Paolo Di Canio, the former Lazio player, has offered his assessment of Italian clubs' prospects in this season's Champions League, singling out Roma for encouragement. Speaking to La Stampa, Di Canio ranked the Serie A representatives by their potential to advance, positioning Roma as capable of enjoying the competition despite the elite opposition they will face.
Di Canio identified Inter as the strongest Italian candidate to progress, while suggesting that the other Serie A clubs, if drawn favourably, can target the quarter-finals. Roma, he said, "can have fun" — a characterisation that reflects confidence in their ability to compete without necessarily making them title contenders. He also highlighted Como as a potential surprise package, and noted that Napoli's midfield options have lost some freshness.
On broader European matters, Di Canio expressed support for the raised threshold for VAR intervention, advocated by Orsato, calling for a standard that gives referees genuine peace of mind. He was critical of the decision to rescind Balogun's suspension, calling it "very serious," and lamented what he sees as ex-players commenting on football reforms "as if they were scientists" in order to protect their earnings. On Milan and Juventus in the Europa League, he argued that the two managers—Amorim and Spalletti—must balance their squad rotation, noting that Amorim will not calculate his team selection while Spalletti, being more experienced, may do so. He also offered mixed views on Milan's squad, praising Douglas Luiz as a regista but expressing reservations about Wöltemeade and noting that while Alajbegovic can dribble, he lacks a strong shot.
Story Coverage21 sources on this story
# Roma's Champions League Return: Istanbul Test Against Fenerbahçe
Roma return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in seven years on Thursday at 18:45, facing Fenerbahçe at Istanbul's Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. The only absentee is Lorenzo Pellegrini through injury, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confident his squad can compete at Europe's elite level. Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano will officiate the match, having previously overseen two Roma European ties with mixed results: a 5–3 penalty victory over Feyenoord in the 2023–24 Europa League and a 2–1 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2019–20.
Gasperini has emphasized Roma must maintain their identity and intensity against strong opposition including Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood, the English forward Gasperini pursued during the summer window. The coach highlighted Paulo Dybala's form as crucial: "With him on the pitch we are stronger. He is showing consistency." Roma arrive on an eight-match winning streak in Serie A. Defender Mario Hermoso stressed the significance of the competition in his pre-match comments, saying Roma "want to make a great start here in Istanbul" and that Gasperini's tactical intensity is well-suited to Champions League football. The formation is expected to mirror Roma's recent Serie A setup, with Donyell Malen and Dybala leading the attack.
Rome's radio voices offered tactical predictions, with opinions split on the outcome. Andrea Pugliese noted Fenerbahçe "mid-table" status with manager Kartal potentially under pressure, calling it "a fine test," while Nando Orsi and Roberto Pruzzo each predicted 1–1 draws. Pruzzo suggested the midfield lacks necessary depth for rotation. Roma will wear a special kit displaying the World Food Programme logo instead of their regular Eurobet.live sponsor due to Turkish advertising regulations, supporting humanitarian relief for Nepal following devastating floods and landslides affecting 43,000 people. Match-worn shirts will be auctioned for relief funds. Paolo Di Canio told La Stampa Roma "can enjoy themselves" in the competition, though he identified PSG, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Arsenal as principal challengers.
AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.
Testo Originale / Source Text
“Paolo Di Canio, ex giocatore della Lazio, ha rilasciato alcune dichiarazioni a La Stampa. L’ex biancoceleste ha espresso le sue considerazioni sulla Champions, parlando proprio della Roma. Di seguito uno stralcio delle sue parole
Che possibilità hanno le italiane in Champions?«L’Inter può andare…”
Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.
