Roma Goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini Doubtful for Manchester United Match Due to Back Pain

AS Roma faces a significant goalkeeping crisis ahead of their away UEFA Champions League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford, as backup goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini is dealing with back pain and is increasingly doubtful to play. The sudden physical issue emerged during a morning training session, leaving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini waiting until the final hours before the game to make a definitive decision.

The potential absence of Gollini compounds an already difficult situation for the Giallorossi, who have been without their undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, due to a finger fracture. Svilar's injury, sustained prior to an October match against Como, sidelined him for an extended period and initially thrust Gollini into the starting role. Gollini had performed capably in Svilar's absence, securing a clean sheet against Como with several crucial stops.

Should Gollini be ruled unfit to start, Gasperini will have to choose between two alternative options included in Roma's European squad list: Colombian goalkeeper Devis Vasquez and 19-year-old youth product Giorgio De Marzi. Both players are on high alert, though neither has made a competitive first-team appearance for Roma this season.

Devis Vasquez brings senior league experience to the table, having previously recorded 32 appearances in Italy's top-flight Serie A while playing for Empoli during the previous season. Although Vasquez was frozen out by Gasperini last year and spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Besiktas, he was recently reinstated to the Champions League squad and is registered under squad number 32.

The other alternative is 19-year-old Giorgio De Marzi, a dual Italian-American citizen and a United States under-20 international born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. De Marzi has developed within Roma's youth sector since the age of 14 and is registered on the club's UEFA List B with squad number 70, making him a homegrown option for the senior squad if called upon.

Gasperini is expected to evaluate Gollini's physical condition right up until kickoff before naming his official lineup. With the club's top two choices for the position currently dealing with injuries, Roma's defensive stability hangs in the balance as they prepare for the high-stakes European fixture.