Heartbroken! Roma block Dybala from Messi's farewell match
Paulo Dybala will not be at the Monumental: Roma have blocked him and Nahuel Molina from attending Lionel Messi's farewell match for Argentina.
Details: Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini has vetoed the trip, with the club judging that a return from Buenos Aires would come too close to their Serie A fixture against Como. Dybala had even received a personal invitation from Messi himself to be there on October 6, when Argentina face Benin in the legend's final international.
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The decision has split opinion in Italy. For Roma, it is cold professionalism in a tight season: two key players crossing the Atlantic for a friendly makes no sporting sense. For romantics, denying Dybala, a World Cup winner and one of Messi's closest friends in the squad, a place at this goodbye feels cruel. La Joya has spent his career orbiting Messi's greatness for club and country, and missing the final chapter in Buenos Aires will sting deeply.
It's worth noting that club versus country rows are nothing new, but rarely have they collided with a moment this emotional. The Monumental will celebrate Messi without two of his brothers in arms, and Roma's stance will be debated in Argentina for a long time.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert