Champions League League Phase draw set for Thursday; Roma among four Italian clubs in the hunt

Roma's Stadio Olimpico was packed with yellow and red for the opening match of the 2026-27 season against Fiorentina, marking the club's return to the Champions League after seven years. The fixture carries added significance as it launches Roma towards the club's centenary. The Curva Sud ultras showed their backing for Gasperini's squad, displaying a banner that read: "The path is set, we start again from where we left off. The whole environment united towards the objective." Roma's return to Europe's elite club competition after a seven-year absence represents a major milestone. The season will culminate in the club's 100th anniversary celebrations, with the opening fixture against Fiorentina setting the tone for what the support group aims to be a unified campaign. The banner message emphasised continuity and collective purpose as the team prepares to chase their ambitions in both domestic and European competition.

Malick Fofana came off the bench to score in Lyon's 2-0 victory over Toulouse on 22 August, a performance that signals his physical condition as his future hangs in the balance ahead of a crucial European tie. Entering at the 63rd minute, Fofana netted at the 85th after cutting to the centre, beating his marker and finishing precisely to the far post. The goal is particularly significant given the injury problems that heavily disrupted his previous season. Roma remain attentive to Fofana's situation. The club has temporarily put the transfer on hold following its investment in Rodrigo Mora and wants to structure any deal as a loan with a right of redemption that would convert to an obligation under certain conditions. Lyon, however, prefer an outright sale at present. The outcome of Lyon's European fixture will prove decisive. Fofana's willingness to leave is directly tied to Champions League football: if Lyon qualifies, he is inclined to stay in France for another full season; elimination would reopen the possibility of departure and could reactivate Roma's interest. Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca rotated his squad for the Toulouse match with an eye on the bigger picture. On Wednesday 26 August, Fenerbahce will visit the Groupama Stadium for the second leg of the Champions League playoff, with the tie level at 1–1 from the first encounter. That match could decide not only Lyon's European season but also whether Fofana moves. Should Fenerbahce eliminate Lyon, the midfielder's path out of France would become far more concrete, and Roma would have a genuine opening to revive negotiations on terms closer to their preference.

Jayden Oosterwolde is on the verge of joining Roma from Fenerbahçe on a deal worth a reported €17–18 million overall, structured as a loan with a conditional right of purchase tied to appearances. The move will add depth to Gasperini's squad in multiple positions: Oosterwolde will arrive as a left-back, effectively as cover for Wesley, a role he played early in his career at Twente, but can also operate as a central defender if needed. Fenerbahçe need to sell to trim their UEFA list, having already offloaded Cherif to Coventry, Fayed to Frosinone and Musaba to Norwich. Oosterwolde is currently sidelined with a muscle injury sustained in a Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz and is unlikely to feature before mid-September. The signing addresses one of two gaps Gasperini identified in Roma's squad planning. The club can register 23 players on their Europa Conference League list and have slots to fill before the window closes. Gasperini told his press conference: "Numerically we can insert 23 players into the Europa lists and so we have free spots to fill — we hope to complete the squad in these last ten days, but I am very satisfied with the players who have arrived so far." Roma's technical staff value Oosterwolde for his physical strength and pace, which allows him to progress the ball in attack while maintaining solid defensive recovery numbers.