On the eve of their second match in the Champions League group stage, Roma suffered a setback that could affect their performance against Real Madrid. The starting goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, has been injured in training and is expected to be out of action for at least a month.
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini announced the news at a press conference before his team, which leads Serie A, faces Como on the next matchday. Svilar suffered a stress fracture in the fifth toe of his right foot on Oct. 2 while diving for a shot at the Trigoria facility. According to Gasperini, the injury is not displaced, but recovery will take time and could require surgical reinforcement, which would further prolong his absence.
If the withdrawal is confirmed, Svilar will miss six Serie A games and three in the Champions League, including the match against Real Madrid on Wednesday and the visit to Manchester United on November 3. He is expected to be available again for the match against PSG on November 21 in Paris. Svilar's absence will leave Roma without their main goalkeeper at crucial moments in European competition.
The replacement will be Pierluigi Gollini, a 31-year-old Italian goalkeeper who has started just once for Roma, in January 2025, during a match against Panathinaikos in the Europa League. Gollini, considered one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A, will have to assume responsibility for the Giallorossa goal in the upcoming matches.
In Serie A, Roma shares the lead with Inter and Lazio, with 13 points each, after the previous day. In the Champions League, the team started with a 1-1 draw on their visit to Fenerbahçe. Svilar's injury poses an additional challenge for the squad, which will have to maintain its performance both in the Italian league and in European competition while awaiting the goalkeeper's recovery.