Friedkin meets Ceferin over Roma's financial settlement; ruling expected in November

Former Roma forward Jeremy Menez has backed the club to challenge for the Serie A title this season and hailed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini as a tactical genius. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Menez reflected on his time in the Giallorossi shirt and offered his assessment of Roma's current trajectory under Gasperini's leadership. Menez, who arrived at Roma as a generational talent under the Sensi regime, spoke fondly of his spell at the club. "I had a blast," he said. "It wasn't easy arriving at such an important squad, but for me it was home. I only have good memories. This year Roma is title material: Gasp is a genius." On his playing days, Menez acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into an established dressing room but emphasised the emotional connection he felt to the club throughout his time there. When asked which clubs he would see himself at today, Menez named Como and Roma. "They play very well and have strong identities," he explained. "Fabregas, then, is one of the most talented coaches." Menez also reflected on his relationship with former Roma manager Spalletti, saying: "He valued me a lot, but he was tough on me. He knew my character and sometimes made me do exercises for half an hour at the end of training." He also commented on the broader state of attacking football, noting that creative players are increasingly rare in modern football and singling out Milan under Amorim as lacking imagination.

Dan Friedkin met Aleksander Ceferin during the European club assembly in Copenhagen to discuss Roma's financial fair play case. The club failed to meet its budget target set four years ago under an agreement with European football's governing body and now awaits a ruling from UEFA's Club Financial Control Body in November. During the informal conversation, Friedkin explained to Ceferin the reasons behind the breach, emphasising that financial stability remains a cornerstone of his project. He highlighted Roma's improving loss trajectory and the substantial future revenue streams from Champions League participation and the new stadium project. After the 30 June deadline passed, Roma intensified direct contact with Ceferin and opened negotiations to avoid worst-case scenarios.

Former Roma winger Menez has spoken publicly about his time at the club and Gian Piero Gasperini's current squad in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. Menez arrived at Roma under the Sensi ownership and became one of the few bright spots during a mixed period in the club's history, earning a reputation for magical play and beautiful goals, though his difficult temperament occasionally drew criticism during his career. Asked which clubs he would join today, Menez named Como and Roma as his top choices. "They play very well and have strong identities," he said. "Fabregas is one of the most talented managers." On his time in Rome, he reflected warmly: "I had a great time. It wasn't easy arriving at such an important dressing room, but for me it was home. I have only good memories. This year Roma is Scudetto material: Gasp is a genius." Menez also discussed the current state of Serie A, describing it as having "lost a bit of appeal" but now finding it "more fascinating" with new, young managers and important players. He highlighted the loss of creativity in modern football, citing the Milan of Amorim as an example. Separately, he reflected on his relationship with Luciano Spalletti, his former Roma manager, saying: "He valued me a lot, but he was tough with me. He knew my character and sometimes made me do exercises for half an hour after training."