De Rossi senior departs Roma after 30 years; Ostiamare move mooted

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has ruled out discussing Endrick with José Mourinho ahead of tomorrow's match, stating that the transfer market holds no interest for him at present. Gasperini said: "We have just begun a run of matches and we will experience tomorrow's fixture as an event that has been missing for many years. We will live it that way." The fixture marks a significant occasion for Roma, with Gasperini emphasising the weight of the occasion. He added: "Tomorrow we will understand our level but we must not lose sight of who we are. Mou deserves the affection of the people." The comments come as Roma prepare for a match Gasperini considers a defining moment in the club's current campaign, though he has signalled that squad reinforcements are not a priority in his immediate thinking.

AS Roma has cleared a significant administrative hurdle in its plan to build a new stadium. The Lazio Region granted approval this morning for the environmental impact assessment of the club's technical and economic feasibility project. The regional Environment, Energy Transition and Waste Management directorate issued a favourable environmental assessment opinion on the new facility's construction and operation plans, as published in the official regional bulletin. The favourable ruling from the Rocca administration comes with prescriptions and conditions that must be incorporated into subsequent authorisation procedures. The authority responsible for issuing final permission will verify compliance with those prescriptions and report any violations. The environmental assessment represents a significant phase in the administrative process but does not yet constitute final clearance to begin construction.

Real Madrid will arrive at the Olimpico with all their key players available for the Champions League clash against Roma. Konaté, Valverde and Mbappé, initially in doubt owing to physical problems before the international break, played regularly against Villarreal and will be at manager José Mourinho's disposal. Mourinho will hold his pre-match press conference this evening at 18:00. This week carries profound emotional weight for Roma supporters: first the return of Mourinho with Real Madrid, then that of Daniele De Rossi managing Genoa against the club. Both figures departed abruptly from Roma's recent history. Mourinho revived the club's standing in major European competition, while De Rossi remains an absolute symbol of the club, with 616 appearances and 63 goals in a Roma shirt. Both fixtures have sold out at the Olimpico — the Champions League match and the Serie A encounter against Genoa — lending extra significance to the returns of these two men to the capital. The week ahead will test Roma fans emotionally as they confront two rival managers who shaped the recent era: one who brought Continental prestige back to Giallorossi, and one who embodied the club's identity through his long playing career.

Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy Roma's full attacking quality against Real Madrid, eschewing caution in favour of an open tactical approach that reflects his philosophy of competing through football rather than speculation. The manager drew confidence from Roma's draw at Como despite playing with ten men, and intends to harness the energy of the Olimpico crowd against the defending European champions. Gasperini's last meeting with Real Madrid came on 10 December 2024, when leading Atalanta to a 2–3 defeat in an entertaining, wide-open contest. Matías Soulé, who came off the bench at Como with positive impact, is set for a starting place. Paulo Dybala completed the league match with a hand injury but instrumental checks ruled out serious damage; he will feature from the first minute. Donyell Malen, suspended for Roma's next Serie A fixture against Genoa following his red card at Como, sees the Real Madrid match as a major opportunity for redemption. The formation will be a 3–4–2–1 capable of switching to an aggressive 3–4–1–2, with Marten de Roon and Manu Koné forming the midfield shield and Emanuele Lulli and Wesley operating on the flanks. Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini are lower in the pecking order for this fixture but available as replacements. Santiago Castro is also primed to feature either in the Champions League or the subsequent Serie A matches against Genoa and Napoli. Gasperini's approach mirrors the guidance offered by his fellow manager: "Advance and do not change according to your opponent." In European competition, teams that play defensively and seek a result against elite opponents typically fare poorly; attacking with courage and imposing play remains the surest path to avoiding being overwhelmed.

Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference at 13:30 on 13 October ahead of Roma's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid on Wednesday. The only remaining tactical uncertainty concerns a contest between Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matías Soulé for the attacking midfield role behind Paulo Dybala. UEFA has appointed French referee Francois Letexier to oversee the match at the Olimpico; Letexier has officiated Roma four times in European League competition (two wins, two defeats) and has six previous Champions League appointments with Real Madrid, most recently their victory over Benfica through a Vinicius goal. Dybala spoke to UEFA Champions League Magazine Show on Prime Video about the challenge ahead and his connection to Italy. He said: "We are facing one of the most decorated sides in the world, but with our supporters behind us we will have something extra." The Argentine expressed his feelings about both the fixture and his long-term ambitions in Italian football. Nicolò Zaniolo, now at Udinese, reflected on his Roma career and praised Gasperini's ability to extract maximum performance from his players. Zaniolo identified the attacking midfielder role as his natural position and spoke warmly of his time with the club. He credited José Mourinho, with whom he maintains contact, for the relationship they built during his spell in the Giallorossi shirt. Zaniolo expressed regret about the manner in which his time at Roma ended.

Roma face Real Madrid in a Champions League match on 13 October at 21:00 at the Olimpico. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will hold his pre-match press conference at 13:30 alongside one of the squad, before the team undertakes its final training session. Gasperini has few tactical doubts to resolve, with the main question mark on whether Lorenzo Pellegrini or Matías Soulé will start on the attacking third alongside Paulo Dybala. In his press conference remarks, Gasperini reflected on the timing of facing Real Madrid: "For us it is a good moment, undoubtedly, but we measure that tomorrow. We want to measure ourselves against them, they have need of a bit of running-in. It is a match of prestige and one that counts for the standings." On Roma's path to matching Europe's elite, he said: "It is difficult to have Real Madrid as a measuring stick. What we must take as a measuring stick is what happens on the pitch, measuring ourselves against them. We have played Inter and Como, among Italy's best, now we find one of Europe's best, we can understand how competitive we can be." Gasperini acknowledged the significance of facing José Mourinho, Roma's former manager, and the reception he will receive from the Olimpico crowd: "It is right that it should be so; there was important affection toward Mourinho. He deserves all the recognition they will give him. Then the match begins, Roma fans will support Roma." On Mourinho's methods, he added: "It depends. There was a very strong Inter under Mourinho; other times I have met him with Atalanta when he was at Roma. His results speak for themselves. I would take his empathy and his ability to have extraordinary players bought for exorbitant fees, and it is fantastic." Regarding tactical approach, Gasperini stressed: "Roma must not change its nature. We have characteristics we must not distort. Real Madrid needs little to create dangerous situations, but Roma must not distort itself."