Roma lose Mile Svilar for a month and face Real Madrid without their starting goalkeeper

Roma face a major blow between the posts just before hosting Real Madrid in the second round of the Champions League league phase. Gian Piero Gasperini announced on Monday that Mile Svilar, the team's undisputed starter, will be out of action for at least a month with a stress fracture in his right foot. The Serbian goalkeeper, a key figure for the Serie A leaders, will miss Wednesday's European showdown at the Stadio Olimpico and several other upcoming fixtures.

• Mile Svilar suffered a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his right foot during a training session at Trigoria.
• The goalkeeper will be sidelined for at least a month and will miss the Champions League match against Real Madrid.
• Pierluigi Gollini, with only one official appearance since January 2025, will take over in goal.
• Roma share the Serie A lead with Inter and Lazio, and opened their Champions League campaign with a draw at Fenerbahce.
• Svilar will also miss the trip to Manchester United on 3 November.

What injury did Mile Svilar suffer and how long will he be out

The Roma coach explained at a press conference that Svilar sustained the injury on 2 October while diving to stop a shot at the club's Trigoria training ground. The effort resulted in a stress fracture in the lower part of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. Gasperini noted that the fracture is not displaced, although the estimated recovery time runs to at least four weeks.

It is not a displaced fracture, but recovery will take at least a month. The doctors will decide whether a support such as a screw is needed, although that would extend the recovery period beyond the next international break.

If his progress follows the expected timeline, Svilar could return for the trip to Paris Saint-Germain on 21 November. The option of inserting a surgical screw, currently being assessed by the medical staff, would push his return beyond the November international break. Gasperini accepted the setback calmly and pointed out that unexpected issues like this are part of long seasons.

Which matches Mile Svilar will miss for Roma

The estimated month out rules the Serbian goalkeeper out of a demanding run of fixtures for the Italian side. In the Champions League, he will be absent for the home game against Real Madrid on 8 October and the trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on 3 November. In Serie A, he is expected to miss around six league rounds.

The clash with PSG in Paris on 21 November is the realistic target for his return if the recovery goes smoothly. Until then, the Roma goal changes hands during one of the most high-profile and demanding stretches of the season.

Pierluigi Gollini, chosen to replace Svilar against Real Madrid

Pierluigi Gollini, 31, will start in goal against Real Madrid and for the weeks ahead. The Italian joined Roma in January 2025 and has made just one official appearance for the club: a Europa League match against Panathinaikos in January. Since then, his role has been limited to serving as Svilar's regular backup.

Gollini now faces an unexpected window to prove his worth. With Roma fighting for the Serie A lead and their Champions League campaign barely underway, the Italian goalkeeper faces his biggest test in the most demanding scenario imaginable: hosting the reigning European champions with no margin for error.

How Roma arrive at the Real Madrid match

Roma reach the second round of the Champions League in a mixed situation. In Europe, they opened with a 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahce, while in Serie A they share the lead with Inter and Lazio ahead of the sixth round of fixtures. The away match against Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, is the final stop before the continental showdown.

Real Madrid, for their part, arrive at the Olimpico under pressure to correct their European course. Carlo Ancelotti's side lost their opening match in the competition, making the trip to Rome an early test of character. Svilar's absence adds an element of uncertainty to the Spanish side's plans as they prepare to face a wounded opponent still capable of competing at the highest level.

Svilar's injury deals a heavy blow to the Serie A leaders

Svilar has established himself as Roma's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper since the start of the 2024-25 season and is regarded as one of the best in Serie A. His performances have helped a side that reaches the autumn fighting for top spot in the Italian league. Losing him just before facing Real Madrid disrupts Gasperini's plans in a week of maximum exposure.

The Serbian goalkeeper arrived at the club in 2022 and gradually earned the starting role without dispute. His absence directly affects the defensive security of a Roma side that, despite their 13 league points, now face their toughest run with an out-of-rhythm goalkeeper like Gollini in goal.