A painful blow to Roma after the Madrid clash

His star to miss weeks

Roma have been dealt a heavy blow. Paulo Dybala will be sidelined for several weeks after picking up a muscle injury against Real Madrid in the Champions League, handing Gian Piero Gasperini a fresh headache in the weeks ahead.

According to "Calciomercato", medical tests revealed a minor muscle injury. The Argentine had felt fatigue during the clash with the Spanish side and came off at half-time.

Gasperini confirmed the absence at his press conference before the European tie against Slovan Bratislava, voicing his hope for a swift recovery. The tests then showed Dybala would need more time.

"I had hoped he would recover more quickly, but the tests carried out yesterday revealed a minor injury, and it will take a few weeks before he becomes available to play," said the Roma manager.

Losing Dybala hurts. He has been one of the side's key men since the start of the season, and now Gasperini must find a way to cover for his Argentine forward over the coming weeks.