De Rossi returns to the Olimpico as Genoa seek back-to-back wins against Roma

Pierluigi Gollini spoke to reporters after Roma's 9th-round Serie A win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, saying the points were heavy and keep the club in contention. The goalkeeper credited the squad for its depth and commitment. The Roma stopper said the team has played many matches and that it is normal to lose some sharpness at times, but that big teams find a way to win even when they are not playing their best. He said the group is giving a lot of answers and that everyone is always available, calling it a great credit that should be recognised. Asked whether he expected Lulli to be so strong, Gollini said: "We saw him in training camp and we thought he had great athleticism. Many times we have told him that the quality of his choices will determine his career. It will be up to him to learn to make the right choices. He has his head on his shoulders; every now and then I have to remind him to defend because he likes to attack, but he is super humble and he will have a great career." On whether his own performances are a response to doubters, Gollini said: "I have played little in recent years, but in training I see myself, and my teammates see me. Obviously football is a world that moves super fast; if you do nothing, it seems you are finished. Even though I have not played, I have always been in an environment of great level. I am happy to have had this chance now, even though we are sad for Mile. We have to keep going like this."

Roma are preparing for their next Serie A fixture after a 4-2 win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico in the club's ninth league match. Gian Piero Gasperini has decided to give the squad a day of rest before the trip to Udinese, scheduled for Saturday 31 October at 18:00. The Giallorossi will return to training on Thursday 29 October in the afternoon. The break comes amid a busy run of fixtures for the club, with the Cagliari victory followed quickly by the Udinese away match. The Cagliari game ended 4-2 in Roma's favour, and the Udinese trip gives Gasperini's side another chance to build on that result when they travel to face their Serie A opponents this weekend.

Gian Piero Gasperini has granted his Roma players a day off after the 4-2 midweek win over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico. The squad will report back to Trigoria directly on Thursday afternoon, two days before Saturday's trip to Udinese. The Udinese match, counting for matchday 10 of Serie A, is scheduled for Saturday 31 October at 18:00. The break is a chance for the players to switch off and push towards the final stretch before the November international break. Between Saturday 31 October and Saturday 7 November, Roma face Udinese and Sassuolo in Serie A, as well as the important Champions League away trip to Manchester United on Tuesday 3 November. The Cagliari victory gave the players a reward after the midweek fixture, and the schedule now moves quickly from the weekend trip to Friuli into a busy run of matches against Udinese, Sassuolo and Manchester United.

Roma's pundits on Rome's radio stations were largely positive about the club's recent results, but they were divided over Mora and the January market. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio, said: 'Mora is absolutely not ready for this stage, and Roma must sign Lookman. Do a six-month loan.' He also said Castro does not play when Malen is fit and that Mora did not take advantage of his chance, adding that a striker is needed in January. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo was more worried: 'I said Mora had to play to get used to his teammates, but there is a Mora problem. Do you remember Bojan Krkic? I would not want him to suffer the same fate.' Corsi said Mora was an embarrassment in front of goal, had shot at a photographer and had got everything wrong on Sunday, including his passing. The debate followed a run of matches after the heavy defeat to Real Madrid. Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma were fortunate to face Genoa and Slovan Bratislava afterwards, as they could restore their mental focus, and that Roma had taken full advantage. He described Slovan as a side who do not belong in the Champions League, suggesting they were better suited to the Europa League or Conference League. Fabio Petruzzi of Rete Sport argued that Roma make their opponents look weak: 'Genoa were weak, Slovan are weak, they are all weak... even Real Madrid were weak until ten minutes from the end. I would start saying Roma are strong.' Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said he could hardly recall a smaller side worse than Slovan Bratislava, adding that they could not keep the ball for more than three seconds. David Rossi of Rete Sport praised the defence under Gian Piero Gasperini: 'What impresses me is that the defenders have improved most with Gasperini. Ghilardi started two matches, against Lecce and against Slovan, and I remember him more for what he does in attack than in defence. Ghilardi is a starter now. Hermoso, we did not know who to pin it on, and now he is a leader. Balerdi arrived while Marseille fans were celebrating, and here he is dominant. N'Dicka has improved a lot... Roma have a back line that I believe is the strongest in Italy.' Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport noted that Roma had rotated five starters in defence over the last two matches while conceding no goals. He said the comparison between Malen and Castro and Ferguson and Dovbyk was harsh. Pes argued that Gasperini had not overused Pellegrini, who had started two matches, and said Pellegrini was prone to injury, which he had always been. Pellegrini is now 30, Pes said, and the problems are getting worse. Checco Oddo Casano said Roma should consider the futures of Dybala and Pellegrini in June, after seeing how many matches they had played. The radio hosts agreed that a striker is needed, and Pruzzo said he would name the player to be signed in January. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said he was supporting Manchester United against Como that evening, because a defeat for the English side would leave Roma with a final chance. He also said Roma had regrets about Fenerbahce and Real Madrid, where a result was possible, and warned that Roma could arrive at the third-last match ranked behind others in the table.

Malen and Castro have already outscored Dovbyk and Ferguson's entire Serie A campaign of last season, after just seven matchdays. The two current forwards have scored seven goals between them in Serie A this term, against one from Dovbyk and Ferguson across the whole of 2025-26. Roma have 16 points after seven rounds this season, compared with 15 at the same stage last year, so the points tally is almost identical. The difference lies in the attack. Roma have found the forwards they lacked a year ago, with the Dutchman and the Argentine both scoring and each able to make the difference when the other is missing. Last season, Ferguson and Dovbyk struggled to make an impact and to get shots away. Their combined Serie A tally that year was six goals, a figure Malen and Castro have already surpassed in only seven matches. The two strikers have also combined for nine goals in all competitions this season: eight from the Dutchman and one from the Argentine. Dovbyk and Ferguson were never really an option together, as they were too similar and too cumbersome to make a two-man attack work. Gasperini has preferred to play with a single striker, but that is not a written rule, and the head coach could now change his mind. With Dybala's physical condition a factor, Malen and Castro are in contention to start together from the first minute in the Champions League against Slovan. It would be a test of whether the pair can coexist. Their characteristics differ, but the quality is there. Castro has already shown he deserves a place, scoring a spectacular goal on his first start, and he does not want to be merely an alternative. Gasperini has recognised that. The Argentine has shown he can make an impact, and the big question now is whether Gasperini will field the two of them together against Slovan.

Roma have won just twice after international breaks across the 2024–25 and 2026–27 seasons, a recurring problem that has coincided with managerial upheaval and difficult results. The first instance came in September 2024, when Daniele De Rossi's Roma drew 1–1 at Genoa, with Koni De Winter equalising at the 96th minute. De Rossi was sacked two days later and replaced by Ivan Juric. The October break brought a 1–0 defeat to Inter at the Olimpico, a result that preceded Juric's departure and Claudio Ranieri's appointment in November. Ranieri's start was also marked by a setback: a 1–0 loss away to Napoli on 24 November. The team recovered during the subsequent weeks and climbed the table. Spring 2025 saw success when Ranieri's Roma returned from the break to beat Lecce 1–0 away. Gian Piero Gasperini's tenure has continued the pattern. His first defeat came at the September break when Torino won 1–0 at the Olimpico. Inter dealt Roma another 1–0 loss in October, mirroring the previous season's result at home despite a positive performance. The November break proved more fruitful: Roma won 3–1 away to Cremonese, with goals from Matías Soulé, Evan Ferguson and Wesley—the second victory among the returns documented here. This season has also brought an unfortunate draw at Como and a dramatic comeback loss to Real Madrid, underlining Roma's persistent difficulty regaining rhythm after stepping away from league action.

Roma avoided their first league defeat of the season at the Maradona, rescued from a 2-0 deficit by Stephan El Shaarawy's...

Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport insisted Roma paid 25 million euros for Mora, not 50 million, in the latest instalment of the Roman radio roundup. He said: "Roma paid 25 million for Mora, then if this year he scores 100 goals and is worth 200 million, Roma have the option of paying 25 million to remove that clause on a future resale. But they did not buy 50% of the player, they bought 100% of the player. If they sell him, they must give 50% of what they receive, which Roma can remove by paying another 25 million. Since you have been insinuating for days that he is rubbish but you do not have the courage to say it, you say he was paid 50 million, but it is not true! If Roma take Mora to the end of his contract, they will have paid 25 million. It is very clear." Rossi, also on Rete Sport, reopened the debate over Pellegrini, saying that some people had doubted Roma's decision to renew Dybala and Pellegrini this summer, citing a history of injuries. He said Dybala has not reached half of his appearances and that Pellegrini had reached his 100th injury. Pellegrini has now re-injured the musculotendinous junction of the flexor, and will take another three months out. Rossi added that the injury was not fixed and that the club paid five million gross for the player, money he said Roma could have spent better. On Tele Radio Stereo, Alessio Nardo asked whether this is Pellegrini's last season with Roma, adding that the speculation should be hedged because "with Pellegrini you never know". He also questioned whether Gasperini chose to speak at his press conference today to avoid questions about possible errors in the transfer market and about underestimating certain aspects. Nardo described a city that remains bitter even after a third-place finish and seven wins in ten matches, saying Mora had become "the new Zaragoza" and had been "destroyed" over the last 48 hours. Lorenzo Pes disagreed, arguing that Gasperini skipped the press conference simply because of a run of closely spaced matches. Valentina Catoni argued that the real problem was not renewing Pellegrini but failing to sign another forward, saying Gasperini had asked for at least one more player up front. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said Roma are playing the season with only 20 outfield players, two of whom, Dybala and Pellegrini, have had a hard few years. He said the club's wage bill problem is the card Roma will play in front of UEFA, and claimed Pellegrini has played only 150 minutes in total. Torri also said he would have signed El Shaarawy at the end of the window, since he could play as a wide attacker or in midfield. Paola Cosenza voiced concern about Cristante, who is returning from a collateral ligament problem, fearing he may force his recovery. Marco Valerio Corsi said he expected Gasperini to protect Mora in the match at Napoli if he delivered another lacklustre performance, and that he doubted Wesley could play as a forward. Roberto Pruzzo said Soulé is growing and that Roma should build around him, and that he sees Santiago Castro as the alternative, adding that Mora looks too far behind the level required for the stage he is being asked to perform on. He said: "We must hope Malen doesn't even have a cold, otherwise it gets tough." Mario Mattioli argued that Pellegrini had only returned from injury two matches earlier and that the club had already lived through a similar situation. Nando Orsi criticised the constant talk of signings and of how Gasperini's training compares with that of previous years. The discussion is set to continue on the same programme, with pundits calling for Roma to reach January in contention for the top places before the club reassesses its options.

Tommaso Turci, journalist and pitchside reporter for DAZN, spoke exclusively to Retesport and praised Roma's progress under Gian Piero Gasperini, with particular praise for Stephan El Shaarawy's teammate Matías Soulé and new-look midfielder Marten de Roon. Turci said Soulé is "making giant steps forward" and described him as becoming a leader and a player for a top team. Turci said Roma look organised and improving but that they are still at the beginning of the season. He stressed that consistency will make the difference, and that the Roma side will become credible for the top of the table once squad players with limited minutes add value, as happened against Genoa and again in the most recent match. He said that the season before gave this group awareness, and that Roma are showing they can stay near the top of the table, though how long that will last remains to be seen. On Inter, Turci said that once they reach full speed they will pull away from the rest by 10-15 points. On Gasperini's reaction to Lulli's goal, Turci said the coach was moved to see the young scorer celebrating in a clumsy way, often looking at the referee to confirm his first goal was valid. Gasperini, who has now recorded 300 wins, congratulated him and then immediately gave the team instructions, even though the goal strongly pointed the match in Roma's favour. Turci praised Soulé's quality in the build-up to that goal, saying it was not just technique but also personality, and that the forward is now physically well and aligned with Gasperini's ideas. Asked which newcomer had impressed him most, Turci said: "De Roon, even though we all knew he would be functional to Gasperini's way of playing. Seeing how he has fitted into the group and the dressing room has made me understand that he is a top player." On the coaching staff, Turci said they are perfectly aligned with Gasperini, naming Raimondi and Gritti, and that Gasperini consults everyone while each member looks after the details during matches. He added: "All the top coaches have a great staff, and he is no exception."