Bove documentary premiere draws Roma faces including Pisilli, Baldanzi and El Shaarawy

Francesco Totti paid an emotional tribute to Sinisa Mihajlovic during the presentation of the book 'Oltre', in front of Mihajlovic's wife Arianna. Totti said: "For me it was fundamental, he arrived at the right moment." The former Roma number 10 spoke of Mihajlovic as a true friend, saying that for him the late coach is still here with them. The tribute came at a book launch, with Mihajlovic's widow in the audience, and it is one of the most personal reflections Totti has offered on a figure from his own time in the Roma dressing room. The moment will resonate strongly with Giallorossi supporters, who remember Mihajlovic as a fierce competitor and a deeply respected presence in Italian football. Totti's words underline the bond that remains between the club's former players and those who shaped their careers, and the warmth of the reception in the room reflected that shared affection.

Former Atalanta forward Aleksandar Pesic, now at Fatih Karagumruk, has described Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the best coach he has ever worked under, calling him "unreachable". Pesic made the comments to the MeridianSport website. He played for Atalanta in the 2016-17 season, when Gasperini was in charge of the club. Pesic ranked Gasperini above every other coach he has played for. Asked to name the best, he said: "He is number one, with Farioli right after him." He has been coached by many leading managers, including Diaz, Slaven Bilic, Farioli and Casanova, but he said he still tells everyone that Gasperini is unreachable. Pesic also allowed for a rival to catch up. He said: "It is possible that Farioli will manage to surpass him in terms of results, but Gian Piero remains number one."

Roma supporters living in Lazio will once again be barred from attending the match at the Maradona stadium against Napoli. The fixture is scheduled for Saturday 24 October with a 6pm kickoff and counts for matchday eight of Serie A. The decision was taken by the Naples prefect, Michele di Bari, on the recommendation of the Committee for the Analysis of Security at Sporting Events, after the police headquarters flagged high risk to public order and safety. The ban is not new, given the tension that has surrounded this fixture for years, but it marks yet another restriction on Roma fans travelling to Naples. Gian Piero Gasperini's side will face a hostile atmosphere at a ground where away supporters have repeatedly been limited. The restriction applies specifically to Roma supporters resident in the Lazio region, who will not be permitted to travel to the Maradona for the match.

Roma's probable starting line-up for their meeting with Slovan has been published, with Gian Piero Gasperini reportedly bringing back the No. 23 and Mario Hermoso returning to the defence. Gianluca Mancini is expected to start, while Soulé and Pellegrini are set to operate behind Malen. The central defensive berth is a contest between Leonardo Balerdi and Evan N'Dicka. Molina is pushing Lulli for a place at right-back, and in midfield Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are expected to start. Beyond the selection, the wider build-up has also produced news on the injury front. Paulo Dybala has a small tear and is expected to be out for a period, while Gasperini has said Roma need 10 points to qualify for the playoffs and that Dybala's recovery will take longer.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow at 21:00, and Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to make several changes to the side that played Genoa in the last league match. Slovan Bratislava are coached by Yaya Toure, according to the report. According to Sky Sport, Mancini and Hermoso return to start in defence, with N'Dicka confirmed at centre-back. Molina and Wesley are set to return on the flanks, while De Roon and Pisilli are expected in midfield. Soulé and Pellegrini are likely to support Malen up front. The probable Roma line-up in a 3-4-2-1 formation is: Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, Pisilli, De Roon, Wesley; Soulé, Pellegrini; Malen.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday 20 October in the Champions League league phase, a third-matchday fixture kicking off at 21:00, as Gian Piero Gasperini's side look for their first win in the competition. Roma have one point from two games after a draw with Fenerbahce and a 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid, while Slovan are still on zero points. Roma return to Europe on the back of a 2-0 Serie A win over Genoa, coached by Daniele De Rossi, at the Olimpico on Saturday, with goals from Castro and Lulli in the second half. Gasperini rotated heavily after the demanding Real Madrid game. Slovan have lost both opening matches heavily, 6-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 to Stuttgart, before a 3-0 away win over Spartak Trnava in the league. Roma's injury list remains long. Mile Svilar is out with a stress fracture to the fifth toe of his foot, so Pierluigi Gollini is expected to keep his place in goal. Manu Koné is sidelined by a first-degree muscle tear suffered against Real Madrid, and Bryan Cristante is aiming to be back for the Serie A match against Napoli. Paulo Dybala has also been ruled out: he initially seemed set to attempt a return for the Champions League, but the latest tests revealed a small calf injury, and Gasperini said he will be out for about another two weeks. The expected Roma side is a 3-4-2-1 with Gollini; Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence; Lulli, de Roon, Pisilli and Wesley in midfield; Soulé and Pellegrini behind Malen. Balerdi remains a possible option in central defence, while Lulli is favoured over Molina for the wing-back berth. Pellegrini is in contention with Mora for a place alongside Soulé. Roma's bench would include De Marzi, Vásquez, Balerdi, Koulierakis, Ghilardi, Rensch, Molina, Mora and Castro. Slovan Bratislava are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 under Yaya Touré, the formation they used in their recent European outings. Takac is in goal, with Blackman, Bajric, Markovic and Sandro Cruz in defence, and Mustafic and Pokorny in front of them. Barseghyan, Cristian Martinez and Camara are favoured for the attacking midfield, with Sporar leading the line and Griger pushing for a start. Slovan report no suspended players and no significant absences, and should have most of their squad available. The two clubs have met only twice in European competition, in the 2011/12 Europa League play-offs. Slovan won 1-0 away, and Roma could only draw 1-1 at the Olimpico, sending the Slovaks through 2-1 on aggregate. Tuesday's match is the first meeting between the two sides in the Champions League. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sport and streamed via Sky Go and NOW. Official line-ups will be confirmed about an hour before kickoff at 21:00 on Tuesday 20 October, and will be available as a live update on the Romanews page.

Stephan El Shaarawy, Niccolò Pisilli and Tommaso Baldanzi were among the Roma figures who attended the preview of "In un battito", the film about former Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove, at the Festa del Cinema di Roma. El Shaarawy received a warm welcome on arrival, a sign of the affection that still surrounds him in the Roma environment. The film, directed by Giovanni Troilo, follows Bove's journey after the collapse he suffered on 1 December 2024 during Fiorentina-Inter. It deals with a particularly delicate chapter of the midfielder's life and places his human experience at its centre. Bove, who is no longer at the club, kept strong ties with his former team-mates, and their presence at the screening was seen as a mark of that bond. El Shaarawy shared a dressing room with Bove at Roma, and his attendance was a gesture of closeness towards the player. Pisilli and Baldanzi are also linked to Bove's time in giallorosso. Their presence underlined the significance of an evening dedicated to the personal story of a player who remains close to his former colleagues.

Roma beat Genoa 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening, a result that keeps the focus firmly on the Champions League ahead. Gian Piero Gasperini's young players were the story of the win. Roma are the Serie A club using the most Under-23 players alongside Como, and Lulli stood out in a performance the club now wants to lock down with a new deal. Lulli, a Gasperini discovery, is one of several young players who impressed. The Palestrina-born full-back is the first Italian born in 2007 to score in Serie A. Castro, who scored the opening goal that unlocked the match, has been compared to Maradona in Argentina. Soulé joked with Santiago on social media, speaking in Roman dialect. Balerdi also had a top performance and is confirmed as another starter for Gasperini, with 7 ball recoveries and 12 duels won from 15. El Shaarawy was emotional about returning to the Olimpico. Pellegrini was pleased with the result, saying: "Vittoria importante per la Roma, minuti fondamentali per me." Totti has also opened the door to a return to the club.

Roma are working to extend the contract of full-back Emanuele Lulli, who has made an excellent start to the season and scored his first professional goal against Genoa. The club is working on a new deal running until 30 June 2031, with a salary adjustment that recognises his new role as a 2007-born full-back. The move is also aimed at keeping away the interest of two foreign clubs, which reportedly considered signing him on a free transfer from next June. Both parties want to continue the journey they began together in the youth sector. After the win over Genoa, Roma turn their attention back to the Champions League. On Tuesday evening the Giallorossi host Slovan Bratislava at the Olimpico, aiming to collect valuable points and make amends for the comeback they suffered against Real Madrid. Roma sit on one point after two matchdays. Gian Piero Gasperini will speak at a press conference at Trigoria tomorrow at 13:30, while the pre-match training session is scheduled for 15:00. Paulo Dybala is among the possible returns and could be available at least for the bench. Swiss referee Sandro Scharer will take charge of the match, assisted by De Almeida and Erni, with Kanagasingam as fourth official. San will be at the VAR, assisted by Kwiatkowski as AVAR. Scharer has already refereed Roma twice, and both matches ended in Giallorossi victories: a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in March 2023 and a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in March 2025, with the decisive goal scored by Shomurodov late on. Stephan El Shaarawy returned to the Olimpico as an opponent, a special occasion for him after ten seasons in the giallorosso. He left Roma last summer to join Genoa. Started by De Rossi, the Pharaoh came close to scoring with a long-range effort that hit the crossbar, and he received warm applause from the crowd when he was substituted. After the match he shared his emotions on social media: "On one side the bitterness of a defeat that hurts, on the other the emotion of returning to a stadium that for ten years was my home." He then thanked the fans: "Thank you Roma, thank you Romanisti, for making me feel, once again, one of you. The past deserves gratitude, the present deserves all of me, respect and belonging."