Gian Piero Gasperini has submitted a matchday squad of 22 players for Roma’s upcoming Champions League clash against Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday night, as the Giallorossi go without Mile Svilar, Manu Kone and Paulo Dybala.
Roma host Yaya Toure’s Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico in the third round of Champions League league phase fixtures at 20.00 BST on Tuesday evening.
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Donyell Malen of AS Roma scores his team’s second goal 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)
The Giallorossi have one point to their name after the first two Champions League fixtures of the season, earned in a 1-1 draw away against Fenerbahce on MD1. Roma had led Real Madrid 3-1 with 10 minutes to go in their second Champions League match last week, but suffered a late collapse and ended up losing 4-3 on Jose Mourinho’s return to the capital.
They have since bounced back with a 2-0 win at home against Genoa, against another former head coach in Daniele De Rossi, and did so without top goalscorer Donyell Malen, who was suspended.
Malen is back in the squad for the visit of Slovan Bratislava and is expected to come straight back in to replace Santiago Castro at centre-forward in Gasperini’s starting line-up.
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Donyell Malen of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team’s second goal 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)
Bryan Cristante, who has been out of action since the beginning of the September-October international break, has also been named in the matchday squad, but Gasperini hinted in his pre-match press conference that Sunday’s game against Napoli is a more likely target for his return to the starting XI.
Roma have three notable injury absentees in the form of Svilar, out with a fractured finger, Kone, out with a hamstring issue, and Paulo Dybala, who has a calf problem.
Pierluigi Gollini is expected to start in goal again, as he did at the weekend. The same goes for central midfielders Marten De Roon and Niccolo Pisilli, and pre-match reports suggest that it will be a front three of Matias Soule, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Malen at centre-forward.
Confirmed Roma squad vs. Slovan Bratislava
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 17: Gian Piero Gasperini, Manager of AS Roma, looks on before the Serie A match between AS Roma and Genoa CFC at Stadio Olimpico on October 17, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini.
Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi.
Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora.
Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soule.