Roma’s October pause has become a test of depth before the trip to Como on Sunday 11 October, with 12 players due to represent their countries across a crowded international programme. The number could rise further if Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina are permitted to travel to Buenos Aires for Lionel Messi’s Argentina farewell, even though neither would be available to play.
Key takeaways
- Twelve Roma players are scheduled for international duty from Thursday 24 September onwards.
- Injuries to Donyell Malen, Bryan Cristante and Wesley have prevented a potentially larger contingent from leaving Trigoria.
- Nahuel Molina is serving a seven-match FIFA ban following the mass confrontation after the World Cup final.
- Dybala and Molina could attend Argentina’s 6 October match with Benin at the Monumental as non-playing guests.
- Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ghilardi, Manu Koné and several younger Roma players face important European international fixtures.
Argentina reunion and a long wait for Como
The international interruption is set to stretch across more than two weeks, giving Roma supporters matches involving their players on almost every day of the break. Gasperini’s squad could have supplied 15 internationals had Malen, Cristante and Wesley not been ruled out through injury.
Molina’s absence has a separate cause. The defender was caught up in the major altercation that followed the World Cup final and received a seven-game FIFA suspension. Without that punishment, Roma’s potential international representation would have reached 16 players.
There remains the possibility of a symbolic Argentina gathering. Messi is due to say goodbye to the national side at the Monumental on 6 October, when Argentina meet Benin. Dybala and Molina, both members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning group in Qatar, would like to be present as invited former team-mates rather than players. Any journey, however, depends on Roma granting permission.
Leo Balerdi, Santiago Castro and Matías Soulé are expected to be involved on the pitch for Argentina. Their programme begins with friendlies against Bolivia on 30 September and Burkina Faso on 3 October before the Benin occasion.
Roma’s international schedule
The first Roma players in action will be Konstantinos Koulierakis and Evan Ndicka on Thursday 24 September. Koulierakis’ Greece meet Serbia in the Nations League at 20:45 Italian time, while Ndicka’s Ivory Coast face Ghana in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying at 21:00.
Greece then have a demanding sequence against Germany on 27 September and 4 October, with the Netherlands between those matches on 1 October. Ivory Coast complete their qualifying window against Somalia on 29 September and Cameroon on 3 October.
Italy call-ups Mancini and Ghilardi begin on Friday 25 September against Belgium. The Azzurri then face Turkey on 28 September, France on 2 October and Turkey again on 5 October. Koné will play for France against Turkey on 25 September before coming up against Italy at the Stade de France on 2 October.
Rodrigo Mora is due to join Portugal Under-21s, starting with Bulgaria at 17:30 on 25 September. Portugal then take on Gibraltar and the Czech Republic.
Roma’s younger players also have significant assignments. Goalkeeper De Marzi, with the United States Under-19 side, will face Brazil on 1 October and Denmark on 4 October. Italy Under-21 pair Lulli and Pisilli have two key European qualifying group matches: Armenia away on 1 October, followed by Poland in Pescara on 5 October, with kick-off scheduled for 18:15.
Only after those scattered commitments will Roma’s attention return fully to the league visit to Como, where Gasperini will hope the international miles have not added further complications to an already reduced squad.
