Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed that Lorenzo Pellegrini will return to Roma’s squad against Torino while providing the latest updates on Manu Koné, Wesley and Emanuele Lulli.
Speaking at Trigoria before Monday’s Serie A fixture, the Roma coach also discussed Paulo Dybala, Donyell Malen, Rodrigo Mora, Santiago Castro, Marten De Roon and the competition within his squad.
Below are Gasperini’s comments in full.
Gasperini on Malen’s exceptional start
“It is difficult to think about these numbers and the amount of time involved. They are extraordinary, outside the norm. It is something special that this player has achieved with consistency.
“Many matches have now passed, and the numbers are significant because of how they were achieved and the characteristics and qualities he used to reach them.
“I knew Malen could be important, but we have gone beyond that!”
Gasperini on Mora’s talent
“I see what everyone else sees: he has great talent and needs to develop physically and tactically.
“He only arrived recently, but what he has already shown when starting or entering during a match—practically every time—is what you see from a player with great quality and talent.
“I do not believe there is a young player anywhere in the world who can be more involved than he is at this moment.”
Mora and Emanuele Lulli were recently nominated for the 2026 Golden Boy award.
Gasperini rejects defensive hierarchies
“Please stop talking about hierarchies. It is not fair to the players, who are giving everything.
“There are no players who are automatically ahead of the others, and the concept is not good for the team.
“Ghilardi has developed, Koulierakis has arrived and will be an important alternative, while we already knew Balerdi’s qualities. He did great things in Marseille and is a player of real substance.
“If we begin talking about hierarchies, it does not work that way for a team competing in the Champions League.
“These teams have many starters. There are no promotions and no rejections.”
Gasperini on managing the squad
“You must always have a strong group, as we do, and it must never be undermined.
“All the players here give us satisfaction. Whenever they are used, they are selected with complete confidence.
“There is no single standard for managing periods in which you play frequently. You navigate slightly by sight and hope to make the right decision because there are fewer days between one match and another.
“It will be like that after the break, when the games become even closer together than they are now.
“What I believe is that if a player is feeling well, he can play. If somebody is not well, he can recover, and we will wait for him.
“Players experience different cycles. You must try to obtain the best from them at every moment, knowing they are all reliable and that nobody is being rejected.
“One time, one player starts; another time, somebody else does. Otherwise, we enter a cycle of controversy that damages the team.”
Gasperini on De Roon’s Atalanta departure
“We will discuss it today. De Roon is a player who carried the name of Atalanta and Bergamo to the highest level, achieving something extraordinary in Italy and around the world.
“Having him here is fortunate. He and Balerdi are players of great substance.
“Leaving Bergamo was not his decision. He was no longer part of Atalanta’s plans, which they were entitled to decide.
“What was he supposed to do—become an old shoe left inside a cupboard?
“I am happy to have him here, and he will be extremely important.
“Nothing takes away from what he achieved. He deserves a banner covering an entire stand at that club.”
Balerdi also recently published an emotional farewell to Marseille after beginning his new experience in Italy.
Gasperini on Pisilli’s development
“I do not know, we will see.
“He is developing and will be important in midfield, where all four players are important.”
Pisilli is a leading candidate to start against Torino if Koné is unavailable or rested.
Gasperini on whether Dybala needs to rest
“If he is feeling well, he always plays. There are no doubts.
“A player rests when he is tired. If he is feeling well, do you want to put him to sleep?” Gasperini joked.
“You cannot predict whether a player will become injured because there is no crystal ball.
“If the matches are close together or he needs it, then it is right to give him a week, two weeks or even a month.
“We will address this issue one situation at a time. We must try to take advantage of every player’s positive moment because every match is difficult.
“It is not as though Torino are less difficult than the others.
“We will face a determined team that will want to give everything. If you are not feeling well and are not at your maximum, you cannot have the arrogance to believe you can win by giving a lower percentage of what you are capable of producing.
“We will need a great performance in Turin, just like the others, although in a different way. We need a team performing at its maximum.
“We must always forget the match we have just played—Atalanta, Fenerbahçe or whoever it may be.
“Now there is Torino, and tomorrow we must be ready.”
Gasperini on Castro, Malen and Roma’s attacking options
“So Castro becomes a starter and Malen becomes a substitute?” Gasperini joked. “We always return to these ideas.
“Castro is important, I am happy he is here and he is doing well. But I continue to reject this mentality surrounding who is considered a starter.
“There is Castro, and then there are Malen, Dybala, Mora and Soulé. They are all doing well.
“Castro has entered during almost every match, just like Mora.
“In fact, tomorrow we will have Pellegrini back. He will be called up.
“Perhaps, for the first time, we will have everyone available. Lulli had flu symptoms, developed a fever yesterday and could be feeling better today.
“These 20 players, in addition to the goalkeepers, could all be available for an important match that is worth as much as the others.”
Pellegrini’s return after 157 days has also been added to our complete Torino versus Roma match preview.
Gasperini on Koné’s availability
“Koné will attempt to be available today. He could be there.”
The midfielder had worked separately after leaving Roma’s Champions League match in Istanbul with discomfort in his knee.
Roma have been evaluating Koné on a day-to-day basis, with no further medical examinations currently planned.
Gasperini on Roma’s difficult second-half restarts
“First, let us try to avoid it!
“I do not know. We conceded those two goals during matches in which we played well.
“We will be more careful, but the most important thing is simply not to concede them.”
Roma allowed Atalanta to take the lead shortly after halftime before recovering to win, while Fenerbahçe equalized early in the second half of Thursday’s 1-1 draw.
Gasperini on Balerdi and the defensive competition
“He is feeling well—very well—and I am extremely happy with him.
“Do you not want to see Hermoso or Ndicka? There is always somebody who must remain out.
“I assure you that Roma will also play with 16 players tomorrow, and unfortunately another four will not play.
“Perhaps they will play in the following match.”
Gasperini on Wesley’s knee and Molina’s progress
“We must expect the maximum.
“Wesley took a bad knock to his knee in Turkey, and that affected him toward the end.
“But these are physically strong athletes who can recover in two days, never mind four!
“I see Molina improving. He, De Roon and the other late arrivals are developing.
“The others have been here since July 13, so there is a difference of a month and a half.
“But his quality cannot be questioned.”
Gasperini on Roma’s mentality and demanding schedule
“The group satisfies me because of how it trains and how it approaches matches, all of which are complicated.
“It always arrives with the right mentality, with the desire to play the match on both a technical and physical level and with the desire to obtain the result.
“It has managed to bring the supporters to its side, and they appreciate that.
“Then there are the matches, which are balanced and extremely difficult for everyone.
“We are now entering a different phase, with every team having more time to develop.
“I believe it will be a difficult and balanced league for everyone.
“Every match will be difficult, with the additional complication that teams competing in Europe must quickly reset after both victories and defeats before immediately immersing themselves in a new challenge.
“It is an infernal limbo, but this is modern football.
“The players must possess the ability to look forward.”
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