Conference League marks historic Zaniolo goal from 2022 final; former Roma man reshares tribute

Francesco Totti has assessed Inter as championship contenders while backing Roma to challenge them this season. Speaking today, Totti suggested that despite Inter's strength, Roma possess the quality to compete for honours. Totti also addressed the club's 2027 centenary celebrations, offering insight into discussions about his involvement in those commemorations. The former Roma legend, who spent his entire playing career at the club and retired in 2017, remains in discussions about returning for the milestone year. The comments come as Roma prepare for their campaign under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who was appointed in 2025.

Roma returned to the Champions League after seven years, making their debut in the competition's new format with a 1–1 draw at Fenerbahce. The reformed league-phase structure has expanded from 32 to 36 teams, increasing revenue distribution across participating clubs. For the 2026–27 season, UEFA will distribute €2.47 billion across all competitors. Roma have already accrued €50.09 million according to Calcio e Finanza. Qualification alone granted the club €18.62 million, with their current league-phase position contributing at least €275,000. The draw in Turkey added €700,000 to their tally. The largest component of Roma's income comes from the value pillar, which contributes €30.49 million to the club's coffers — comprising €21.5 million from European-competition credits and €8.99 million from non-European elements. This total is set to grow depending on Roma's results in the remaining fixtures and their final position in the League Phase standings.

Roma supporter groups UTR and AIRC have issued a joint statement condemning the travel ban imposed on fans resident in Rome and the surrounding metropolitan area ahead of the Torino–Roma match. The two organisations argue that the restriction, applied a few days before the fixture, has become a blanket measure no longer tied to specific public-order concerns, and amounts to a generalised policy applied indiscriminately to away matches. In their statement, UTR and AIRC criticise the measure as arbitrary and counterproductive, comparing it to closing a motorway to prevent traffic accidents. They note that UEFA has itself criticised this method of managing public order at football matches. The clubs and governing bodies involved, they argue, have abandoned genuine prevention in favour of blanket bans. The statement emphasises that Roma itself has declared opposition to the ban and intends to protest against it, lending weight to the fan groups' case. The full text of the joint statement reads: "The battle continues from UTR and AIRC against the travel ban for Roma fans living in Rome and the province. It is entirely clear that this unjust measure is no longer linked to specific dangers to public order on the occasion of matches considered 'at risk', but rather it is a generalised and generic provision that is instrumentally adopted a few days before each away fixture in order to avoid even resorting to legal challenge. This in fact prevents fans resident in the Rome metropolitan area from supporting the team away, and has the logic of a blanket ban. The various bodies of the Ministry of the Interior show that the travel ban has become a precise choice in managing public order; prevention is no longer the approach, and for example it is as if a motorway were closed to traffic to avoid accidents. It is also noted that UEFA itself has criticised this method of managing public order by the authorities responsible for it, and the problems related to away travel in world football. Since AS Roma itself has declared itself opposed and intends to protest against this absurd ban relating to Torino–Roma, this statement represents a necessary protest by the organised fan base against this wrong method applied by the Ministry of the Interior to football. STOP DISCRIMINATING AGAINST US! UTR – AIRC1971"