Frederic Massara says that Roma are achieving ‘surprisingly good early results’ under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, but insists that the club’s goal is to grow ‘over time and build for the future’. 

The Giallorossi director of Football gave his thoughts on the current state of affairs at the Stadio Olimpico ahead of Roma’s Serie A clash against Parma on Wednesday evening, which kicks off at 17.30 BST. 

You can follow the action from tonight’s Serie A matches as they unfold on the Football Italia Liveblog. 

Massara: Roma having ‘surprisingly good early results’ under Gasperini 

Roma have an opportunity to draw level on points with Napoli at the top of the Serie A standings with a victory at home against Parma on Wednesday evening. 

That is despite the fact that the Giallorossi are lacking goals from their centre-forwards, with Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson scoring just once between them since the start of the season. 

Massara insists that Ferguson, who has not scored at club level in over a year, needs time to settle in following his move on loan with an option to buy from Brighton over the summer. 

“Let us not forget Ferguson is young, he has arrived at a difficult league in Italy and needs time to adapt. He also had a few fitness issues, but we are confident he can give a big contribution to the team,” Massara told DAZN Italia before kick-off.

Massara was also asked how it has been working alongside Gasperini as head coach and Claudio Ranieri as a director. 

“Gasperini and Ranieri are two legendary figures, so there is great reciprocal respect and collaboration on how to go forward for the good of Roma.”

And what does Massara expect to see from Roma during the January transfer window? 

“A big signing in January is always tough, because players who are already making the difference in their teams are hard to move. We have FFP restrictions, and it is not easy. On the other hand, we have many games to go until then, so we will be able to evaluate when and if we need to intervene and in which areas of the team.”

Friedkin family tend not to speak publicly, they delegate to other figures

“The owners are very close to us and we speak to them almost daily, so they care very much for Roma. This summer we decided on a different approach, to focus on a coach who could help create value in the squad for players with promising talent. 

“We knew it could be more laborious and will take time, also because the ideas of the coach take time to be absorbed by the players. He is having surprisingly good early results, but the intention is to grow over time and build for the future.”

Roma once again turn to Paolo Dybala as they look to draw level with Napoli at the top of the Serie A standings with a Serie A match at home against Carlos Cuesta’s Parma on Wednesday evening.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.30 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s six Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Giallorossi sat level with Napoli at the top of the Serie A standings at the end of the weekend following their 1-0 win over Sassuolo on Sunday. The Partenopei have since beaten Lecce 1-0 on Tuesday evening, which has temporarily sent them three points clear of Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.

Gasperini was expected to turn to Dybala to lead the Roma attack as a false nine following his first goal of the season against Sassuolo last time out.

However, Matias Soulé returns to the starting XI and notably so does Evan Ferguson, scrapping the False nine approach.

Angelino is Roma’s only injury absentee, which means that Wesley starts at left wing-back with Zeki Celik starting on the right, as Mario Hermoso returns to the back three.

The Ducali are without a win or a goal in three games, missing Mandela Keita, Pontus Almqvist, Emanuele Valeri, Gaetano Oristanio, Matija Frigan and Jacob Ondrejka, but Abdoulaye Ndiaye returns from suspension.

Roma vs. Parma line-ups

Roma: Svilar; Hermoso, Mancini, N’Dicka; Celik, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Dybala; Ferguson

Parma: Suzuki; Delprato, Circati, Valenti, Britschgi; Estevez, Bernabé, Ordonez, Sorensen; Cutrone, Pellegrino

29-10-2025 17:30

MatchDay 9

Stadio Olimpico

Roma

Parma

Live

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

38'

Mateo Pellegrino

2nd half

Mario Hermoso (Assist: Paulo Dybala)

63'

Roma

Parma

Starting lineups

99

Mile Svilar

Goalkeeper

5

Evan Ndicka

Defender

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

22

Mario Hermoso

Defender

43

Wesley

Defender

19

Zeki Celik

Defender

4

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

17

Manu Koné

Midfielder

11

Evan Ferguson

Attacker

7'

18

Matìas Soulé

Attacker

73'

21

Paulo Dybala

Attacker

31

Zion Suzuki

Goalkeeper

39

Alessandro Circati

Defender

15

Enrico Delprato

Defender

5

Lautaro Valenti

Defender

27

Sascha Britschgi

Defender

10

Adrián Bernabé

Midfielder

24

Christian Ordoñez

Midfielder

8

Nahuel Estévez

Midfielder

22

Oliver Sörensen

Midfielder

9

Mateo Pellegrino

Attacker

32

Patrick Cutrone

Attacker

60'

Substitutes

7

Lorenzo Pellegrini

Midfielder

92

Stephan El Shaarawy

Attacker

35

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

95

Pierluigi Gollini

Goalkeeper

12

Konstantinos Tsimikas

Defender

2

Devyne Rensch

Defender

32

Devis Vásquez

Goalkeeper

61

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

87

Daniele Ghilardi

Defender

24

Jan Ziolkowski

Defender

66

Buba Sangaré

Defender

31

Leon Bailey

Attacker

8

Neil El Aynaoui

Midfielder

46'

9

Artem Dovbyk

Attacker

73'

23

Hernani

Midfielder

30

Milan Djuric

Attacker

66

Filippo Rinaldi

Goalkeeper

40

Edoardo Corvi

Goalkeeper

18

Mathias Løvik

Midfielder

11

Pontus Almqvist

Attacker

19

Tjas Begic

Attacker

3

Abdoulaye Ndiaye

Defender

63

Nicolas Trabucchi

Defender

65

Elia Plicco

Midfielder

25

Benja Cremaschi

Midfielder

37

Mariano Troilo

Defender

75

Alessandro Cardinali

Attacker

7

Adrian Benedyczak

Attacker

60'

Milan’s summer signing Ardon Jashari is expected to return to first-team training with the rest of the Rossoneri squad on Thursday after missing over two months of action at the start of the 2025-26 season. 

Jashari was one of the most expensive signings in Serie A over the course of the summer transfer window, joining Milan from Club Brugge at a total cost of €37m following a lengthy transfer saga. 

The Switzerland international was given 24 minutes off the bench during Milan’s 2-0 win over Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia in August, and then another 16 minutes during Milan’s 2-1 Serie A defeat against Cremonese on August 23, but has been unable to feature since then. 

Milan expect Jashari to return on Thursday

It was reported that Jashari suffered an unfortunate injury in training after an accidental collision with teammate Santiago Gimenez. 

The club later confirmed that Jashari had suffered a fractured fibula, which was expected to keep him out of action for around two months. 

It has now been two months and one day since the injury that Jashari suffered in training, and now, according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the €37m signing will finally resume first-team training with the rest of the Rossoneri squad on Thursday.

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler has had an opportunity to share his thoughts on Roma loanee Evan Ferguson, who has come under criticism for his lack of goals, despite the Giallorossi being among the early challengers for the Serie A title. 

Ferguson joined Roma on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy for a cost of €40m during the summer transfer window. 

The Irishman started in three of Roma’s first four league matches of the season, all of which resulted in 1-0 victories, but has since struggled to break into Gian Piero Gasperini’s starting line-up, and has now gone a full calendar year without scoring a competitive goal at club level. 

What Hurzeler said about Ferguson’s goal drought at Roma

Brighton head coach Hurzeler was asked what he made of Ferguson’s form during his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s cup clash against Arsenal on Tuesday. 

He believes it is ‘natural’ that a young player goes through ‘waves’ in their development, and insists that patience is the only thing that will help Ferguson get through his goal drought. 

“It’s not easy, especially for Evan, to go to another culture, it’s a completely different style of football,” Hurzeler told the press. 

“I think we need to be patient with him, he’s still very young, he needs to adapt. I think he had a really good start. 

“It’s natural, when you look at our squad, it’s the same with our young players, there are waves in the way they develop. We can’t expect that it always goes (upwards). 

“Overall, the main thing is that he doesn’t regret what he’s doing, that he’s overcoming these phases because overcoming these phases means you get stronger in your personality, you become more mature, you make the next step and I’m sure long-term, this will help in his development.”

Inter President Beppe Marotta has expressed his sympathies to the family of the 81-year-old man killed in a road traffic accident involving Nerazzurri goalkeeper Joesp Martinez on Tuesday, and says that he hopes the club can ‘be of assistance in this tragic situation’. 

Inter’s second-choice goalkeeper Martinez was the driver of a car that struck an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair a few kilometres away from the club’s training ground. The man, named as Paolo Saibene, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

In response to the fatal incident, Inter cancelled head coach Cristian Chivu’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Martinez, meanwhile, was taken to a local police station, was subjected to drug and alcohol tests and returned home at around 18.00 local time. He is not expected to return to training with Inter until next week at the earliest. 

What Inter’s Marotta said about Josep Martinez car accident

Inter President Marotta, speaking at an event in Milan marking 100 days until the start of the Winter Olympics, was able to express his sympathies publicly for the first time since the tragic incident on Tuesday morning. 

“It’s a serious and delicate situation,” Marotta said. “Of course, we are here for the family of the deceased, as well as for our player, whom we all know very well. 

“This is the sort of situation or accident that is, unfortunately, part of everyday life. I hope that we can be of assistance in this tragic situation.”

Cristian Chivu has been forced to call up two young goalkeepers from the youth teams for Inter’s Serie A match against Fiorentina on Wednesday evening, as Yann Sommer is currently the only senior stopper available for selection. 

Inter are without both of their two reserve goalkeepers on Wednesday evening. 

Raffaele Di Gennaro is recovering from a fractured wrist and is expected to be unavailable for several more weeks. 

Josep Martinez, Inter’s no.2, is out of the squad on compassionate grounds, as he was involved in a road traffic collision that resulted in the death of an 81-year-old man on Tuesday. The Spaniard is not expected to return to Nerazzurri training until next week at the earliest. 

Who will replace Martinez and Di Gennaro for Inter?

With both back-up goalkeepers unavailable, Chivu has had to call up 20-year-old goalkeeper Alessandro Calligaris, who has been included in the last two Serie A squads following the injury to Di Gennaro.

Calligaris is otherwise the first-choice goalkeeper for the U23 squad in Serie C. 

There is also a call-up for 18-year-old Albania youth international Alain Taho, who is usually based with the Inter Primavera side. This will be his first call-up to the senior side. 

Napoli star Kevin De Bruyne is expected to be unavailable until February at the earliest after undergoing surgery on his injured hamstring on Wednesday. 

De Bruyne immediately clutched his hamstring after converting a penalty during Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter in Serie A over the weekend. The club confirmed the following day that the former Manchester City favourite had suffered a severe tear in his thigh, which required surgery to amend. 

Napoli have confirmed on Wednesday that De Bruyne has now had that operation in his native Belgium, and that he is due to begin the first stage of his rehabilitation process in Antwerp. 

Napoli confirm successful De Bruyne surgery

“As was scheduled, Kevin De Bruyne underwent surgery in Antwerp today following a high-grade hamstring injury in his right thigh,” Napoli confirmed in a statement on the club website. 

“The surgery was perfectly successful. De Bruyne, overseen by head of the medical staff, Dr Raffaele Canonico, will continue the first part of the post-surgical phase of his rehabilitation process in Belgium.” 

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the recovery phase after De Bruyne’s surgery could take anywhere between three to five months. 

Either way, the Belgium international could potentially return to action in February, but that is considered the best case scenario. 

It is not an ideal situation for head coach Antonio Conte, who will also lose in-form central midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for up to a month in December and January for the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Josep Martinez is expected to take the week off training with Inter after being involved in a fatal road traffic collision that resulted in the death of an 81-year-old in a wheelchair on Tuesday morning. 

Here is how the club responded in the immediate aftermath of the tragic incident on Tuesday. 

What happened with Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez? 

At around 9.40 am local time on Tuesday morning, Inter’s second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in a road traffic collision that resulted in the death of an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair. 

The wheelchair user, named as Paolo Saibene, was pronounced dead at the scene, despite the prompt arrival of ambulances and an air ambulance. 

Martinez stopped immediately and attempted to administer first aid according to reports immediately after the incident. 

Inter, who are due to take on Fiorentina in Serie A on Wednesday evening, decided to cancel head coach Cristian Chivu’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday as a result of the incident. 

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, representatives from the club will contact Saibene’s family in the coming hours to express their condolences. 

Martinez, meanwhile, was forced to comply with all legal obligations. He was reportedly taken to a local police station, was subjected to drug and alcohol tests, and was accompanied by the club’s lawyer. 

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, he returned home at around 18.00 local time, where a psychologist appointed by the club was already waiting for him. 

Martinez’s teammates have already reached out to express their support, but it is expected that the Spaniard will not return to the club until next week. 

Sky Sport Italia suggests that Juventus could meet face-to-face with Luciano Spalletti to discuss a potential appointment as Bianconeri head coach on Tuesday, and that the Old Lady are planning to offer a short-term contract with an option to renew. 

Juventus are on the lookout for a new head coach to replace Tudor, who was relieved of his duties on Monday. 

The Croatian had gone eight matches without a win in any competition and his team had not scored in any of their last four matches. He becomes the first Serie A head coach to lose their job in 2025-26, lasting for just eight league matches. 

Sky: Spalletti inclined to accept Juventus terms

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio and Sky Sport Italia, Juventus could hold face-to-face talks with Spalletti as early as Tuesday. As Football Italia reported on Monday, the former Napoli and Italy head coach is the current frontrunner to replace Tudor. 

According to the latest updates, Juventus are prepared to offer Spalletti a contract until the end of the 2025-26 season with an obligation to renew if the Old Lady qualify for next season’s Champions League. 

As per Gianluca Di Marzio, it remains to be seen whether that automatic contract extension will be for another 12 months, or for another two years. Monday evening’s report indicates that Spalletti is already inclined to accept either way. 

Sky also adds that Spalletti has recently rejected potential opportunities abroad, including Fenerbahce and to some lucrative proposals from Qatar, in order to focus on a return to Serie A. 

Kenan Yildiz has sent his best wishes to Igor Tudor, who was sacked from his position as head coach of Juventus on Monday: ‘All the best for the future’. 

Juventus officially announced the departure of Tudor as head coach on Monday following a run of eight matches without a win across Serie A and the Champions League. The Bianconeri had not won since the 4-3 victory over Inter on September 13, and had not scored in any of Tudor’s last four matches in charge. 

The Croatian is the first head coach to lose his job in Serie A in 2025-26, receiving his marching orders just eight league games into the campaign. 

Juventus players thank Tudor after Juventus sacking

Gleison Bremer was the first of the Juve players to publicly express their gratitude to Tudor following the news of his departure on Monday. “Thank you for everything, gaffer, best of luck for the future,” he wrote in his story on Instagram. 

Yildiz, the most recent of the Juventus players to thank Tudor, wrote the same message as Bremer, but in English: “Thank you for everything, Mister. All the best for the future.” 

Mattia Perin has also sent a message to Tudor on his Instagram story, simply writing: “Thank you, mister.”

Juventus and Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon has expressed his support for his former colleague Luciano Spalletti, who is the current frontrunner to replace Igor Tudor as head coach of the Bianconeri. 

Juventus announced on Monday that Tudor has been relieved from his duties as head coach following a run of eight matches without a win and four games without scoring. The Old Lady have not won in any competition since the 4-3 Derby d’Italia victory over Inter on September 13. 

Several names have already been linked with a move to take over at the Allianz Stadium, including Roberto Mancini and Raffaele Palladino, but Spalletti is the current frontrunner, and is already in direct contact with the club. 

Buffon on Spalletti and Juventus: ‘The best around in terms of experience’

Buffon, speaking at the closing ceremony of the Corriere dello Sport centenary event in Naples on Monday evening, expressed his support for Spalletti becoming the next head coach of his beloved Juventus. 

“For me, Luciano is the right profile for any big club who wants to remain ambitious. You won’t lose many with Luciano,” Buffon said. 

Buffon and Spalletti have worked together previously as part of the Italy national team set-up. Spalletti was CT from the end of the summer in 2023 until the start of the summer in 2025, while Buffon served as delegation chief, a role that he still holds today. 

“It would be a great professional choice,” Buffon said of Juventus’s links with Spalletti. “He’s a football man, he’s a great person and a great coach. 

“Spalletti is the best around in terms of experience, charisma and authority. He’s the right person for ambitious clubs who want to remain ambitious. It’s a shame seeing him not in the dugout.” 

Jose Mourinho had an opportunity to discuss his time with Inter, and his rivalries with Milan and Juventus alongside Adriano Galliani and Gianluigi Buffon during a special event on Monday evening: ‘I have so much respect for him’. 

Mourinho, Galliani and Buffon were all among the star guests at an event organised by Corriere dello Sport, celebrating the paper’s 100th anniversary on Monday evening. 

Mourinho, who was appointed head coach of Benfica in September, was unable to attend in-person, but joined the special guests on a video call midway through the event on Monday. 

Mourinho, Galliani and Buffon discuss Inter, Milan and Juventus rivalries

Mourinho had a brief opportunity to discuss Inter’s rivalries with Milan and Juventus with Galliani and Buffon, insisting that he always had ‘respect’ for the former, and considers the latter ‘one of the greatest, if not the greatest’. 

Galliani, speaking about his experiences going up against Mourinho during his Milan days, said: “I’ve never felt like an opponent of Jose Mourinho. I respect him and I hope that this feeling will be reciprocated.” 

Mourinho, meanwhile, replied: “I always remember that during my time with Inter, I both won and lost against Milan. But, Galliani and (Silvio) Berlusconi would always come into the dressing room to congratulate us, and for this, I have so much respect for Adriano.” 

Buffon interjected, and insisted that the rivalry between Inter and Juventus was not always as pleasant. 

“There was no ‘good’ blood between Juve and Inter,” Buffon said. “At the time, we wanted to kill them, but then you’d meet Jose, who’d make a joke or say something to you that meant that you couldn’t hate him.” 

Mourinho was then able to exchange pleasantries with Buffon, adding: “I’ve always seen Juve as Juve, even if they were coming back up from Serie B at the time. And Gigi was always among the best, if not the best.” 

Gian Piero is bringing a clear identity to Roma, despite an up-and-down start to the season that has brought four home defeats across Serie A and the Europa League. The victory against Sassuolo over the weekend, however, rounded off by a Paulo Dybala winner, is a platform to build on from a technical and mental standpoint. 

Gasperini doesn’t need the transfer window, Roma are increasingly strong

Despite the fact that he is lacking the strikers and wingers needed to play his way, Gasperini has led Roma to the top of the Serie A standings along with Napoli, with six wins from their first eight league matches of the season. 

This achievement comes from Gasperini’s ability to adapt, his ability to make do with what he has, and his ability to stay competitive, even in times of trouble. 

The Roma side that we see today doesn’t quite line up with the coach’s philosophy: That would be impossible given the squad’s shortcomings, but they’re picking up valuable points and are becoming increasingly solid. 

It’s a solid team, one that is working hard on a daily basis rather than talking too much or making too many complaints. 

And, if this journey results in a return to the Champions League, it will be an impressive achievement, a sign that the project is finding form and continuity. For now, the transfer window can wait. 

Only two Serie A players have been included on the 26-player shortlist for the 2025 edition of the FIFPRO World XI, as voted for by players across the globe. 

The FIFPRO World XI has been running for 20 years, and acknowledges the 11 most successful players each calendar year. The nominees are voted for by players across the world. 

A 26-player shortlist has been revealed, and that will be whittled down to a final 11, which will be announced on November 3. 

The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three attackers with the most votes will be included, and the remaining spot is assigned to the outfield player with the next highest number of votes. 

Which Serie A and Italy players are nominated for 2025 FIFPRO XI

Two Serie A representatives have been included on the 26-player shortlist for 2025, namely Luka Modric of Milan and Kevin De Bruyne of Napoli. 

Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma has been included among the goalkeepers, and is a strong candidate to be included in the final XI given his victory in the Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain earlier this year. 

2021 was the last time that either an Italian or a Serie A player was included in the final XI. That came a few months after the EURO 2020 final, which had been delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Donnarumma was included on that occasion, as was Juventus’s Leonardo Bonucci, Chelsea’s Jorginho, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who was still with Juve for the first half of that year. 

Gianluigi Buffon (2017) is the only other Italian to have been included in the FIFPRO World XI over the last 10 years. He and Matthijs De Ligt (also 2017), Dani Alves (2017, 2016) and Paul Pogba (2015) are the only other Serie A players to have been included in the last 10 years. 

2025 FIFPRO World XI Shortlist

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Manchester City), Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid).

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool/Real Madrid), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Marquinhos (PSG), Nuno Mendes (PSG), William Saliba (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Napoli), Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Milan), Joao Neves (PSG), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Pedri (Barcelona), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Vitinha (PSG).

Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Raphinha (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona).

The 26-player shortlist for the 2025 FIFPRO Men's World 11 – as voted by players worldwide.

The team will be revealed on 03.11.2025. pic.twitter.com/bnu1umSCKw

— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) October 27, 2025

The latest updates suggest that Luciano Spalletti is the current frontrunner to become the new head coach of Juventus following the sacking of Igor Tudor, but how would the former Italy CT line up with the Bianconeri, and which tactics would he look to deploy? 

Juventus confirmed the sacking of head coach Tudor on Monday following a run of eight games without a win across Serie A and the Champions League. The Old Lady had also gone four games without scoring. Their last victory came in a 4-3 win over Inter in the Derby d’Italia on September 13. 

Several coaches have already been linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium, including Raffaele Palladino and Roberto Mancini, but Spalletti is considered the current frontrunner, and has already been in direct talks with the club. 

How Spalletti could line up with Juventus 

Spalletti has deployed a number of different formations across his recent spells in charge of the Italy national team, Napoli and Inter. 

Most recently, Spalletti played with a 3-5-1-1 during his final matches in charge of the Italy national team, given that he had plenty of midfielders but hardly any options to choose from at centre-forward or on the wings. He had also used a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 in the build-up to and during EURO 2024. 

With Napoli, a 4-3-3 built around centre-forward Victor Osimhen and left winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the norm during Spalletti’s Scudetto-winning season in 2022-23. 

With Inter, a 4-2-3-1 was Spalletti’s usual go-to, and, given the options currently available at Juventus, it would make sense if he deployed that same system in Turin. 

Under Tudor, Juventus had often lined up with a back three, but following the injury to Gleison Bremer, the Bianconeri have been left with just four centre-back options to select from, which does not leave them with much cover, or possibilities to rotate. 

Given that the current Juventus squad is not blessed with an abundance of central midfield options, it would make sense to see Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram keep their places in a double-pivot. 

There would then be several options to deploy in the no.10 role, including posterboy Kenan Yildiz, summer signing Jonathan David and the out-of-favour Teun Koopmeiners, all of whom offer different qualities. 

Possible Juventus XI under Spalletti 

(4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Joao Mario, Kalulu, Bremer, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, David, Yildiz; Vlahvoic. 

A group of Juventus ultras have expressed their support for recently-sacked head coach Igor Tudor, just a few hours after his departure was officially confirmed by the club: ‘One of us’. 

Juventus announced on Monday that they had parted company with head coach Tudor, who had gone eight games without a win in all competitions and four games without a goal, ending with a 1-0 defeat away against Lazio on Sunday evening. 

Football Italia understands that the Bianconeri have already been in direct contact with former Italy national team head coach Luciano Spalletti, who is considered the first-choice candidate to replace Tudor at the Allianz Stadium. 

Juventus banner shows support for Tudor: ‘One of us’ 

Just a few hours after Tudor’s sacking was officially announced, Juventus ultras from the Curva Sud erected a banner outside the Allianz Stadium, expressing their support for the recently-departed Tudor. 

“Tudor one of us, the fish stinks from the head,” the banner outside the Juventus stadium read. 

Striscione comparso fuori dall’#AllianzStadium. #Juventus #Tudor pic.twitter.com/0IRlxJEbQ0

— Ale Cibien (@_cibi99_) October 27, 2025

Tudor was given a run of 24 competitive matches in charge of Juventus, including his stint as interim head coach at the end of the 2024-25 season. He recorded an average of 1.58 points per game over that period. 

He is the third Bianconeri head coach to depart in 18 months, following the dismissals of Thiago Motta and Massimiliano Allegri in March 2025 and May 2024 respectively. 

Juventus are due to take on Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A on Sunday evening, but pre-match reports indicate that Igor Tudor will have to do without starman Kenan Yildiz in his starting line-up. Here’s why. 

Yildiz potentially out of Lazio vs. Juventus? 

Juventus, who have not won in any competition since September 13, are looking to get back to winning ways in a difficult away game against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico. 

Yildiz, who has started in every one of Juventus’s Serie A and Champions League matches so far this term, is expected to drop out of the starting line-up, however. 

According to reports from Ilbianconero, Yildiz is suffering with patellar tendinopathy, sometimes referred to as jumper’s knee in his left leg. This is effectively an inflammation that affects the tendon beneath the kneecap. 

This is a manageable condition, but one that can cause occasional pain and discomfort, hence why Yildiz is expected to drop out of the starting line-up against Lazio, in an attempt to recover and go again at full strength against Udinese on Wednesday. 

Torino left it late to find the winner after coming from behind in a 2-1 victory over struggling Genoa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Morten Thorsby, an own goal from Stefano Sabelli and a late winner from Guillermo Maripan. 

Both Marco Baroni and Patrick Vieira made one change each ahead of kick-off. Torino, who were coming in off an encouraging 1-0 win over league leaders Napoli last time out, brought Cristiano Biraghi in for Niels Nkounkou, while Genoa handed a start to Morten Thorsby instead of Vitinha.

Click here to read more about how the teams lined up. 

A calamitous piece of Torino defending handed Genoa the 1-0 lead early on in the first half. 

Jeff Ekhator played an optimistic ball into the area, Kristjan Asllani made a complete hash of his clearance, which meant that Thorsby was free on the edge of the six yard box to stab home the opener. 

Torino had to wait until midway through the second half to begin their turnaround. 

Again, it was a cross in from the same flank at the same end of the pitch, and another piece of disastrous defending that led to the goal. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen’s cross was aimed at Che Adams, but Stefano Sabelli ended up steering into his own net in an attempt to clear. 

Torino claimed the three points right at the last: In the 90th minute. A routine corner from Valentino Lazaro came in from the right flank, and Maripan was on hand to slam home a first-time volley in the middle of the area for 2-1. 

With two consecutive league victories to their name, Torino are temporarily up to 11th place in the Serie A standings, while Genoa, still without a win in the league this season, remain rooted to the bottom of the table on three points after eight games.

Torino 2-1 Genoa

Thorsby 2 (G) Sabelli og 63 (T), Maripan 90 (T)

26-10-2025 11:30

MatchDay 8

Olympic Grande Torino Stadium

Torino

Genoa

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		5'		Morten Frendrup
		7'		Morten Thorsby
Cesare Casadei		29'

2nd half

		53'		Jeff Ekhator
Nikola Vlasic		59'
Stefano Sabelli		63'
Guillermo Maripán (Assist: Valentino Lazaro)		90'

Match statistic

59

Possession %

41

13

Total shots

11

6

Shots on target

3

3

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

3

9

Corners

1

1

Offsides

14

Fouls

9

Torino

Genoa

Starting lineups

1

Alberto Paleari

Goalkeeper

34

Cristiano Biraghi

Defender

60'

13

Guillermo Maripán

Defender

16

Marcus Pedersen

Defender

23

Saúl Coco

Defender

61

Adrien Tameze

Midfielder

22

Cesare Casadei

Midfielder

32

Kristjan Asllani

Midfielder

60'

10

Nikola Vlasic

Midfielder

60'

19

Ché Adams

Attacker

73'

18

Giovanni Simeone

Attacker

83'

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

78'

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

78'

2

Morten Thorsby

Midfielder

87'

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

87'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

61'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

Substitutes

8

Ivan Ilić

Midfielder

7

Zakaria Aboukhlal

Midfielder

5

Adam Masina

Defender

6

Emirhan Ilkhan

Midfielder

21

Ali Dembélé

Defender

71

Mihai Popa

Goalkeeper

92

Alieu Njie

Attacker

44

Ardian Ismajli

Defender

60'

20

Valentino Lazaro

Defender

60'

26

Cyril Ngonge

Attacker

60'

66

Gvidas Gineitis

Midfielder

73'

91

Duván Zapata

Attacker

83'

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

31

Benjamin Siegrist

Goalkeeper

23

Valentín Carboni

Midfielder

11

Albert Grønbaek

Midfielder

40

Seydou Fini

Attacker

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

30

Hugo Cuenca

Midfielder

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

76

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

61'

Maxwel Cornet

Attacker

78'

Jean Onana

Midfielder

78'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

87'

9

Vitinha

Attacker

87'

Sunday’s reports indicate that referee Maurizio Mariani and assistant Daniele Bindoni will be dropped for the next round of Serie A fixtures after awarding a controversial penalty during Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday evening. 

What happened in Napoli 3-1 Inter?

Napoli went back to the top of the Serie A standings thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in an eventual 3-1 win over the Nerazzurri, who had won seven games in a row prior to Saturday’s match. 

There have been complaints from the Inter camp, however, regarding the decision to award a penalty to Napoli five minutes before the end of the first half. 

Giovanni Di Lorenzo found himself in the penalty area and went down under the challenge of Henrikh Mikhtaryan. Some argue, however, that Di Lorenzo was looking for the contact, and that Mkhitaryan did not make any intentional moves towards the Napoli captain, and that the penalty should not have been given. 

Now, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the AIA have concluded that a penalty should not have been awarded to Napoli last night. 

Sunday’s reports suggest that assistant referee Bindoni was the one who originally signalled for a penalty, that Mariani did not originally give it, but then changed his mind after a VAR review. 

Assistant referee Bindoni is the one who has come under the most criticism for signalling for the penalty, although Mariani has also been criticised from changing his original decision. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that it is likely that both referees, who were also involved in the U20 World Cup final in Chile earlier this week, will be dropped for the next round of Serie A fixtures.

Napoli head coach Antonio Conte and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez exchanged insults during the meeting of their two sides in Serie A on Saturday evening, but this was not the first time the former colleagues have clashed on the pitch. 

Here is a reminder of what happened the last time Conte and Lautaro came to blows. 

Napoli 3-1 Inter: Conte and Lautaro clash again 

Napoli claimed a 3-1 victory at home against the in-form Inter on Saturday evening thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. The Partenopei are now back at the top of the Serie A standings as a result. 

Around the hour mark at the Stadio Maradona, Conte and Lautaro were seen throwing insults and gestures towards each other following an argument between the players on the pitch. 

• Read more: Conte and Lautaro insult each other in tense Napoli vs. Inter clash

This was not the first time that Conte and Lautaro have found themselves arguing with one another in Serie A, though. 

They also spent two seasons together at Inter between 2019 and 2021. 

During the Scudetto-winning 2020-21 season, Conte and Lautaro found themselves arguing after the coach decided to ‘double sub’ the striker during a 3-1 win over Roma in May, 2021. 

Lautaro, who had been accused of showing poor attitude on the pitch at the time, reacted to his substitution by shouting and throwing his shirt when Conte took him off. 

The following day, Conte and Lautaro returned to the training ground, and in an effort to put their difference to one side, organised a friendly boxing match on the training pitch, which ended in hugs and laughter. The same will not happen this time around, though.

Marco Baroni and Patrick Vieira have made just one change each ahead of the meeting of Torino and Genoa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. 

Today’s game begins in the early kick-off slot at 11.30 GMT. 

Torino are looking to capitalise on their momentum following an encouraging 1-0 victory against league leaders Napoli last time out in Serie A. The Granata will be backed by a sell-out crowd in Turin on Sunday. 

Marco Baroni has made just one change to his side following the Napoli victory, bringing in Cristiano Biraghi to replace Niels Nkounkou at left wing-back. Last week’s goalscorer Giovanni Simeone leads the line again, alongside Scotland international Che Adams. 

Genoa, who drew 0-0 with Parma last time out, have replaced Vitinha with Morten Thorsby, but are otherwise unchanged. 

Torino vs. Genoa: Confirmed line-ups

Torino (3-4-1-2): Paleari; Tameze, Maripan, Coco; Pedersen, Casadei, Asllani, Biraghi; Vlasic; Simeone, Adams. 

Genoa (4-2-3-1): Leali; Norton-Cuffy, Ostigaard, Vasquez, Sabelli; Masini, Frendrup; Ellertson, Malinkovskyi, Thorsby; Ekhator.

26-10-2025 11:30

MatchDay 8

Olympic Grande Torino Stadium

Torino

Genoa

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		5'		Morten Frendrup
		7'		Morten Thorsby
Cesare Casadei		29'

2nd half

		53'		Jeff Ekhator
Nikola Vlasic		59'
Stefano Sabelli		63'
Guillermo Maripán (Assist: Valentino Lazaro)		90'

Match statistic

59

Possession %

41

13

Total shots

11

6

Shots on target

3

3

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

3

9

Corners

1

1

Offsides

14

Fouls

9

Torino

Genoa

Starting lineups

1

Alberto Paleari

Goalkeeper

34

Cristiano Biraghi

Defender

60'

13

Guillermo Maripán

Defender

16

Marcus Pedersen

Defender

23

Saúl Coco

Defender

61

Adrien Tameze

Midfielder

22

Cesare Casadei

Midfielder

32

Kristjan Asllani

Midfielder

60'

10

Nikola Vlasic

Midfielder

60'

19

Ché Adams

Attacker

73'

18

Giovanni Simeone

Attacker

83'

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

78'

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

78'

2

Morten Thorsby

Midfielder

87'

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

87'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

61'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

Substitutes

8

Ivan Ilić

Midfielder

7

Zakaria Aboukhlal

Midfielder

5

Adam Masina

Defender

6

Emirhan Ilkhan

Midfielder

21

Ali Dembélé

Defender

71

Mihai Popa

Goalkeeper

92

Alieu Njie

Attacker

44

Ardian Ismajli

Defender

60'

20

Valentino Lazaro

Defender

60'

26

Cyril Ngonge

Attacker

60'

66

Gvidas Gineitis

Midfielder

73'

91

Duván Zapata

Attacker

83'

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

31

Benjamin Siegrist

Goalkeeper

23

Valentín Carboni

Midfielder

11

Albert Grønbaek

Midfielder

40

Seydou Fini

Attacker

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

30

Hugo Cuenca

Midfielder

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

76

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

61'

Maxwel Cornet

Attacker

78'

Jean Onana

Midfielder

78'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

87'

9

Vitinha

Attacker

87'

Juventus have been taking positive steps forwards in their attempts to hand a new contract extension to star attacker Kenan Yildiz, who has been subject of interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs over the last few weeks, including Real Madrid. 

Yildiz, Juve’s posterboy and star of the Turkey national team at the age of 20, has been in talks over a new contract extension, which is expected to come with a significant increase in salary, reflective of his recent performances in Serie A and the Champions League. 

Yildiz is already tied to the club until the summer of 2029, but is expected to pen a one-year extension until 2030 with a salary offer that will make him one of the highest earners within the squad. 

Gazzetta: Juventus taking positive steps in Yildiz talks

Juventus are also hoping that a new contract will also fend off interest from the likes of Real Madrid, who are reportedly prepared to offer staggering fees in order to sign Yildiz from the Bianconeri. 

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus have taken ‘positive steps’ towards a contract extension for Yildiz in recent days. 

The player’s mother and father, along with his agent, have been called into Continassa to discuss Yildiz’s future with general manager Damien Comolli over the last week. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Juventus are prepared to offer Yildiz a salary in the region of €5m to €6m per season, which will make one of the highest earners in the current Juventus squad. Only the recent free agent Jonathan David and fellow centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic earn above the €6m-per-season mark in net salary in the current Juventus set-up. 

Fabio Capello has had his say on Inter after their 3-1 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Napoli in Serie A on Saturday evening, and while he admits that Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty was ‘non-existent’, he feels that the Nerazzurri can only look at themselves. 

Napoli returned to the top of the Serie A standings thanks to their 3-1 win over Cristian Chivu’s side, courtesy of goals from De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty was not enough for Inter to get back into it. 

• Read more: Napoli 3-1 Inter: Player ratings! 

Capello on Napoli 3-1 Inter: ‘Unrecognisable’

Capello agrees with the Inter camp that De Bruyne’s penalty was ‘non-existent’, and that it impacted the rest of the game, but he also feels that Inter were ‘unrecognisable’ in their performance. 

“It’s true that it was a non-existent penalty that shifted the balance of the game, the one from which De Bruyne broke the deadlock. It is also true that this should not and cannot be an excuse for the Nerazzurri,” Capello explained in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column.

“Aside from Bastoni hitting the crossbar and Dumfries the post, Inter were unrecognisable. There was space in behind for Napoli to counter attack every time they lost the ball, and the thing that surprised me the most was the lack of balance between the different departments. That had been the strength that pushed Lautaro and his teammates to seven wins in a row across all competitions.”

Capello feels that Chivu’s decision to give his players an extra day off after their recent Champions League victory over Union Saint-Gilloise was a mistake that backfired. 

“Maybe the victory against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League ended up affecting Inter too much, overconfidence in football can play tricks on you.

“In retrospect, it felt that the decision to give the players a day off between the trip to Brussels and the trip to Naples was an attempt to lighten the load within the group. The Inter coach is usually good at calming his players’ minds, and attempted a difficult move, but evidently, it wasn’t enough.”

And in terms of Inter’s play on the pitch, Capello said: “they often looked messy, and those who came off the bench, this time, took away more than they added. Instead of looking for speed, the changes off the bench tried to carry the ball too much. 

“Missteps are part of any season, and nothing has been fully compromised. Milan happened to slow down the other night against Pisa, too, Inter slipped during a Scudetto clash against the reigning champions. 

“The Nerazzurri have all the tools required to get back on their feet immediately, as long as they understand that they have to give more than what they showed on Saturday. Without that unity and purpose, they will not go far.” 

Paulo Dybala is expected to lead the line again for Roma when they take on Sassuolo in the league on Sunday afternoon, aiming to draw themselves level with Napoli at the top of the Serie A standings. 

The weekend’s fixtures thus far have fallen relatively favourably for the Giallorossi: Inter were beaten by Napoli, while Milan had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Pisa, which means that Roma will draw level with the Partenopei at the top of the standings with a win against Sassuolo. 

Pre-match reports suggest that Gian  Piero Gaperini will continue to leave both Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson on the bench in favour of Dybala at centre-forward. If that is the case, then Matias Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini are expected to provide the support in attack. 

Kostas Tsimikas is set for another start in the absence of Angelino, unavailable through injury. Wesley is expected to start on the opposite flank. 

Kick-off is due at 14.00 GMT.

Sassuolo vs. Roma: Probable line-ups

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric, Walukiewicz, Idzes, Romagna, Doig, Koné, Matic, Thorstvedt, Berardi, Pinamonti, Laurienté.

Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Wesley, Kone, Cristante, Tsimikas; Soule, Pellegrini; Dybala. 

Where to watch Sassuolo vs. Roma 

Tonight’s game will be available to watch live in the UK with DAZN. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+. 

Join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Juventus will look to get back to winning ways when they take on Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

The Bianconeri are without a win in any competition since September 13, but encouraged with their performance midweek despite ultimately falling to a 1-0 defeat away against Real Madrid in the Champions League. 

Lazio, meanwhile, are unbeaten across their last three, having drawn 0-0 with Atalanta last week, which followed a 3-3 draw with Torino and a 3-0 win away against Genoa the week before. 

The Biancocelesti are without Taty Castellanos, Nicolo Rovella and Samuel Gigot through injury. Nuno Tavares, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Matteo Cancellieri could also miss out. Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal are Juventus’s only major injury absentees, aside from veteran goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio and centre-forward Arkadiusz Milik. 

The Biancocelesti are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 with their attack led by Boulaye Dia at centre-forward. Gustav Isaksen and Mattia Zaccagni are expected to provide the support from the wings. 

It remains to be seen who will lead the line for Juventus. Some pre-match reports suggest that Tudor will switch to a 3-5-2 that will see strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Jonathan David start up front alongside each other. 

Kenan Yildiz is expected to drop out of the starting line-up as he overcomes a minor knee issue, while Mattia Perin could come in for Michele Di Gregorio in goal.

Kick-off is due at 19.45 GMT. 

Lazio vs. Juventus: Probable line-ups

Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Guendouzi, Cataldi, Basic; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni. 

Juventus (3-5-2): Perin; Kalulu, Gatti, , Kelly; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Vlahovic, David. 

Where to watch Lazio vs. Juventus

Tonight’s game will be available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and through DAZN. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+. 

Join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Call to the top 

Napoli: 3-1 and first place, Inter furious 

Debatable penalty from De Bruyne (who gets hrt while scoring the goal for 1-0). Marotta: ‘We’re angry, it changed the game’. Conte: ‘Stop acting like the pope’. Arguments and insults with Lautaro. Goals from McTominay and Anguissa, Calhanoglu’s penalty unhelpful

Juve

Tudor: ‘Not afraid’. David with Vlahovic, Yildiz on the bench, but he is about to sign 

Roma 

Dybala attack, they need goals to take the lead

Corriere dello Sport 

Napoli cackle 

Conte silences Inter and Marotta

What a lesson: 3-1

The champions return to first place: Gasp’s Roma could draw level today

De Bruyne, McTominay and Anguissa decide the clash. Calhanoglu’s goal at 2-1 no good. The President: ‘Their victory came from a soft penalty’. Antonio: ‘Those are excuses, I wouldn’t have let one of my directors complain like that’. Sparks also fly with Lautaro at the end

Tudor wall: ‘Sacked? I’m not afraid’

Lazio-Juve at 19.45: Igor hasn’t won in seven games 

The Croatian: ‘Yildiz being like Del Piero? Comparisons are tricky’. Sarri: ‘We might have different ideas to Lotito, but our relationship is normal’

Kean and Castro, Derby call 

Fiorentina-Bologna at the Franchi 

The viola have lost three in three at home in the league. The Argentine could push Italiano to -2 from Napoli

Tuttosport

‘I’m not afraid’ 

Tudor against his Old Lazio. Needs to find goals and wins again. ‘I’m not afraid of the sack. And I want a more attacking Juve’

The coach protects his team: ‘I’m only thinking about the players, not about myself’, and tries to take the pressure off Yildiz: ‘Like Del Piero? Calm down’. Tempted to play the Turk with Conceicao behind Vlahovic and David. Zhegrova case. Perin in goal? 

Conte rises Napoli, Inter and Lautaro on a tilt 

Penalties, woodwork, battles, injuries, scuffles: The 3-1 at the MAradona had it all 

‘Go on Toro! Ride the wave of enthusiasm’ 

Against Genoa at 11.30, in a full stadium

Baroni: ‘The hug with the supporters was great, we can’t take anything for granted now’ Cholito looking for his third consecutive goal. Israel out, there’s Paleari

Gasp to Dybala: ‘Words weren’t right, score goals and assist, you’ 

Paulo critical after the Euro-flop