AS Roma prevent Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina from travelling to Lionel Messi’s Argentina farewell in Buenos Aires

AS Roma have prevented Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina from travelling to Buenos Aires to attend Lionel Messi’s farewell friendly for Argentina against Benin on October 6, the club said in a statement on Tuesday evening. The club defended the decision, citing sporting and logistical reasons.

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football last month and will make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina in the friendly against Benin. Lionel Scaloni did not call up Dybala, while Molina is serving a seven-match ban for his role in on-field confrontations following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. Roma had the option to grant the players permission to travel to the Estadio Monumental but chose not to allow the trip.

AS Roma issued a formal statement explaining the decision: “AS Roma informs that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend the event hosted in Argentina for the match between Argentina and Benin on October 6th.” “The club acknowledges the significance of the occasion for both players, who share a close bond with Lionel Messi and were part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning team alongside him.” “The decision has been made for sporting and logistical reasons, taking into account the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the Club’s upcoming competitive fixtures.” “AS Roma has the utmost respect for Lionel Messi and his extraordinary career and wishes him and the Argentine Football Association a very special evening.”

Argentina’s match versus Benin is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, October 6, which corresponds to 1 a.m. CEST on Wednesday, October 7. Roma highlighted the travel burden involved, noting that a round trip would involve more than 28 hours of flying time and limited recovery time on return.

Roma said the interval between Messi’s farewell and the club’s next competitive fixture left insufficient time for adequate preparation for the two players. The club pointed to the proximity of upcoming matches as a key factor in the decision, arguing the gap and travel duration would impede proper preparation even if permission had been granted.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s team are scheduled to face Como in Serie A on Sunday, October 11 at 12:30 pm CEST. The timing of Argentina’s friendly and that Serie A fixture were cited by Roma as central to their refusal to allow Dybala and Molina to travel.