AS Roma have confirmed that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not travel to Argentina for Lionel Messi’s farewell match against Benin on 6 October, meaning both 2022 World Cup winners will miss the occasion.
Fabrizio Romano reported that the club wants both players back in team training next week. Roma said in a statement on its website that the pair “will not attend the event being held in Argentina”.
Roma’s statement did not say who made the decision or whether the players formally requested permission to travel. La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by GOAL, reported that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was reluctant to allow them to make the trip.
Why Have Roma Blocked Dybala and Molina From Travelling to Argentina?
Roma cited “sporting and logistical reasons”, pointing to the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the club’s next competitive fixtures. Gazzetta dello Sport, via Goal, reported that the flight to Buenos Aires takes about 14 hours.
Gasperini did not want either player to miss three training sessions and is focused on the away trip to Como.
Roma play Como away in Serie A on 11 October, five days after the Benin match. They then host Real Madrid in the Champions League on 14 October, three days later. Roma lead Serie A with 13 points from five games, ahead of Inter and Lazio on goal difference.
Dybala has provided four assists in five appearances this season.
Would Dybala and Molina Have Played in Messi's Farewell Match?
Neither was expected to feature. Dybala is not in Lionel Scaloni's squad for this international window and has not been called up since September 2024.
Molina is serving a seven-match FIFA suspension, handed down after the fight that followed Argentina's World Cup final defeat by Spain. CNN reported that he was also fined $90,000 and that Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban for the same incident.
Molina joined Roma from Atletico Madrid in August.
Dybala and Molina were invited as guests to the farewell event. The Argentine Football Association invited the 2022 World Cup winners, while World Soccer Talk reported that Messi also extended a personal invitation to both players.
Dybala has played alongside Messi for Argentina 18 times, while Molina has done so 53 times. The Benin match kicks off at 20:00 local time at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Giovani Lo Celso will join the squad for that fixture only, the AFA said. And Nicolas Otamendi, who retired after the World Cup final, is also included for his own farewell.
Which Roma Players Will Attend Messi's Argentina Farewell?
Three other Roma players are in Scaloni's squad: defender Leonardo Balerdi and forwards Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro. Argentina plays Bolivia in Córdoba on 30 September before hosting Burkina Faso and Benin at the Monumental.
Reports differ on which players were cleared to travel. GOAL reported that Soule was given permission, while La Derecha Diario said Balerdi, Soule, and Castro were allowed to join Argentina. Roma's statement does not mention them.
Dybala, Molina, Messi and the AFA had not commented publicly on the decision at the time of writing.
