Bryan Cristante may not be the most exciting player to ever wear a Roma shirt, but he’s consistent and reliable, rarely missing a match because of injury or fatigue. Given how frequently the club is stricken with all manner of ligament-related plagues, Cristante has been a living embodiment of the phrase “the best ability is availability.”
In that sense, Cristante is more of a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry than a Shelby Cobra, trading high-RPM thrills for day-to-day dependability. However, as anyone
who has ever driven a hand-me-down sedan can attest, these warhorses break down sooner or later. And after nine seasons, 368 appearances, and over 27,000 minutes, it was only a matter of time before the veteran midfielder broke down.
According to multiple sources, knee inflammation may cause the veteran midfielder to miss two critical matches after the break: an away trip to eight-place Como on October 11th and Roma’s Champions League home opener against Real Madrid on the 14th. It comes at a particularly inopportune time for Cristante, who has been among the league’s best midfielders through the first month of action.
If Cristante misses significant time, look for summer signing and a Gasperini-black-belt Marten de Roon to start alongside Manu Koné in midfield. In addition to his years with Gasperini at Atalanta, de Roon has stayed in Trigoria throughout the break, working his way back into 90-minute shape, so he should be primed to resume his familiar midfield role.
