"We're missing players like [Lorenzo] Pellegrini, [Paulo] Dybala and [Manu] Koné in similar areas, so we're trying to adapt. We have [Santiago] Castro as an alternative to [Donyell] Malen but in midfield we're short. Hopefully it's just a phase. We've spent the last seven games on a knife edge but we've always had players who were ready and able to recover quickly. Rodrigo Mora is fine. The 17 players we have are all ready. Hopefully we'll get the others back after the international break, but in the meantime this is a tough week."
That was Gian Piero's response when asked about the difficulties Roma currently face in the injury departmen t. Those absences have forced Gasperini to rely heavily on players who weren't expected to be regular starters, such as Martin de Roon. The veteran has played well and will start for the eighth consecutive match alongside Bryan Cristante in Koné's absence.
Meanwhile, there seems to be some debate as to whether it'll be Niccolò Pisilli or Rordrigo Mora starting with Matías Soulé in Dybala's absence. We believe it's Pisilli with the slight edge over the Portuguese starlet.
The other place where there is some debate as to who will start is at right wing back on the opposite flank of Wesley. Gasperini praised the three players who could start during his presser saying, "Besides Lulli, we also have Wesley who's playing very well in that position. [Nahuel] Molina needed to play and [Devyne] Rensch has done really well. It's a very tiring position as they have to cover the length of the pitch and use bursts of pace."
While any of the three could start, it seems like the veteran World Cup winner should have the slight edge in a difficult road fixture. But, don't be surprised if Lulli is given the start with the way he's excelled. Additionally, what has been Gasperini's most used back three will be reformed with Gianluca Mancini rejoining the XI after being rested this weekend.
Roma (3-4-2-1):Gollini, Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso, Molina, Cristante, de Roon, Wesley, Soulé, Pisilli, Malen.
