Roma manager Jose Mourinho delivered a concerning statement about Paulo Dybala’s injury following a hard-earned 1-0 home win over 10-man Lecce. La Joya scored the winning goal from the spot a couple of minutes into the second half but had to walk off the pitch immediately after.
Just when Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller hailed Dybala as one of the most significant signings in Roma history, the Argentine forward picked up another injury. The 28-year-old has suffered several minor physical setbacks early since joining the Giallorossi from Juventus in the summer.
However, Roma could now miss out on their new talisman for the remainder of the calendar year. Dybala left the field in tears immediately after slotting home the spot kick, indicating he might have strained his muscle. According to Mourinho, the left-footed playmaker may not feature for the Giallorossi again in 2022.
“I am not a doctor, but in my experience and speaking to Paulo, it’s unlikely we’ll see him this year,” he replied when asked how Dybala was doing, as relayed by Gianluca Di Marzio.
Dybala’s potential long-term absence would be a massive blow for Roma, considering he has been clinical in the early stage of the Serie A season. La Joya has racked up five goals and two assists across eight league appearances, quickly establishing himself as the leading character at the Stadio Olimpico.
With Roma now forced to rely on other alternatives to carry the scoring burden, Mourinho will need underperforming Tammy Abraham to hit his stride. The Englishman joined the fray against Lecce as his second-half substitute but failed to find the net again.
Despite winning, Mourinho cannot be pleased with the way Roma performed against numerically inferior opposition. While he may blame fatigue for crippling his side’s momentum, the Giallorossi will need to improve a lot if they’re to bolster their top-four bid.