Ndicka appears to have been one of Roma’s constants this season.
That matters because Roma’s back line has often relied on continuity more than rotation. Remove the regular left-sided centre-back and the balance changes quickly: build-up becomes less secure, recovery defending is tested more often, and the partnership around him has to adjust in the final week of the campaign.
On paper, the trip to Verona may not look like Roma’s most demanding fixture, with the report noting the hosts are already relegated. But final-day matches rarely stay neat. They can become stretched, emotional and unpredictable, especially when one side is forced into defensive changes.
Roma’s immediate problem is structural rather than dramatic. Lose a first-choice centre-back late in the season and the replacement is not just filling a shirt; he is stepping into an established rhythm. That can affect set-piece marking, the timing of the line, and how aggressively Roma defend transitions.
The wider issue is the calendar. With the tournament beginning on 11 June and Ivory Coast opening on 15 June, the recovery window looks tight if the expected lay-off runs for several weeks.
For Roma, the focus is now on getting through the final league game without further disruption. For Ivory Coast, the next storyline is simple: whether Ndicka can recover quickly enough to turn doubt into availability before the World Cup begins.