Court of Cassation upholds Roma's dismissal of Petrachi

José Mourinho will return to the Olimpico as an opponent for the first time since his dismissal from Roma, with the reunion set for next week. The Real Madrid manager, now in his current role, gave an interview to Corriere dello Sport in which he reflected on his bond with Roma and what to expect when he faces his former club. Mourinho emphasized the pain of his Roma exit but said he has maintained respect for the institution. "You know how much it hurt me to leave Roma, but there is not a word from me against the club or the ownership," he said. "I leave cleanly. It may not seem like it, but I am a very educated person and I leave with the feeling that Roma will always be my home. And that has been the case at Madrid too." He compared his connection to Roma with few others in his managerial career, drawing parallels only with his earlier relationship at the club. "The day I arrived I saw 1,000 people. I didn't understand why—I hadn't done anything yet. I didn't think I deserved it, but that is Rome and I understood it afterwards. Our relationship is special because they understood that I didn't care about my image or my relationships with Italian football politics, the press or the ownership. I only cared about what was good for Roma and the Romanisti. I fought for them, I gave everything." Mourinho credited the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League triumph—Roma's first major trophy in two decades—as the peak of his connection with the supporters. "We won a cup that means a lot to a club that hadn't won so much," he said. He also referenced the aftermath of the final in Budapest and subsequent disciplinary action from UEFA, noting: "When the final ended, I go on holiday and when I return I'm already dead for what UEFA made me pay. What happened to Taylor at the airport is not my responsibility—it's the insults in the garage and I should only pay for that. And I paid for this in the relationship with Roma's ownership since they had a different approach. At that moment I was already out." When asked whether he felt the same affection for Francesco Totti, Mourinho said: "Francesco is untouchable. I will always be behind him. Roma has a beautiful history with historic players; I also think of Bruno Conti, whom I love." On the atmosphere he expects to encounter, Mourinho said: "I don't expect anything. I expect only respect and that's it. I haven't yet started preparing for that match—neither as a manager nor as an old boy coming home. I haven't thought about this yet. I have to defend myself and prepare to do my job well, and to do that I need to try to forget where I am and against whom I'm playing. I did this with Inter or Chelsea. At Roma it never happened to me, and I must say it will be different. I will take the road that leads to the Olimpico as an opponent. It will be the first time I go there without the passion of the Romanisti fans. And I will have to prepare my players for this."

Leaks have emerged of Roma's home shirt for the 2027–28 season, designed as a tribute to the club's centenary. Specialist website footyheadlines.com published a design sketch by designer JMFK, revealing the kit will feature the club's traditional dark red paired with elegant gold details. The new shirt marks Roma's 100-year anniversary and honours the Football Club of Roma, one of three founding clubs. The design is expected to carry the current AS Roma crest rather than the vintage Football Club of Roma logo, maintaining continuity with the club's modern identity as it celebrates its milestone.

Gian Piero Gasperini has spoken about Roma's title aspirations and his reflections on his time at Atalanta, giving an interview to Corriere della Sera from his wine business in Grugliasco. The Roma head coach emphasised the importance of collective spirit over individual talent, saying: "It is my way of seeing football. But numbers count only to a certain point. The fundamental aspect is playing as a team: believing in collective work, in which attackers defend and defenders attack. Let's tell the truth: in football, as in wine, nothing is invented. It is team spirit that creates the difference. Application and selflessness are needed." Gasperini reflected on difficult moments in his career, including his dismissal from Inter, but credited Atalanta with giving him continued backing when results were not coming. He spoke of his deep attachment to Bergamo: "Bergamo was the longest and most intense stage of my existence as a wanderer in football. I have no regrets, but I feel a profound nostalgia for a community where I had integrated perfectly. That is why I often return there. I miss everything about Bergamo." He also noted he has not sold his home in the city, leaving the door open to a potential return. On Roma's objectives, Gasperini stated: "Our plan was to reach the top in three years. We would not mind bringing the Scudetto forward. But we are aware that the road is long. In football there are no straight roads or clear paths. There will be ups and downs. If we can manage them, who knows..." He also remarked humorously on the adjustment to Rome's food culture, saying: "The biggest problem is its cuisine. I have to be careful with carbonaras, I am getting too fat."