Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi are all moving toward places on the bench for Roma’s Serie A match against Como following their international commitments with Argentina.
According to Sky Sport journalist Angelo Mangiante, the timing of their return from South America is expected to influence Gian Piero Gasperini’s lineup decisions for the October 11 fixture.
The three players will have only a limited period to recover from their travel and train with Roma before the lunchtime kickoff at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Argentina Schedule Complicates Roma Preparations
Castro, Soulé and Balerdi were all called up for Argentina’s three matches during the international window.
The Albiceleste faced Bolivia on September 30 and will also play Burkina Faso and Benin before the players begin their return journey to Italy.
Their final match is scheduled for October 6, meaning the Roma trio are not expected back at Trigoria until October 8 or the morning of October 9.
With Como vs Roma beginning at 12:30 CET on October 11, Gasperini could have only one or two complete training sessions with the three Argentines before selecting his lineup.
The coaching staff are therefore leaning toward introducing them during the match rather than asking them to start after a long international period and an intercontinental flight.
Gasperini Could Turn to Players Who Remained at Trigoria
Soulé’s likely place on the bench could create an opportunity for Paulo Dybala, Rodrigo Mora or Lorenzo Pellegrini in one of the two attacking positions behind Donyell Malen.
Dybala remained in Rome during the international break and has trained regularly at Trigoria, while Pellegrini has used the extended period to improve his condition after returning from injury.
Balerdi’s expected absence from the starting lineup would leave Gasperini to choose from Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, Mario Hermoso, Daniele Ghilardi and Konstantinos Koulierakis in defence.
Castro, meanwhile, could be used as an attacking option during the second half, particularly with Malen expected to retain his role at the centre of Roma’s attack.
No final decisions have been made, and the condition of all three players will be assessed once they return to Italy.
Real Madrid Match Could Influence Rotation
Gasperini must also consider Roma’s Champions League match against Real Madrid on October 14, only three days after the trip to Como.
Starting the Argentine trio on the bench at the Sinigaglia could allow them to recover more effectively before the European fixture at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma will begin a demanding sequence of matches immediately after the international break, making workload management particularly important during the opening stages of the schedule.
Source: Angelo Mangiante
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