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

Gian Piero Gasperini will name his side to face Como within 24 hours, with the Giallorossi boss still weighing final selection calls before Sunday's Serie A fixture. The Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon is a certainty in the center of the park, replacing the injured Bryan Cristante; his appearance on Sunday will take him to 362 career games. Niccolò Pisilli, who returned to group training yesterday following a minor flu, remains behind in the hierarchy. The forward line will feature Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen as regulars. Since joining Roma, the Dutch forward has scored 20 goals in 23 appearances—a tally that outpaces both Kane and Raphinha, who stand at 18 each. Malen also holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in Serie A during the three-points era, averaging one goal every 91 minutes, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo. The main puzzle surrounds the third member of the attacking trio. Matías Soulé has completed only one full training session since returning to the capital on Thursday morning but remains in contention, though Rodrigo Mora currently holds the advantage. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who stayed at Trigoria throughout the international break, is also an option but has not featured for six months. On the right flank, both Nahuel Molina and Emanuele Lulli were tested yesterday; whoever plays Sunday could rest in the Champions League. Wesley will operate on the left. Evan N'Dicka leads Leonardo Balerdi for a centre-back place alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso rounding out the defence. Gasperini must also account for Roma's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid when making his selections.

José Mourinho has given an extensive interview to Corriere dello Sport ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League visit to Roma, reflecting on his time as the club's manager and the bond he built with the supporters. The match is scheduled for Wednesday at the Olimpico. Mourinho recalled his arrival in Rome, describing how a thousand supporters met him at the airport before he had played a single match or won a point. "They are special with me," he said. "I have always said: when I got off the plane there were a thousand people waiting for me. I thought I hadn't done anything yet, hadn't won a match, hadn't taken a point. I didn't deserve that welcome. But Rome is like that; I felt it afterwards. They understood that I never worried about myself, my image. I never looked after my relationship with the ownership, with the club's politics, with the press." He noted that in three and a half years he has granted interviews only to journalists with whom he has a relationship, citing Corriere dello Sport as an example. Mourinho also reflected on winning the UEFA Europa Conference League, saying: "It's true we won a competition that for a club that wins everything has lesser value, but for one that is not used to winning it has great significance. The other day a friend who is an agent went to Trigoria and saw the photo of the achievement. That cup is always there." Mourinho addressed comparisons to Francesco Totti, saying: "I do not feel at all comparable to him, nor the second in the hearts of the people. Roma has a beautiful history despite few moments of glory." He spoke of his emotional challenge in returning as an opponent: "I have not yet started to prepare that match. I know from the point of view of the manager who must play an important game, and that of the man returning home. But I must defend myself from emotions. I prepare myself as best as I can to do my job well. I must concentrate on this, trying to forget where I am and against whom I play. It never happened to me with Roma, with Inter yes. With Chelsea it happened many times. But Roma is Roma." He reflected on the eighty days of lost contact with the Friedkin ownership after the Budapest final, stating: "I had to pay for what happened at the airport. I paid for the relationship with the ownership that had a different profile from mine, a different approach. But I never spoke, never publicly commented on the situation." Mourinho explained that when he sits on the bench on 14 October, "another story will begin and I will be only Real Madrid." He added that while Roma have the capacity to win the treble this season, "naturally I hope not."

Kylian Mbappé will start for Real Madrid against Villarreal on Wednesday 14 October, just two weeks after suffering a left knee injury against Turkey. José Mourinho has opted against managing the forward's workload ahead of the visit to the Olimpico, instead electing to test his condition in match action immediately. Mbappé has been training with the group for days and the injury appears resolved. Mourinho is determined to get his attacker back to full sharpness without delay. The Villarreal fixture serves as a gauge of Mbappé's readiness before the Champions League encounter with Roma. Gian Piero Gasperini will now have to contend with the French forward at his best, having previously faced uncertainty over his availability. Federico Valverde has also recovered and will feature against Villarreal, providing another boost for Madrid's midfield. The message from Mourinho is clear: Mbappé is ready, and there will be no further caution. Gasperini is now studying how to stop him.