France vs Morocco: World Cup quarter-final kick-off time, TV coverage, and likely line-ups

AS Roma will face Newport County, a fourth-division English club, in a pre-season friendly on 4 August at 19:00 at Rodney Parade stadium in Newport, Wales. The club has announced ticket details through an official statement, with seats priced at €17.50, with reductions available for under-18s and under-14s, and free admission for children under 6. Gates open at 17:00 at Gate 6, and tickets are available on the Newport County website. The match is part of Roma's pre-season preparation ahead of the 2026–27 campaign. The team will begin their summer training retreat at Trigoria on 13 July, then relocate to Hensol in Wales from 31 July onwards. The Newport County fixture is one of several friendlies scheduled during this preparation period in Wales, allowing Gasperini's squad to build match fitness before the competitive season begins.

AS Roma have officially confirmed a pre-season friendly against Newport County on 4 August at Rodney Parade stadium in Wales, with kickoff at 19:00 local time (20:00 Italy time). The match is managed by former Leicester manager Fuchs and represents Roma's second test in the United Kingdom during their summer schedule. Information for visiting supporters' tickets will be communicated in the coming days. The Newport County fixture slots into Roma's busy pre-season calendar as they prepare for the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina. The friendly comes after an earlier match against Cardiff on 1 August, followed by another game at Brighton on 8 August. After these English fixtures, Roma will face Borussia Dortmund on 15 August in their final warm-up before domestic competition resumes. These matches form part of the club's preparations under their summer training camp, with player fitness and tactical development a priority ahead of the new season.

Roma midfielder Manu Koné started for France in their Round of 16 World Cup match against Paraguay, replacing the injured Aurélien Tchouameni. Despite the absence of Real Madrid's midfielder, French media and supporters have praised Koné's solid display. France won 1–0 thanks to a Kylian Mbappé penalty, advancing to the quarter-finals while demonstrating resilience against a compact defensive opponent. Koné earned widespread acclaim for his performance across both defensive and attacking phases. Journalist Olivier Bossard of L'Équipe stated: "I am not concerned about Tchouameni's absence. I think Koné will be very good and hold firm. We are not losing quality—in fact, we may even improve with him, because we gain attacking options without losing anything in defence." The Roma midfielder recorded 88 touches, tied for the match high, and attempted three long-range shots while making continuous defensive interventions. RMC Sport named him man of the match, though some outlets such as Le Figaro highlighted technical errors in the first half. Deschamps' assistant Guy Stéphan described Koné as "a different type of player, one with quality and a different profile," emphasizing his ball recovery abilities and distribution. Koné was cautioned late in the match but demonstrated the work rate and versatility that satisfied French staff and supporters alike.

Bryan Cristante has become an indispensable figure for Roma in the 2025–26 season, finally silencing years of criticism by leading the club's midfield as they qualified for the Champions League and won a European trophy. The midfielder made 37 appearances from 38, accumulating 3,103 minutes—more than any other outfield player at the club. Deployed frequently by Gasperini in a two-man midfield pairing with Koné, Pisilli, or El Aynaoui, Cristante also operated as a central attacking midfielder behind two strikers to cover offensive shortcomings, showcasing the professionalism Gasperini considers essential for future campaigns. Cristante's goal tally was modest: two goals across all competitions, both in Serie A. He opened his account in Roma's 2–1 victory at Fiorentina on 5 October 2025, then added another in the 3–0 home win over Cremonese on 22 February 2026. Critics had long blamed his extended playing time for Roma's failure to reach the Champions League in previous seasons, but this campaign vindicated his consistent contribution. Gasperini, like Mourinho, De Rossi, Ranieri before him, and Italy manager Mancini—with whom Cristante won the 2021 European Championship—has consistently recognised his value. Cristante averaged a season rating of 6.2, slightly above par. Standout performances earned him 7-point ratings in derbies against Lazio (0–1 and 2–0), wins over Fiorentina (1–2), Sassuolo (0–1), and Roma–Como (1–0, receiving 7.5). His poorest showings came in Inter–Roma (5–2) and Genoa–Roma, both scored 4, though the Inter collapse saw the entire squad struggle.

Paulo Dybala has credited José Mourinho with bringing him to Roma, describing the former manager as "a genius and a good person" who earned the affection of supporters through his dedication. Speaking to YouTuber Davoo, Dybala reflected on his time in the capital, commenting on fellow squad member El Aynaoui's World Cup performance and recalling the controversial Europa Conference League final defeat to Sevilla, where he acknowledged a handball incident but noted that "throughout the match there were various moments in which the referee made strange decisions." Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe has intensified efforts to sign Mason Greenwood ahead of Roma, engaging directly with the English forward's representatives and Marseille. Roma's pursuit is complicated by Marseille's firm €50 million valuation, which is reinforced by a pre-existing agreement requiring 40% of any future sale to be paid to Manchester United. This financial rigidity leaves Roma facing pressure to move quickly or risk losing the target to the Turkish club. Roma's pre-season schedule has been adjusted. The originally planned friendly against Roma City has been cancelled and replaced by a match against Sorianese on 16 July. Between 19–24 July, the squad will face two further internal friendlies: against the Primavera side and then Trastevere.

Manu Koné has progressed from a starstruck teenager who photographed Paul Pogba at Euro 2016 to a key player in France's World Cup campaign. Roma signed the midfielder for €18 million, and his performances at the club earned him his international debut on 6 September 2024 at age 23 — the same dream he held when he admired Pogba years earlier. Koné has featured prominently in France's tournament run, appearing in group matches against Iraq and Norway, then in the knockout stages against Paraguay after resting against Sweden. The midfielder has documented his journey with compelling social media content, including a comic posted one day before the tournament began showing his family celebrating and thanking manager Deschamps, alongside memories stretching back to May 2012 when his brother first told him about a World Cup dream. He has remained engaged even when not called upon, and stands ready to step in if Aurélien Tchouameni is unavailable for the quarter-finals against Morocco in Boston — notably featuring Roma teammate Neil El Aynaoui on the opposing side.