove an important signal. Players never fully switched off, with Gasperini's instructions constant and the push of the Sud behind them. The match also featured Mora rising to win a header that seemed to add around twenty centimetres to his reach. Ghilardi was due to come on about ten minutes earlier than he did. Gasperini's message throughout was relentless, and the Curva Sud's support carried his team through a night that was far from convincing.