France face Spain in World Cup semi-final as Koné awaits confirmation

Roma travel to Lecce on Monday 31 August at 18:30 for the second round of Serie A 2026–27, aiming to build on a commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has injury concerns ahead of the fixture at the Stadio Via del Mare: Devyne Rensch is sidelined with a strain to the left thigh flexor, and Lorenzo Pellegrini remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a right thigh rectus femoris injury. Gasperini is expected to field a settled defensive shape with Mile Svilar in goal and a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. Nahuel Molina's availability is being assessed; if he cannot play, Giorgio De Marzi will step in after an impressive display against Fiorentina. Wesley continues at left wing-back. Bryan Cristante is assured of his midfield place alongside Manu Koné. In the attacking third, the main selection question concerns Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; Mora started against Fiorentina and impressed, forcing a good save from De Gea, while Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are primed to lead the line. Malen was the star of Roma's opening fixture, scoring three goals and supplying three assists against Fiorentina, while Dybala also contributed three assists. Niccolò Pisilli rounded off the rout with Roma's fourth goal. The visitors hold a commanding historical record: across 42 meetings with Lecce, Roma have won 29, drawn 11 and lost only twice. The clubs last met in the 2025–26 season, when Roma won 1–0 at home through Robinio Vaz. Lecce arrive after an away victory over Venezia (2–0, goals from Gorter and Tiago Gabriel) and will play in a 4–3–3 formation under manager Eusebio Di Francesco. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, Sky Sport and NOW. Official team sheets will be released approximately one hour before kickoff.

Real Madrid have been drawn as one of Roma's eight opponents in the Champions League league phase, with the fixture to be held at the Olimpico. Emilio Butragueno, the club's institutional relations director and a Madrid legend, outlined the scale of the task ahead after the draw. Roma will face one of Europe's most successful sides in a fixture of considerable prestige. Butragueno stressed the difficulty of such encounters, shaped by the passion with which they are played and the quality they demand. He explained that Madrid approach every match with enthusiasm and confidence in their players, while remaining acutely aware of the challenge posed. Butragueno said: "We are talking about the Champions League. We are aware of the passion with which matches of this type are lived, and this always makes them extremely difficult. We fight with great enthusiasm, as always, with full confidence in our players, but also aware that every match is a challenge and requires a highest-level performance from the squad if we want to reach our objectives." He added that the new format is "particularly demanding because, unlike the previous one, now you compete against everyone. This forces us to consider every match practically as a final, because the objective is to get into the top eight, ideally the top four, which would guarantee us the home advantage until the end. This must be our horizon, and also, if possible, avoid playing the knockout playoff. It is fundamental to start earning points from the early matches, so that the squad gains the confidence needed to finish among the best."

Rodrigo Mora announced himself to AS Roma supporters with an influential display on his first outing in the giallorosso shirt, earning immediate praise from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The Portuguese talent, who arrived with the tag of a €52 million investment despite an initial outlay of €25 million, demonstrated rare maturity for his age. Operating on the left wing to exploit his pace and create numerical advantage, Mora showed glimpses of his quality throughout the contest, most notably executing a cutting switch to his right foot and curling a shot towards the top corner that required a fine save from the opposition goalkeeper. Gasperini was visibly enthused by what he saw. After the match, the Roma coach highlighted Mora's versatility, emphasizing that he is capable of playing as a playmaker or across the flanks. He noted that Mora creates something meaningful every time he touches the ball. The wide role allowed the Portuguese winger to exploit his dribbling ability—a quality that had already caught attention during his time in La Liga—while demonstrating his adaptability to Roma's demanding environment. Alongside strong contributions from Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala, the evening provided early evidence that Mora possesses the foundations needed to become a key player for the club.