ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Rodrigo Mora of AS Roma shoots under pressure from Antonio Rudiger of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD2 match between AS Roma and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio Olimpico on October 14, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)
Roma without Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala give Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora a chance, as Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi returns to the Stadio Olimpico with Stephan El Shaarawy.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).
The Giallorossi are still stunned by the 4-3 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday, a game they had been leading 3-1 until conceding three almost identical late goals from corner kicks.
To make matters worse, Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné both sustained muscular injuries in that game and are therefore ruled out, with Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante already on the treatment table.
Malen is suspended after his red card in the 0-0 draw with Como, so Castro has to lead the attack with support from Mora and Matias Soulé, while Niccolò Pisilli steps into midfield.
Gianluca Mancini isn’t fully fit either and Nahuel Molina rested, with Pierluigi Gollini facing his former club.
This is an emotional evening for two figures at Genoa who spent much of their careers in the Roma jersey, namely coach De Rossi and forward El Shaarawy.
They had been in crisis with one point from the opening five rounds, but got back on track with a crucial 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.
Alex Amorim, Lorenzo Venturino, Djibril Sow, Franz-Ethan Meichtry and Lorenzo Colombo are all out of action.
Tommaso Baldanzi is also up against his parent club, but Junior Messias and Milutin Osmajic lead the attack.
Italy Under-19 international Samuel Wiafe is given his first Serie A start in midfield.
Roma vs. Genoa line-ups
Roma: Gollini; Balerdi, Ndicka, Koulierakis; Lulli, Pisilli, De Roon, Rensch; Soulé, Mora; Castro
Genoa: Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigaard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Wiafe, Frendrup, Puczka; Messias, El Shaarawy; Osmajic
