Totti admits surprise at Roma's Champions League qualification, comments on national team

Francesco Totti has expressed delight at AS Roma's achievement in securing third place and Champions League qualification under Gian Piero Gasperini this season. Speaking from Istanbul at the World Legends Padel Tour, Totti said: "Quanto mi ha esaltato la parte finale della stagione? Tantissimo, non pensavo che la Roma potesse arrivare in zona Champions, anche perché fino alla fine dipendeva da Juve e Milan. La qualificazione l'hanno buttata loro, la Roma è stata brava a capire l'importanza di stare sempre dietro di loro, ed è riuscita a controbattere tutto ottenendo quello che nessuno si aspettava" (How much the final part of the season excited me? Enormously, I didn't think Roma could reach the Champions League zone, especially because until the end it depended on Juve and Milan. They threw away the qualification, Roma was clever to understand the importance of staying behind them, and managed to counter everything and obtain what no one expected). Totti also discussed his friend Gattuso, now Lazio's coach, offering warm words about his potential success at the capital club despite their rivalry. He said: "Verrò a Roma, lo incontrerò, ci andrò a cena, vedremo di che pasta è fatto, anche perché Roma è una piazza diversa da tutte le altre. Lui parlerà della Lazio? E io della Roma" (I'll come to Rome, I'll meet him, we'll go to dinner, we'll see what he's made of, especially because Rome is a different piazza from all the others. He'll talk about Lazio? And I'll talk about Roma).

Federico Chiesa, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, discussed his time at Liverpool alongside Mohamed Salah and revealed details about the Egyptian's personal connections to Italy. Chiesa stated: "Salah has an immense heart and is still tied to Italy: he always talks about Florence and Rome." Chiesa added that despite Salah's legendary status and emotional farewell to Liverpool, he remained thoughtful toward his teammates and gave Chiesa a signed shirt with a personal message. Salah's affection for Roma has long been documented. The winger has never hidden his passion for Francesco Totti, one of his childhood idols, and has spoken warmly of former coach Luciano Spalletti, describing him as "the best coach I've ever had." His departure from Liverpool on a free transfer sparked brief speculation about a potential Roma return, though the financial costs of such a move are considered prohibitively high. Chiesa, frequently linked with Roma in transfer rumours, also addressed his own future, expressing openness to returning to Italian football. He said: "I'm open to everything, what matters is playing. I don't have the presumption to say I must be a starter. I'm ready to fight for my place, anywhere." Como currently leads the race for his signature, with Chiesa praising coach Fabio Fabregas as a "top coach" and highlighting Como's attractive style of play.

Cesc Fabregas has renewed his criticism of Italian football's tactical approach, arguing that many Serie A clubs focus on defending to beat opponents rather than attacking. Speaking to The Athletic, the Spanish manager highlighted the contrast between Serie A and the Premier League: "When you watch Premier League teams, you see a structure. You see what they're trying to do. You see the style they want to impose. Here, many times, it's impossible. It's impossible to understand what's happening. That's why you have to pay a lot of attention to details." Fabregas has become a recurring flashpoint with veteran Serie A coaches over the past two years. In March, a disagreement with Gian Piero Gasperini stemmed from a failure to shake hands after their match. Gasperini responded by stating: "I don't respect their behaviour on the pitch and on the bench." Previously, Massimiliano Allegri confronted Fabregas in the corridors of San Siro, telling him: "More respect is needed. You're a child, you started coaching yesterday." Fabregas explained his tactical philosophy, noting that Italian defences are physically imposing and often deliberately set up to frustrate opponents. He argued that winning in Italy requires precise attention to detail and the ability to exploit weaknesses in defensive structures. His list of managerial conflicts also includes Alessandro Nesta and Igor Tudor.