One hundred and eighty-four days after his last appearance, Lorenzo Pellegrini is approaching a return that carries more than the weight of a single fixture. Roma travel to Como on Sunday with their place at the top of the table to protect, and the former captain may finally be ready to take part in a season that had threatened to leave him behind.
The coach and the club
Pellegrini’s last match came on 10 April against Pisa, although his afternoon ended at half-time. A rectus femoris injury kept him out for the remainder of the campaign, then resurfaced during the summer, limiting both his training work and his availability for the opening league rounds.
The physical problem has now been resolved, with Professor Lasse Lempainen involved in his recovery. Yet the injury was only one part of an unsettled summer for Roma’s number seven.
- Pellegrini’s previous contract ran out on 30 June, leaving him without a deal.
- After around six weeks without public progress, discussions began over a new agreement.
- Roma requested a major wage reduction, taking his salary to roughly half of the €6 million he had earned, and offered a one-year contract without an extension clause.
- Pellegrini accepted those terms despite more lucrative and longer proposals from Beşiktaş and Juventus.
Gian Piero Gasperini was central to that decision. The Roma coach had pressed for Pellegrini’s renewal and sees him as an important dressing-room figure, convinced that the attacking midfielder can rediscover his best level.
The club’s captaincy has meanwhile gone to Bryan Cristante, who has made more appearances for Roma than Pellegrini. It was a symbolic change, but not one that broke the bond between the player and the team he has represented for 10 seasons in the senior side, after another decade in the youth system.
His story in Rome has included highs, criticism and repeated recoveries. As captain, Pellegrini lifted the Conference League, played in the Europa League final and featured in the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool. His goals in the derby have also made him a recurring problem for Lazio.
A place to reclaim at Como
During the recent 20-day break, Gasperini has worked on rebuilding Pellegrini’s athletic condition, aiming to bring him close to Paulo Dybala’s physical level. The coach has received encouraging indications from training.
Two substitute appearances against Torino and Inter served as a gradual reintroduction. At Como, Pellegrini could be selected from the start, particularly with Mora and Matías Soulé due back in training only shortly before a match of major importance.
He could also offer Roma another option in midfield, where Cristante’s absence will be felt against opponents known for pressure and intensity. For Pellegrini, the trip is an opportunity to move beyond the long interruption and help Roma preserve first place.
There is also a longer horizon. By choosing Roma again on reduced terms, he has given himself the chance to change the Friedkin family’s view of his future at the club. A convincing return could also put him back into Roberto Mancini’s thoughts for the Italy national team.
