Champions League prize pool confirmed at €2.5 billion for 2026–27 season

Roma began their pre-season on Tuesday, exactly fifty days after their victory in Verona, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini arriving at Trigoria. Only fourteen outfield players reported initially, with several absentees due to extended World Cup breaks or departures. Stephan El Shaarawy, Kostas Tsimikas, Evan Ferguson, Bryan Zaragoza, Zeki Çelik, Evan N'Dicka, Donyell Malen, Salah-Eddine, and Neil El Aynaoui were unavailable, while Manu Koné remained absent. Players were required to arrive at the training ground by noon for medical checks before their first session in the afternoon. Paulo Dybala is set to sign a one-year contract extension to begin his fifth season at Roma, with the announcement expected on Tuesday. Lorenzo Pellegrini's contract situation remains unresolved, with further discussions scheduled in the coming days. Wesley has recovered fully from an adductor muscle injury sustained before the World Cup. Daniele De Rossi's successor Gasperini arrived Monday morning and will oversee an intensive two-week training block at Trigoria before the squad relocates to Wales for the second phase of pre-season, departing 30 July and returning 18 August following a fixture against Brighton. Several players with uncertain futures, including Artem Dovbyk and Robinio Vaz, will use the coming weeks to impress Gasperini. Donyell Malen is expected to rejoin the squad around 22 July. Sporting director Tony D'Amico, representing the Friedkin Group ownership, attended to welcome the squad.

Paulo Dybala has recommitted to AS Roma following his automatic contract renewal, capping a resurgence that helped secure the club's return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years. The Argentine playmaker delivered decisively in the final stretch of the 2025–26 season, recording assists for Malen and El Shaarawy in matches against Verona—the goals that sealed Europa League qualification and promotion to the group stage. Over 27 appearances in that run, Dybala posted 3 goals and 8 assists. Since joining Roma in 2022, Dybala has compiled 140 matches, 45 goals and 30 assists across all positions—attacker, second striker, attacking midfielder and creative fulcrum. His debut campaign (2022–23) proved prolific with 18 goals and 8 assists before injury despite a standout display against Inter and a vital Europa League goal against Feyenoord. The following year brought 16 goals in 39 matches with 10 assists. A proposed summer transfer to Al-Qadsiah fell through when Dybala chose to remain in the Eternal City, but form and fitness suffered under successive managers, leaving him sidelined until early 2026. After knee surgery in March forced another layoff, his timely return proved crucial. The lingering scar from the 31 May 2023 final—a missed opportunity to change Roma's history—remains, but the coming seasons offer fresh chances to heal that wound.

AS Roma midfielder Manu Koné has been named in the starting lineup for France's World Cup Round of 16 match against Paraguay. Koné will play alongside Adrien Rabiot in midfield as France manager Didier Deschamps continues to deploy the Roma player from the opening matches. This marks Koné's third start of the tournament and his first appearance in the knockout phase after being used as a substitute in the Round of 32 against Sweden. Paraguay reached this stage after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Germany. Koné remains a key player in Deschamps' setup, valued for his ability to provide midfield balance while allowing France to deploy their attacking potential. The Friedkin Group manager Gasperini relies heavily on the midfielder, and his World Cup performances continue to demonstrate his importance to both club and country. Koné's selection underlines his status as an essential player in France's push toward the tournament's latter stages. If France advance past Paraguay, Koné and his teammates will face the winner of the Canada match in the quarter-finals. His continued involvement in the World Cup represents a significant commitment of playing time away from Roma during the international break.