Roma seeks to break Champions League curse under Friedkin ownership

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.