Roma Proves Stronger Than Controversy as Champions League Race Remains Open

Alberto Aquilani, the former Roma midfielder, is reportedly close to an agreement to become Sassuolo's head coach. According to reports, Aquilani met with Sassuolo's management again recently, with a deal appearing imminent. The 47-year-old, who played for Roma from 2002 to 2009 and later spent time at Sassuolo in 2017, would make the leap to management after managing Catanzaro. Sassuolo views him as the ideal fit to work alongside Fabio Grosso. If the transfer materializes, Aquilani would become the fifth former Roma player or manager Roma will face next season. The others are Eusebio Di Francesco (Lecce, matchday 2), Cristian Chivu (Inter, 20 September), Daniele De Rossi (Genoa, 18 October), and Luciano Spalletti (Juventus, 20 December). Aquilani would face his former club on 8 November at the Stadio Olimpico in what would be his first return as an opposing manager. The fixture list presents an unusual situation for Roma, with the club set to encounter a notable series of familiar faces throughout the 2025–26 campaign. Each match carries potential narrative weight given the connections between these coaches and the Giallorossi.

Fabio Capello has assessed AS Roma's fixture list for the upcoming season in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. Capello expects Roma to start the new campaign with the same certainty and quality they showed at the end of the previous season, given that Gasperini is the new head coach. However, he warns that the early schedule presents significant challenges. Capello highlighted that Roma will not face any newly promoted teams in their opening ten fixtures—an unusual circumstance that leaves them vulnerable to a demanding run of matches. The Giallorossi will encounter Inter, Napoli, Como, Atalanta, and Fiorentina during this period, alongside difficult away trips to Torino and Udinese. Roma's opening match will be against Fiorentina, while their season concludes with an away fixture at Cagliari. Capello stated: "Knowing Gasperini, I expect a Roma that in August restarts from the certainties and the brilliance with which it ended this season. The schedule is not, however, very straightforward: the Giallorossi will not face any newly promoted sides in the first ten matches, but instead they will come up against Inter, Napoli, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina… plus complicated away trips like those with Torino and Udinese."

Roma announced Gian Piero Gasperini as head coach on 6 June 2025, marking the start of his first season in charge. The club achieved Champions League qualification, with El Shaarawy among the goal scorers during the campaign. Gasperini's appointment came following the departure of Claudio Ranieri, who had managed the club in the 2024–25 season. The 'condottiero' (commander) has guided Roma towards European football's elite competition in his inaugural year, fulfilling a key objective for the Friedkin Group ownership.

Younes, father of Roma winger Wesley and a former professional tennis player ranked 14th on the ATP tour, spoke about his son's first season at the Giallorossi. Wesley joined Roma with ambitions to play for a major European club and establish himself immediately with the Moroccan national team—goals he has reportedly achieved. Younes expressed pride in his son's early progress but acknowledged the challenges of professional football, including injuries Wesley has already suffered: a cut above the eye during the Africa Cup of Nations final, a broken nose, and knee problems. He emphasized his concern for his son's physical wellbeing whenever Roma play. Wesely is now focused on the upcoming World Cup, starting with Morocco's match against Brazil. His father highlighted that Roma's third-place Serie A finish has secured Champions League football for next season, which brings Wesley significant satisfaction. Younes described his son as fearless and highly competitive, noting: "He's considered a fighter by everyone, including his coaches. I'd say he's even worse than me. You see it on the pitch: if he makes a mistake, he immediately becomes aggressive because he's disappointed in himself. And that's exactly what makes him so strong." Beyond football, Younes emphasized the importance of proper nutrition and lifestyle in preventing injuries, areas where he actively guides his son.

AS Roma sent a message of encouragement to five players competing in the FIFA World Cup, posting personalised messages across their social media channels. The club wished luck to Ndicka, Celik, El Aynaoui, Malen, and Koné ahead of the tournament. Wesley, who was also expected to participate with Brazil, was unavailable due to an injury sustained in a friendly match before the squad's departure. The five Roma representatives will make their tournament debuts across consecutive days. El Aynaoui will be the first to take the field on 14 June at midnight (Italian time) as his team faces Brazil. On the same day, Celik and Turkey play Australia at 6 a.m., while Malen and the Netherlands face Japan at 10 p.m. Evan Ndicka and the Côte d'Ivoire will play Ecuador on 15 June, with Manu Koné completing Roma's World Cup contingent on 16 June against Senegal at 9 p.m.

Walter Sabatini, former Roma sporting director, has sent a message of support to Wesley following the left-back's withdrawal from the World Cup due to injury. Sabatini posted on Instagram to address the midfielder's disappointment, saying: "Losing the World Cup is an unspeakable pain that we share with you, but your sporting life will restart in great form at Roma and with Roma." Sabatini also congratulated Ederson on his call-up as Wesley's replacement, describing him as deserving and expressing pride in the defender. Wesley sustained a muscle injury to his left adductor during Roma's match against Egypt, forcing him out of the tournament. The withdrawal has been a significant blow to both the player and the Roma environment. Upon returning from vacation, Wesley will undergo further medical examinations at Trigoria to assess the extent of the injury. Despite missing the World Cup, Wesley is expected to be available for Roma's pre-season training, which begins on 13 July. The club will monitor his recovery closely during the summer break to ensure he is fit for the start of the new season.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified Crysencio Summerville as his primary target for the left wing, with the Dutch winger from West Ham available following the club's relegation to the Championship. Summerville reportedly costs around €35 million, and Gasperini's interest dates back two years to the winger's standout season at Leeds United in 2023–24, when he won the Championship Player of the Year award. Donyell Malen, Roma's current right winger, has been speaking with Summerville during international break preparations, with both players sharing the same agency. The club aims to complete the signing once international competitions conclude. Gasperini's admiration for Summerville stems from impressive statistical performances at Leeds. In the 2023–24 Championship season, Summerville scored 21 goals and topped the league in expected goals (xG), demonstrating exceptional finishing ability and positioning. He also led in expected assists (xA), showing his capacity to create opportunities. His production declined during West Ham's difficult campaign, but Gasperini has a proven track record of extracting strong performances from underperforming Premier League players, as shown with Lookman and Malen. Roma is also pursuing Mason Greenwood for the right wing, with early steps expected in the coming days. Summerville, born in Rotterdam, grew up in an Afro-Surinamese family and progressed through Dutch youth football, winning the Under-17 European Championship in 2017. He is in a long-term relationship with Janique Monteiro and became a father in December 2025, which he has stated provided significant personal motivation.

Roma have opened the door to loaning out Robinio Vaz, the French attacker who arrived from Marseille in January for €22 million. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini does not yet consider the 2007-born talent ready to serve as a reliable understudy to Donyell Malen, prompting the club to explore loan options to provide him with more playing time and continuity. The move aims to accelerate his development away from the club before potentially reintegrating him into Roma's future plans. Vaz has impressed in flashes during his six months in Rome, including scoring a significant goal against Lecce, but Gasperini's assessment suggests he requires match experience at a higher level than the squad's current setup can offer him. The club will listen to offers for the young forward, who has already attracted interest from several Italian clubs, notably Bologna, who were impressed by his performances in Europa League matches. By securing a loan move, Vaz would gain the opportunity to demonstrate his qualities in a more prominent role while Roma preserve his long-term value. The strategy reflects the club's confidence in his potential while acknowledging the competitive pressures of the current squad.

AS Roma sent a message of encouragement to five players competing in the FIFA World Cup, posting personalised messages across their social media channels. The club wished luck to Ndicka, Celik, El Aynaoui, Malen, and Koné ahead of the tournament. Wesley, who was also expected to participate with Brazil, was unavailable due to an injury sustained in a friendly match before the squad's departure. The five Roma representatives will make their tournament debuts across consecutive days. El Aynaoui will be the first to take the field on 14 June at midnight (Italian time) as his team faces Brazil. On the same day, Celik and Turkey play Australia at 6 a.m., while Malen and the Netherlands face Japan at 10 p.m. Evan Ndicka and the Côte d'Ivoire will play Ecuador on 15 June, with Manu Koné completing Roma's World Cup contingent on 16 June against Senegal at 9 p.m.