Roma returned to Trigoria with Sunday’s meeting at Como already shaping the week. The visit to the Sinigaglia is more than the usual post-break fixture: it brings together two sides regarded as direct rivals, before Real Madrid arrive for another demanding appointment.
The decision
Gian Piero Gasperini has a clearer picture in attack. Donyell Malen is expected to be available against Como after using the international break to overcome the knee issue that kept him out of the Netherlands’ Nations League squad. He remained in Rome as a precaution and has resumed partial work with the group, with the intention of completing a normal training week.
The Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances and is set to lead Roma’s attack at the Sinigaglia. Castro, still away with Argentina alongside Soulé and Balerdi, will return later and may carry the effects of long-distance travel.
Wesley has also worked partly with the squad. The players who had already completed international commitments — Mancini, Ghilardi, Lulli, Pisilli, N’Dicka, Koulierakis and De Marzi — reported back on Tuesday afternoon, initially following recovery work before rejoining the main group. Koné and Mora are the other expected returnees.
The more difficult issue concerns Bryan Cristante. Roma’s captain is nursing a problem with the medial ligament in his right knee and is likely to miss both the Como match and the subsequent Real Madrid fixture. Marten de Roon is in contention to replace him, while Pisilli is another option to play alongside Koné in midfield.
Speaking during an Adidas event in central Rome, Cristante admitted that an immediate comeback may be unlikely. “There is discomfort in my knee and we will see how quickly I can recover,” he said. “I hope it is soon, although it may be difficult. I want to be back as quickly as possible.”
He also framed the current campaign through the standards Roma established last season, when they finished third. “Consistency matters,” Cristante said. “We had a very good season last year and everyone wants to do it again. We began from a stronger, more established base, and there is greater belief now. The aim is to keep those standards and finish as high as we can.”
Sunday’s picture
Como represent the immediate test in a congested stretch of the season. Cristante described them as a direct competitor, while recognising the different weight of the following meeting with Real Madrid: “They are both major games. Como are a rival of ours, and Real are always Real. These are important matches.”
His absence would remove a captain from the centre of the side at a moment when Roma are looking to preserve last season’s level. Yet the return of Malen offers Gasperini a decisive reference point: a forward in form, fresh from a controlled recovery programme, and ready for a match that will help define Roma’s position among the clubs around them.
Cristante also reflected on José Mourinho’s forthcoming return to the Olimpico. “It is always nice to meet the coach again,” he said. “We experienced wonderful moments together and he brought a winning mentality.” Recalling the triumph in Tirana, he added that winning a trophy leaves lasting memories because the group believed in it from the beginning.
For Cristante, wearing the armband remains a personal marker of that journey. “It is special to wear it,” he said. “It means I have built something important here.”
