El Aynaoui sidelined by food poisoning ahead of World Cup

Roma face Cardiff in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, 1 August at 16:00 — the Giallorossi's first examination of substance under Gasperini's direction this summer. The squad arrived in Wales on Friday and will field Paulo Dybala as the lead forward from the start, with Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen deployed in supporting attacking roles. Castro, described as Roma's new striker, will not start but is expected to feature as Gasperini assesses him on the pitch. Robinio Vaz returns to availability after an earlier absence, while Neil El Aynaoui has rejoined the group following time away and is ready to play. The match comes after Roma's initial pre-season friendlies against their Primavera side, Trastevere, and Cannes. It will be Roma's first match on Welsh soil under Gasperini, who took charge last year. The 3-4-2-1 formation sees Mile Svilar in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso in defence; Devyne Rensch, Neil El Aynaoui, Bryan Cristante, and Wesley across the midfield; and Dybala and Soulé behind Malen in attack. The fixture will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN with a 16:00 kickoff on Saturday, 1 August. A delayed terrestrial broadcast is scheduled for Canale Nove at 21:30.

Kostas Koulierakis has arrived at Roma from Wolfsburg in a deal worth €16.5 million plus €1.5 million in add-ons. Wolfsburg will also retain a 20 per cent stake in any future sale. The centre-back landed at Ciampino airport on 1 August and is expected to bolster Gasperini's defence. The transfer completes Roma's summer recruitment drive under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has made defensive stability a priority ahead of the 2026–27 season. Koulierakis's arrival follows a busy window for the Giallorossi, with the club continuing to reshape the squad to match Gasperini's tactical demands.

Roma travel to Wales on Saturday 1 August for a pre-season friendly against Cardiff, kicking off at 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT). Donyell Malen starts in attack, with Castro on the bench in his first appearance of pre-season. Neil El Aynaoui returns to action after missing the opening weeks of summer training due to World Cup involvement. Robinio Vaz is available after recovering from a knee injury. Niccolò Pisilli remains unavailable and has not yet reached full fitness. The match will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN, requiring a subscription to watch on smart TV, gaming consoles (Xbox or PlayStation), or streaming devices including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and TIM VISION Box. The fixture will also air on free-to-air channel Canale Nove, though only as a delayed broadcast at 21:30. Roma fans can follow live updates via Forzaroma.info's live blog and the club's social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma face Cardiff in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, 1 August at 16:00 — the Giallorossi's first examination of substance under Gasperini's direction this summer. The squad arrived in Wales on Friday and will field Paulo Dybala as the lead forward from the start, with Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen deployed in supporting attacking roles. Castro, described as Roma's new striker, will not start but is expected to feature as Gasperini assesses him on the pitch. Robinio Vaz returns to availability after an earlier absence, while Neil El Aynaoui has rejoined the group following time away and is ready to play. The match comes after Roma's initial pre-season friendlies against their Primavera side, Trastevere, and Cannes. It will be Roma's first match on Welsh soil under Gasperini, who took charge last year. The 3-4-2-1 formation sees Mile Svilar in goal, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso in defence; Devyne Rensch, Neil El Aynaoui, Bryan Cristante, and Wesley across the midfield; and Dybala and Soulé behind Malen in attack. The fixture will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN with a 16:00 kickoff on Saturday, 1 August. A delayed terrestrial broadcast is scheduled for Canale Nove at 21:30.

Roma travel to Wales on Saturday 1 August for a pre-season friendly against Cardiff, kicking off at 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT). Donyell Malen starts in attack, with Castro on the bench in his first appearance of pre-season. Neil El Aynaoui returns to action after missing the opening weeks of summer training due to World Cup involvement. Robinio Vaz is available after recovering from a knee injury. Niccolò Pisilli remains unavailable and has not yet reached full fitness. The match will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN, requiring a subscription to watch on smart TV, gaming consoles (Xbox or PlayStation), or streaming devices including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and TIM VISION Box. The fixture will also air on free-to-air channel Canale Nove, though only as a delayed broadcast at 21:30. Roma fans can follow live updates via Forzaroma.info's live blog and the club's social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma started their pre-season campaign in Wales on 1 August, with a morning training session at Hensol followed by a friendly against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium, kicking off at 15:00 (16:00 Italian time). All eyes were on Castro, who was set for his debut, while Neil El Aynaoui returned from holiday and is fully available for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The majority of the squad was available, with Robinio Vaz having recovered from injury and Niccolò Pisilli progressing in his rehabilitation and expected to rejoin the group in the coming days. The club's pre-season schedule continued with another training session scheduled for 2 August at the sports complex, open to supporters and media. A second friendly fixture against Newport follows on 3 August at 19:00.