Roma arrive at Como with one eye on the long stretch ahead and the other on a delicate decision behind the forwards. At the Sinigaglia, Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to rotate his attacking options as the Giallorossi begin a run of nine matches in 27 days across Serie A and the Champions League, with Real Madrid also looming on the calendar.
The coach and the club
The principal selection issue concerns the attacking midfield role in Roma’s front three. Lorenzo Pellegrini is narrowly ahead of Matias Soulé and Rodrigo Mora to start alongside Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen.
A start for Pellegrini would mark his first appearance in almost six months. His most recent outing came against Pisa on 10 April. Gasperini said the international break had been valuable for the former captain, adding: “The break helped him a great deal. He is well now and ready to play.”
Roma are also weighing their options at the heart of defence. Evan Ndicka is expected to get the nod over Leonardo Balerdi, who only returned to full team training two days ago after his Argentina commitments.
Koulierakis will not be available in Como after suffering a bruising injury while away with his national side. He is due to return to the squad from tomorrow.
On the flanks, Gasperini is inclined to retain the pairing of Nahuel Molina and Wesley. In midfield, Marten de Roon is set to come in for Bryan Cristante and join Manu Koné.
It is the beginning of a demanding chapter rather than a single afternoon’s selection puzzle. Roma need freshness across the side, but they also need continuity as domestic obligations and Europe quickly begin to overlap.
