El Aynaoui: No Easy Matches at World Cup; In Contact with Gasperini

AS Roma have opened ticket sales for the North-West Stand (Distinti Nord-Ovest) ahead of their Serie A season opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August, with a 20:45 kick-off at the Stadio Olimpico. The club has already sold more than 61,000 tickets and is aiming to reach 67,000 for a sold-out capacity. Fiorentina supporters based in Florence and the surrounding province have been banned from attending the away fixture. Roma are targeting a full house to mark the start of what manager Gian Piero Gasperini's side hope will be a campaign culminating in a return to the Champions League. The first match of the domestic campaign is scheduled to welcome a crowd befitting the occasion. With over 61,000 tickets sold, Roma's push for the full 67,000-capacity crowd reflects the appetite among supporters for a successful new season under Gasperini.

Roma have opened ticket sales for their Serie A fixture against Atalanta on September 5 at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico. The match is the third round of the season and represents a high-level test for the Giallorossi, arriving after opening fixtures against Fiorentina at home and Lecce away. Tickets went on sale from 12:00 today. Supporters can find all pricing information and purchase tickets via the dedicated page on Roma's official website.

Matteo Marcenaro has been appointed to referee Roma's first Serie A match of the season against Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on 24 August at 20:45. The fixture comes five days after the announcement of the Serie A refereeing assignments for opening weekend. Marcenaro last took charge of a Roma match on 18 April, when Roma faced Atalanta. He will be supported by assistants Lo Cicero and Rossi, with Fabbri as fourth official. Abisso will serve as VAR and Giua as assistant VAR for the match.

Roma radio commentators dissected the Giallorossi's opening performance on 15 August, offering mixed assessments of the squad's readiness and frustration over the transfer window's output. Pruzzo told Radio Radio Mattino that Roma played well for 15 minutes but were exposed on set pieces, noting that "Dybala is in good form, but won't be able to play this type of match all the time. Soulé hasn't managed to show his qualities yet, and struggles alongside Dybala. El Aynaoui operates at too measured a pace—we'd need a player with different running ability, and I'd think about it from a market perspective. For now Malen is a distant relation of the player we know, but he and Castro are strong. I'm worried Molina gave his best at Atlético Madrid." Mattioli struck a harsher tone, saying "Roma hasn't displeased me, but some players need to improve physically. Roma 'talks, talks', but then at the final moment does nothing. If we look at the desired targets and who has arrived, the balance is zero. The investments have been made, but the names being discussed for two months haven't arrived. Roma must play in the Champions League." Orsi raised tactical concerns about left-sided incompatibility between Soulé and Dybala, and questioned why Roma, pursuing an attacking wide player since 1 July, had not yet secured one. He also flagged concerns over a potential late-window departure of a key player.

Roma radio commentators offered mixed assessments of the Ferragosto fixture, with former striker Roberto Pruzzo highlighting both positives and concerns over the club's attacking setup. Pruzzo noted that Roma played well for 15 minutes against an opponent still warming up, but conceded the opening goal through poor pressing discipline. He praised Paulo Dybala's fitness but questioned whether the Argentine can sustain that level every match. On Matías Soulé, Pruzzo observed: "Soulé is not yet able to express his qualities; with Dybala he struggles." He also assessed Neil El Aynaoui's tempo, saying the winger "goes at too measured a rhythm" and suggested Roma should consider a different profile in that position during the transfer window. Radio panellists raised frustration over Roma's transfer activity. Nando Orsi emphasised that since 1 July, Roma has searched for an attacking fullback without success, and pointed out that the pairing of Soulé and Dybala—both left-footers who want to play on the right—creates tactical incompatibility: "It is difficult for them to play well together." Mario Mattioli expressed concern that despite significant investment, none of the players Roma targeted two months ago have arrived, warning that "the Roma must play Champions League." Pruzzo added that Donyell Malen remains a pale shadow of his former self, though he and Castro possess quality, and warned that Molina may have already given his best at Atlético Madrid.

Roma drew 2–2 with Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park in their final pre-season fixture before the Serie A campaign begins. Paulo Dybala opened the scoring in the 4th minute, then set up Bryan Cristante for a second-half header five minutes later, but goals from Ryerson and Guirassy at the 12th and 28th minutes brought Dortmund level. Gasperini fielded a strong starting XI featuring the familiar defensive trio of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso, with Mile Svilar in goal. Bryan Cristante and Neil El Aynaoui controlled midfield, while Matías Soulé and Dybala supported Donyell Malen up front. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Niccolò Pisilli and Wesley were absent, the latter sidelined by a mild ankle sprain. The match showcased Roma's physical improvement over the summer, though defensive vulnerabilities remain. Dybala played with notable sharpness, while Gasperini offered frequent tactical instruction to Soulé, urging him to widen play. Roma's pre-season campaign closes in Germany, with the squad returning to Trigoria on Wednesday morning to resume preparations for the opening league fixture against Fiorentina. The match against Fabio Grosso's side arrives in seven days at the Stadio Olimpico, marking Roma's first competitive test and their return to Champions League football under Gasperini, now in his second season in charge.