Roma will travel to Como on 11 October without Bryan Cristante, a loss that removes one of Gian Piero Gasperini’s most dependable midfield figures at a demanding point in the season.
The midfielder has been ruled out by inflammation in his right knee and is also likely to miss Roma’s following Champions League home match against José Mourinho’s Real Madrid. Gasperini confirmed the situation in Trento, with the Como fixture scheduled for 12.30.
For Roma, the concern is not simply the absence of a regular starter. Cristante has played more than any outfield player in the squad since the start of the campaign, with goalkeeper Mile Svilar the only man to have accumulated more minutes. He has remained central under every recent coach at the club and has again been a constant presence for Gasperini.
A rare break in Cristante’s availability
Cristante had already withdrawn from Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad because of lower-back pain, but the knee problem is a separate issue and now threatens to keep him out of club duty.
His record makes the interruption particularly notable. The Roma captain’s last absence caused by injury came on 17 January 2025, when he missed the 3-1 win over Genoa. A right-ankle ligament injury had sidelined him for more than a month across December and January.
Since returning from that spell, Cristante has been available for virtually every match. He has missed only five games: two through suspension and three when he was rested rather than injured.
That reliability has made him an important part of Roma’s balance. He offers protection around the midfield, supports nearby team-mates, moves the ball forward quickly and remains a threat from set pieces and late runs into the area.
De Roon the likely solution in midfield
Gasperini must now decide how to replace those qualities against Cesc Fabregas’s Como. Marten De Roon appears the most natural candidate, and a start would represent his first from the opening whistle in Roma colours.
The Dutch midfielder has so far been used only in brief appearances against Lecce, Torino and Fenerbahce. He remained unused on the bench for the matches against Atalanta and Inter.
De Roon would offer a similar emphasis on control, operating in front of the defence and distributing possession. The expected arrangement would see him alongside Manu Koné, with the Frenchman retaining an important role in Roma’s central department.
There is, however, another option. Koné has played as a deep-lying playmaker for France, albeit within a three-man midfield rather than a two. If Gasperini adopts that approach, Niccolò Pisilli could come into the side beside him, bringing greater forward running and support for Roma’s attacks.
Whatever the final selection, Cristante’s absence changes the shape of Roma’s Sunday afternoon in Como. Gasperini has alternatives, but replacing a player who has so rarely needed replacing will be a significant test for his midfield.
