Roma travel to Como with a reduced squad but several important returns, as Gian Piero Gasperini prepares his side for a direct meeting with Cesc Fabregas’s team after the international break.
The coach and the club
Gasperini had already outlined his selection difficulties in his pre-match press conference, with Mile Svilar, Bryan Cristante and Konstantinos Koulierakis unavailable for the trip to Como.
There is, however, a more encouraging side to the call-up list. Donyell Malen, Wesley and Lorenzo Pellegrini have all completed their recoveries and used the break to reach full fitness ahead of a match that carries weight in the championship picture.
Roma’s travelling group reflects both the absences and the options returning to the coach’s plans. The side will go to Como with three goalkeepers, while Gasperini has named a broad defensive unit and retained several attacking possibilities, including Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé and Malen.
Roma squad for Como
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini |
| Defenders | Rensch, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi |
| Midfielders | Pellegrini, De Roon, Koné, Pisilli, Mora |
| Forwards | Castro, Malen, Soulé, Dybala |
The contest will offer Roma an immediate measure of how well the returning players can re-enter the rhythm of the season. With Svilar, Cristante and Koulierakis missing, the balance of the group will matter as much as the quality restored by Malen, Wesley and Pellegrini.
