Dybala Boost for Roma: Argentine Star Could Return to the Squad Against Cagliari
Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expects Paulo Dybala to return to the squad for Tuesday's league match against Cagliari.
Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expects Paulo Dybala to return to the squad for Tuesday's league match against Cagliari.
The Argentine star was substituted at half-time with a calf injury during the 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid on 14 October and has missed 3 matches since. Although he has yet to score this season, his 4 assists put him top of the Serie A charts and he played a key role in Roma's strong start to the campaign.
Determined to keep pace with Inter and Lazio in the title race, the capital club hope to be able to call on Dybala again when they host Cagliari.
Giving an update on injuries, Gasperini confirmed that Manu Koné and Mile Svilar will not be available, adding: "The only possible return from injury appears to be Dybala. We'll assess his condition at the last minute to see whether we can at least put him on the bench. Even having him in the squad would be very positive for us. I'm hopeful on that front."
The experienced coach also addressed the possibility of rotation: "We're on the eve of the match, and I'll make my final decision. There will probably be changes, but we'll decide that based on our assessment of the opponent. We have a squad that can handle good rotation."
Roma, who came from behind twice to draw 3-3 with Napoli in their last outing, sit 4 points off the top after 8 rounds.
Unbeaten in their last 16 league matches at home (12 wins, 4 draws), Roma are on their longest home unbeaten run since a 16-match streak under Paulo Fonseca between July 2020 and February 2021.
Gasperini said he wants his side to maintain their momentum against Cagliari, who started the season well but have lost their last 2 matches: "We've found some consistency and we need to build on it. Our aim is to keep improving, and there's no limit to improvement. We're consistently able to do the things we want to do on the pitch, and over time that brings us results. Our team keeps growing, and we have a club behind us that pushes us to be brave and proactive."