Wesley aims to deliver Champions League to Roma before World Cup duty

The Foro Messaggero, a cultural venue in Rome, hosted an event celebrating Italian sport alongside the Internazionali d'Italia tennis tournament. The occasion brought together tennis leaders Tathiana Garbin (women's national team captain) and Filippo Volandri (men's captain), who discussed the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup on display. Garbin remarked: "The pressure that Italian athletes will have is a privilege that few can afford. Our players are aware of this honour and the burden of meeting expectations." Volandri added confidence about the team's prospects, noting Jannik Sinner's recent winning streak. The event also turned to football, with Roma legend Giuseppe Giannini addressing the upcoming Derby della Capitale scheduled for the following week. Giannini stressed Roma's need for three consecutive victories to keep Champions League hopes alive, saying the Giallorossi must secure all nine remaining points and hope Juventus stumble. Lazio representatives Nando Orsi and Massimo Maestrelli's son discussed their side's Coppa Italia final against Inter. Roma's women's team coach Luca Rossettini was also present, expressing pride in the squad's recent Scudetto victory. Other sports figures contributed to the programme, including swimmer Alessia Filippi, who discussed her path from Rome's periphery to world championship success at Rome 2009.

Alessandro Onorato, the City of Rome's councillor for major events, has proposed scheduling the upcoming Derby della Capitale between Roma and Lazio for Monday at 20:45 (8:45 p.m.). The fixture's timing remains uncertain due to the Italian Open tennis final, scheduled for Sunday, with authorities seeking to avoid public order complications from running both events simultaneously. Speaking on Rai Radio1's Un Giorno da Pecora programme, Onorato stated: "I believe the tennis final should be held on Sunday and the Roma derby on Monday at 20:45. It certainly could have been organised better." The scheduling challenge extends beyond the tennis conflict. Current Serie A regulations require simultaneous kickoff times for matches involving teams competing for the same objective. This means Como, Juventus, and Milan—clubs fighting for comparable league positions—must play at the same time, further complicating fixture planning. These overlapping constraints have prevented officials from confirming a definitive kickoff time for the highly anticipated derby. The competing demands of sporting regulations and public safety infrastructure continue to shape discussions around the match's final scheduling.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will hold a press conference tomorrow ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture against Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, scheduled for 18:00. The Giallorossi are in preparation for the upcoming away match. Details regarding the exact time and broadcast details of the press conference remain unclear from the available information.

Roma midfielder Wesley has been spending time in the kitchen recently, taking on chef duties. The Brazilian player has moved beyond preparing carbonara and is now working on main courses, with video content documenting his culinary experiments. Details remain unclear on the specific dishes he is preparing or the context behind this off-pitch activity.

Roma is moving toward contract renewals with key senior players Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante, and Lorenzo Pellegrini under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's direction. Mancini and Cristante, who worked with Gasperini at Bergamo, are expected to sign multi-year deals through 2030, while Pellegrini will likely extend through 2029 with a salary reduction. Zeki Celik, also in contract talks, wishes to remain at the club and is negotiating improved terms under Italy's Decreto Crescita tax incentive. Gasperini has personally championed the renewals of these veterans as integral to Roma's ambitions. The coach views them as essential players whose retention is crucial to raising the club's performance level, especially as Roma prepares to pursue three or four top-tier signings comparable to current squad members Wesley and Donyell Malen. Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy, both out of contract on 30 June, remain in focus; the coach holds both in high regard, though El Shaarawy's future will be revisited only at the season's end. Gasperini's backing represents a significant vote of confidence in the squad's core, countering earlier criticism of these players as underperformers.

AS Roma are tracking Montrell Culbreath, a right-back from Bayer Leverkusen, as a potential option to strengthen the defence. The German talent, born in 2007, plays across the full width of the right flank and has attracted interest from multiple clubs following his promotion to the first team. Roma scouts have attended recent matches at the BayArena to assess him directly. Culbreath's current valuation stands at approximately 7–8 million euros, though this figure could rise significantly if competing clubs enter the race. The interest comes as Roma continue to evaluate their defensive options following uncertainty over Celik's contract renewal. The club recognises the need to reinforce both wide positions heading into the next season. Culbreath's profile is described as similar to Wesley, a current Roma player, and to Jeremie Frimpong, who previously played for Bayer before moving elsewhere. The player's relatively affordable current asking price makes him an attractive target for the giallorossi as they plan for the coming window. Details regarding Roma's search for a new sporting director remain in flux, but the scouting department is actively working on recruitment targets for the future. The club's monitoring of young talent across Europe continues as they prepare contingency options for the squad.