Gasperini keeps feet on ground in superstitious mood ahead of Verona fixture

Gian Piero Gasperini has condemned the structure of the Italian transfer window, arguing that allowing the market to close after the league season has begun creates unnecessary chaos for all clubs. Speaking after Roma's friendly against Brighton, the Roma head coach said: "As always the market starts on 1 July and then everything is decided in the last 15 days of August. For everyone these are the wrong dates, because the squads are already in preparation for a month and the market is still up in the air for everyone." Daniele De Rossi, now managing Genoa, publicly backed Gasperini's position. De Rossi revealed that Norton Cuffy did not play in Genoa's friendly against Deportivo La Coruna due to market uncertainties, and used the occasion to criticise the calendar. He said: "It's a stupid thing, wrong, I don't understand who could like it, I don't understand who could agree with it. Meanwhile whoever wants to make a deal on 30 August will do it on 15 August, it's something that devastates everyone because if you play on 16 against Ascoli and on 15 they sell you a player you'll have some difficulty. This is a bureaucratic abomination that I will never be able to understand." Both coaches highlighted how the compressed August window forces transfers to occur once pre-season training is underway, destabilising squad preparation across Serie A.

Roma's third kit for the 2026–27 season has appeared in online sales at overseas retailers ahead of its official launch on 9 September. Manufactured by Adidas, the strip features a black base with white trim and the club's former crest positioned centrally on the chest, directly below the technical sponsor logo. The sleeves are decorated with thin yellow and red stripes, while the back of the collar displays the words 'Lotta con il cuore' (Fight with heart) alongside the ASR monogram. The Friedkin Group approved a return to the Roma crest for the 2026–27 season, and this third kit marks a notable design choice with the historic badge. The kit's premature appearance comes as Roma prepare for the start of their campaign, with the opening fixture set for Monday, 24 August at the Stadio Olimpico against Fiorentina. The unofficial preview has already circulated widely on TikTok and X, giving supporters an early glimpse of the design well before Adidas formally unveil it on 9 September.

Roma's third kit for the 2026–27 season is already available for purchase outside Italy, ahead of its official unveiling on 8 September. The shirt is black with white accents and features the club's traditional crest at the centre of the chest, positioned below the Adidas logo. Small yellow-and-red stripes run along the sleeve edges, while the collar bears the inscription "Lotta con il cuore" and the ASR logo. The leak comes via social media before Roma's formal presentation of the kit. The design follows the pattern established by the first two shirts of the season — the Virtus inspired the home strip and the Pietas the away kit. The third kit is understood to draw inspiration from the Roman virtue of Fides. Roma begin their league campaign on Monday 24 August at the Olimpico against Fiorentina, with the official kit launch now scheduled for 8 September as the club prepares for the 2026–27 season.