ROME - AS Roma's Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava has come at a heavy cost, with the club now anxiously awaiting news on Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury. The captain was substituted with a right hamstring issue and will undergo medical tests tomorrow to determine the extent of the problem.
The situation is compounded by a full-blown injury crisis affecting the attacking department. Beyond Pellegrini, Paulo Dybala is a doubt after feeling discomfort in his right calf, and Manu Koné suffered a muscle injury during Tuesday's same match. For Saturday's Serie A fixture against Genoa, coach Daniele De Rossi will also be without goalkeeper Mile Svilar and Bryan Cristante, while Donyell Malen is suspended for one match following his red card against Como.
The league context
The Giallorossi face this difficult period from a strong third place in Serie A, having collected 17 points from seven matches with a record of five wins and two draws. Their recent league form, with two wins and two draws from the last four, provides encouragement. Their latest league win, a 2-0 victory over Genoa with goals from Santiago Thomas Castro and Emanuele Lulli, kept the team just two points behind leaders Inter. The team has scored 16 league goals while conceding only three, claiming a +13 goal difference. The next challenge, after Saturday's trip, will be another tough test away to Napoli, who are ninth, on Saturday 24th October.
The 4-0 win against Slovan featured goals from Hermoso, Molina, Pisilli and Malen, the latter currently the team's top scorer with six goals in six appearances. The Dutchman's absence, after he provided an assist and scored a penalty, will weigh heavily on De Rossi's selection. The coach must rethink his midfield and attack for a key match to avoid losing touch with the summit. The last result against Napoli was a 2-2 draw back in February. The team goes into the fixture on a two-game winning run, having also beaten Genoa 2-0 on Sunday 17th October following the 4-0 win over Slovan on Tuesday 20th October.
This story first appeared at ANSA Sport
