AS Roma will be without midfielder Manu Koné for the next month. The Frenchman sustained a first-degree lesion to his left thigh during the 3-4 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid and will miss at least six matches.

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini provided the update in a press conference ahead of the home match against Genoa. "Koné had the scan", the Giallorossi manager stated. "A first-degree lesion, not particularly significant but it requires the necessary time". The issue, which occurred in the 17th minute of Tuesday's match, forced an immediate substitution and a moment of visible frustration from the player.

Koné's Fixture Absence

The necessary time translates to an absence for the entire block of fixtures before the international break. Koné will miss the next five Serie A matchdays, starting with the Genoa game on 17 October, and the two Champions League clashes against Slovan Bratislava and Manchester United. The club hopes to have him back available for the away trip to face Sassuolo, scheduled for 7 November, the final match before the break. His on-field return would then be pushed to the Parma fixture on 21 November.

This prognosis is nevertheless shorter than a previous second-degree injury that kept him out for over two months last January, a fact that offers some consolation. The team, sitting third in the standings with 14 points, must manage this absence during a critical stretch, just two points behind leaders Inter. The defence, which has conceded only 3 goals in 6 league games, will be called upon for an extra effort. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini must now prepare the team for the next fixture against Genoa, after the side was held to a 0-0 draw by Como in the last match.

Covering The Midfield Gap

With Koné out, Gasperini will have to reconfigure his midfield. In the match against Real Madrid, young Edoardo Pisilli came on in his place. The manager will assess the options available in the department, including the use of Marten de Roon, who scored in that game, to cover the role. The next test is immediate, against a Genoa side currently occupying 17th place. Gasperini's team, coming off a goalless draw away to Como, will look to return to winning ways to stays near the top of the table.

This story first appeared at Sky Sport IT