Jose Mourinho has warned Roma will feel the difference with Paulo Dybala not in their starting lineup.
The 30-year-old playmaker is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a suspected thigh injury in the Giallorossi’s draw with Fiorentina last time out.
Dybala’s absence comes as a blow for Mourinho and company as the Argentine has been the club’s most valuable player this season with no one having more goal involvement than him.
Romelu Lukaku is Roma’s leading marksman in Serie A with seven goals but Dybala isn’t far behind on four. He is also their leading creator.
The former Juventus man has provided six assists (1.79 xA) in 11 matches in the current league season, as many as last season (six in 25 games) – the last campaign he provided more assists in the competition was 2016/17 (7 in that case).
? Il nostro Player of the Month di novembre è Paulo Dybala! ?#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/Z0hE07J07t
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) December 9, 2023
“There is a match with Dybala and one without,” Mourinho told reporters.
“With Dybala, Fiorentina weren’t able to press. Without Dybala there isn’t another like him and now there won’t be, just like Romelu, and it will be a difficult situation because we can’t replicate that and we should do things differently.
“We have Belotti and Pellegrini who can be the second striker. We have El Shaarawy. Without Dybala it won’t be the same.”