Gandler outlines Roma's centenary strategy, focusing on lasting projects and listening to fans

A Porto executive has insisted that the Rodrigo Mora deal is worth €50 million overall, even though the initial transfer was set at a lower figure. He said the club had invested €37 million in the 2026/27 summer window, compared with around €110 million the previous summer, and had made sales worth €78 million, counting Mora at €50 million. He explained the structure: "It was 25 million euros for 50%, but we have an option that depends solely on our will. For us it is a 50 million euro operation." Roma's attention is now turning to the left flank, where the squad is reportedly short of a player with pace. Sporting director D'Amico, formerly of Atalanta, is looking to Brazil to give Gian Piero Gasperini a new piece to complete the squad and make it more competitive. According to market expert Ekrem Konur, Roma like Flamengo's Samuel Lino, and the club have reportedly already offered €25 million, which Flamengo have rejected. Kostas Manolas has looked back on his time in the Capital, with personal memories, behind-the-scenes market stories and views on some of the figures from that period, speaking to Betardes. On Roma's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, which followed the comeback against Barcelona, he still has regrets. "We go to Liverpool and I have the worst dream I could have in my life. I dream that a tooth falls out. I believe in these things. When I had that dream, I understood it would be a very difficult day. One or two of their goals were offside, but we were very poor. And I was very poor too. I can tell you that it was one of my worst Champions League matches. I was really terrible." Back at the Olimpico, he disputed several refereeing decisions: "We should have won. El Shaarawy shoots and Alexander-Arnold pushes the ball away with his hand before it goes in. It is a penalty and a red card. We could have made it 3-2 in the 55th minute and turned the game around. Then there is another incident: a penalty that is not given for an offside that does not exist. There is no offside. If there had been VAR, we would have gone to the final. We had come back against Barcelona and we would have come back against Liverpool too." Roma are also still tracking Endrick of Real Madrid, a target pursued at length over the summer, who has scored his only goal of the season against Roma. Speaking to GloboEsporte, the 20-year-old said: "I am only 20, so I will see how things evolve. I just want to play, be happy and help my teammates. I don't know what will happen in January; it is in God's hands. I only ask for what is best for my career." He added: "Whatever is meant to happen will happen. I will keep my feet on the ground and continue to give my absolute best. Madrid is a wonderful city, but I will always do whatever is necessary to advance my career."

Francesco Totti stars in a new Nike campaign alongside Italian prodigy Samuele Inacio, born in 2008, with the former Roma captain playing a hairdresser for a day. The short film, made with One Block Down, celebrates the legacy of great players and their power to shape future generations. The concept centres on an ironic twist: the former Giallorossi captain takes on the role of a coiffeur and welcomes the young prodigy into his unusual salon. A "Vie' domani, ciao bello" delivered in typical Roman style gives the appointment the feel of an informal passing of the torch. The real twist comes once the treatment is finished, when the mirror reveals a deliberately eccentric creation, with daring geometric shapes, the unmistakable "One Block Down" signature cut into the hair and tufts left to chance. Totti's amused reaction to the gag and to his young colleague's bizarre look is central to the film. The video was quickly shared on the official social channels of Nike Sportswear and partner brands and immediately excited the online community. The campaign presents itself as more than marketing, a cultural statement in which the self-deprecating humour of a club icon meets the exuberance of youth, reminding fans that football is a game to be handed down with a smile.

Roma's new stadium at Pietralata is taking increasingly concrete shape, and its Curva Sud will be at the heart of it. Lucia Bernabé, the club's head of institutional relations, announced at the Social Football Summit in Turin that the new curve will be the biggest in Europe. The stadium is designed not only to host matches but to become the new home of Roma supporters. Bernabé explained that designing a stadium is not only about architecture but about understanding the club's history and the values that hold it together. "When you think about designing a stadium, it is not only about the architectural design of the stadium itself, but about awareness of the club's history and the values that hold it together," she said. "A stadium must not be defined exclusively as a place where a match is played for 90 minutes every week, but is the home of a football team, the home of the fan." The new Curva Sud, which according to the project could hold around 23,000 spectators, is built on this philosophy. "The study and design of this curve come from the desire to create a sort of embrace for the team: the fan must be able to embrace their club." The project, Bernabé stressed, comes from the vision and determination of the Friedkin family, who have chosen to make an extraordinary investment not only for the future of AS Roma but also for that of the city. The project is also an opportunity to transform Pietralata. "The first institutions are the citizens themselves. Citizens must understand that we will not damage their area, but improve it. The stadium will bring new roads, infrastructure and will help improve the whole neighbourhood," she said, stressing the importance of constant dialogue between the club, administrations and residents. The aim remains to begin construction in 2027. Bernabé said the project is now at an advanced stage, with the executive design delivered and the final administrative steps still to be completed before work on the sites can begin. At the same summit, the club's plans for its Centenary in 2027 were also discussed. Michael Gandler, Roma's Chief Business Officer, explained that the club has been working for some time on a programme of initiatives and commercial partnerships to mark the hundred years of history. "For the centenary we started planning two years ago. And this is the ideal moment to start the conversations with clients, with sponsors, to create long and lasting projects. This is the maximum moment, where the doors are most open," Gandler said, stressing the strategic importance of the anniversary for the growth of the Roma brand. He also cited the collaboration with Q8 Radio as an example of the new forms of communication the club has developed. "The world is changing enormously, as are the traditional assets for sponsors. As a club we have launched a platform to create alternative forms of communication," he said, describing the deal as advantageous for the club, the commercial partner and fans. Marco Caliendo, Roma's Venue Business Director, also spoke about the matchday experience, outlining the club's work to enrich games without losing the identity and atmosphere of the Olimpico. Initiatives he cited included the High Five Tunnel, hospitality experiences and the Business Club, designed to create relationships and professional opportunities even outside matchdays.