Champions League windfall: Roma guaranteed nearly €50 million for 2026–27

Andrea Stramaccioni, a former manager of both Roma and Inter, praised Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical intensity and winning mentality in a radio interview, describing him as having been a force to reckon with even in his early years as a coach. Stramaccioni first encountered Gasperini when the Roma boss was managing Crotone. "He was a fury," Stramaccioni recalled. "I didn't know him personally, but I started following opponents for the first-team coach. He played 3-4-3, an ultra-offensive style. In the lower divisions that system is devastating because you find fewer strong individual players in the opposition—it's a dominant system. He had a vertical rise, reaching Serie B with Crotone. I witnessed and understood his mentality. He fought battles of mentality even with the board and Crotone's president—he didn't want to travel by coach for four hours to play in Campania but preferred flying, and would rather buy one fewer player to improve the mentality, a word that encompasses many values." Stramaccioni described how Gasperini has evolved since then. "He's gotten worse positively," Stramaccioni said with a laugh. "He's an absolute hammer and I'm not surprised by Roma's results. Then I met him again professionally at Inter—I was the Primavera coach in 2011 when he became the first-team manager." The two will now face off when Roma play Inter on Saturday. Stramaccioni predicted tactical adjustments from Gasperini, saying: "Generally Mister Gasperini does that. He'll find an Inter with Zielinski in front of the defence. Malen on the right flank, Dybala on Bastoni and then another player on Zielinski. We'll see on Saturday."

Donyell Malen has become one of Europe's most prolific strikers at Roma, a dramatic shift from his time as a fringe player at Aston Villa that has drawn attention from the British media. The BBC has analysed how the Dutch forward escaped a struggling Premier League career to become a central figure in Roma's attack, with his output and tactical role transformed entirely under Gasperini. Malen's numbers tell the story of a career reborn. In the Premier League, he managed 10 goals in 46 appearances, often deployed on the wing or used as a central striker only intermittently. At Roma, he has scored 21 goals in 25 appearances and stands as the best goalscorer of 2026 across Europe's top five leagues, ahead of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. The key difference is tactical: Gasperini has deployed him almost exclusively through the centre of attack, allowing him to maximise his speed, instinct and finishing. His goal rate has improved dramatically from one goal every 150 minutes to one every 96 minutes. Malen's resurgence has continued unbroken even after a underwhelming World Cup campaign. Upon returning to Roma, he immediately resumed scoring and driving the team forward. The club has not simply recovered a talent, but unlocked his best version and returned him to the centre of European football's stage.

The Friedkin Group's simultaneous ownership of Roma and Everton has resurfaced as a potential regulatory issue, though no problem exists at present. According to the Times, UEFA has reaffirmed to the group that their current structure must fully comply with multi-ownership rules should both clubs qualify for European competitions that are incompatible under UEFA regulations. The regulations are explicit: one entity cannot simultaneously exercise control or decisive influence over multiple clubs participating in European competitions when a conflict of interest arises under integrity rules. Certain circumstances also trigger priority criteria linked to the competition and each club's domestic league placement. This season Roma compete in the Champions League while Everton participate in no European competition, so the issue does not apply now. The concern focuses on the future if both clubs simultaneously enter UEFA's purview. One potential solution identified in English media would be a blind trust arrangement, temporarily placing operational control of one club with independent parties to legally separate governance. The Friedkin Group has made no announcement of selling either Roma or Everton. However, the Financial Times recently revealed that the Friedkin Group is seeking new investors for Everton. Fresh capital injection could involve selling a significant stake in the English club, though no definitive deal currently exists and the investor search does not automatically mean a sale will occur. The situation illustrates the paradox of modern multi-club ownership: the more both teams succeed, the greater the need to separate their governance structures. For the Friedkin Group, investing simultaneously on both sides of Europe means that Roma and Everton's sporting growth could soon create an off-field problem requiring resolution.