Donyell Malen will be absent when Roma meet Genoa, but only for one Serie A fixture. The forward’s suspension does not extend beyond that match, leaving him available for the European meeting with Slovan and for the league appointment against Napoli.
The coach and the club
Malen’s early months in Rome have carried the feeling of a player quickly finding a place in the club’s season. His impact has been described as one of the strongest seen in the championship in recent years, with his connection to the city, his work under Gian Piero Gasperini and his understanding with Paulo Dybala among the themes discussed in a recent interview.
The Dutch attacker also spoke positively of Roma’s younger and developing figures, offering praise for Niccolò Pisilli and Manu Koné. The conversation moved between Italian and English, with Malen signalling his intention to return for another interview in six months’ time, conducted fully in Italian.
There was room, too, for the inevitable comparison with Inter captain Lautaro Martínez. Asked to choose between himself and the Argentine striker, Malen gave his response during the interview, without the exchange altering the more relevant point for Roma: his forced pause against Genoa is brief.
For Gasperini and the club, the immediate task is to navigate one league afternoon without a forward who has already become an important presence. Slovan in Europe and Napoli in Serie A will offer Malen the chance to resume the thread soon afterwards.
