Gasperini celebrates with Roma fans after derby victory

AS Roma have officially confirmed a pre-season friendly against Newport County on 4 August at Rodney Parade stadium in Wales, with kickoff at 19:00 local time (20:00 Italy time). The match is managed by former Leicester manager Fuchs and represents Roma's second test in the United Kingdom during their summer schedule. Information for visiting supporters' tickets will be communicated in the coming days. The Newport County fixture slots into Roma's busy pre-season calendar as they prepare for the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina. The friendly comes after an earlier match against Cardiff on 1 August, followed by another game at Brighton on 8 August. After these English fixtures, Roma will face Borussia Dortmund on 15 August in their final warm-up before domestic competition resumes. These matches form part of the club's preparations under their summer training camp, with player fitness and tactical development a priority ahead of the new season.

France advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals with a narrow 1–0 victory over Paraguay, secured by a penalty converted by Kylian Mbappé. The South American side proved a tough and physical opponent, but France maintained composure and achieved their objective. Midfielder Manu Koné was among those praised for his performance in a demanding match. Koné, who currently plays for AS Roma, delivered a composed display in midfield against Paraguay's aggressive approach. He spoke about the nature of the contest after the match, noting the physicality on display and the tactical awareness required to navigate it without being drawn into unnecessary confrontation. The midfielder highlighted France's preparation and intelligence in handling the situation. In his post-match comments to beIN Sports, Koné reflected: "It was a very hard match, but we are happy. Today we adapted. They were a rather... physical team! We choose our words carefully (smiles). We managed to stand up to our opponents in the challenges, we won 1–0, we were effective. There were some excessive interventions, but we didn't fall into their trap. The coach had warned us during the week. We were intelligent, we just wanted to win." France's disciplined approach proved decisive in securing progression to the next stage.

Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui spoke after Morocco's World Cup victory over Canada, which secured passage to the quarter-finals. He acknowledged that Canada started strongly and caught his team off guard in the first half, but Morocco adjusted in the second period to create more dangerous opportunities. El Aynaoui reflected on the tournament's difficulty, noting that all matches present challenges regardless of opponent. El Aynaoui confirmed ongoing contact with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and his coaching staff during the international break. When asked about communication, he stated: "Yes. I am in contact with the staff, we speak by message." The midfielder remains a key player for Morocco despite an underwhelming individual performance in the Canada match. He dismissed any notion of seeking revenge against France, whom Morocco lost to in the previous World Cup, emphasizing that each remaining fixture demands full preparation. Should France progress and Morocco advance, a quarter-final meeting could see fellow Roma player Koné face El Aynaoui on the pitch, adding a giallorossi dimension to potential later-stage matchups.