Roma captain Pellegrini sidelined six to eight weeks with thigh lesion
Roma captain faces two-month absence after Champions League blow
Roma will be without captain Lorenzo Pellegrini for at least six to eight weeks after medical tests confirmed a serious thigh injury sustained in Tuesday's Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava.
The midfielder pulled up with a muscular issue during the 4-0 win, a match in which Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina, Niccolò Pisilli and Donyell Malen all found the net. Initially, there had been hope that Pellegrini had stopped in time to avoid significant damage, but today's test results were far worse than predicted.
Tests reveal high grade lesion
According to Sky Sport Italia, Pellegrini has sustained a high grade lesion at the site of the distal musculotendinous junction of the semitendinosus muscle in the right thigh. This type of injury will require at least six to eight weeks on the sidelines, meaning Roma cannot expect the veteran back until after the next international break in November.
Gasperini's injury pile-up grows
The setback is a further blow to coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who is already managing an extensive casualty list that includes Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar. There was at least some positive news, with Bryan Cristante returning to the squad after more than a month out.
The concerns were foreshadowed by Gasperini himself after the Slovan match on 2026-10-21, when he told reporters: "My only worry is that now we've got Bryan Cristante back on the bench, we risk losing Pellegrini for a while." He added: "I saw very important responses from the squad, because the fixture list is packed and I need everyone to be up to the task."
The injury also comes at a frustrating time for Pellegrini personally. In a pre-match press conference on 2026-10-19, the captain said his sole focus was on returning to peak physical condition and expressed happiness at remaining at Roma despite receiving offers from other clubs over the summer. "My only focus is getting back to my best," he said at the time.
Roma now face a demanding run of Champions League fixtures, with trips to Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain on the horizon, all while their skipper is absent.