Gasperini seeks Champions League as Roma prepare for Verona finale

Jonathan Rowe, Bologna's striker, has praised Santiago Castro's move to Roma and offered warm words about Artem Dovbyk, who has made the reverse journey from the Giallorossi to Bologna this summer. Rowe told Gazzetta dello Sport: "I'm happy for him. I wish him to grow further at Roma because he's an excellent player and a friend. It will be very strange to face him, we hope he does well except against us." On Dovbyk, who departed Roma for Bologna, Rowe said: "For me he's a top player. He has physicality, technique, he sees the goal. He has everything to do well and to get his revenge. I'm very happy he's with us." The comments reflect the close relationship between the two Serie A sides, with Castro and Dovbyk swapping clubs in the current transfer window.

AS Roma opened ticket sales on 7 August for their Serie A season opener against Fiorentina on 24 August at 20:45, with multiple sections moving towards sold-out status within hours. The club announced the launch with a tweet stating "The wait is almost over", following strong uptake in the season ticket campaign which reached 40,000 subscriptions. The return to the Champions League after seven years has generated widespread enthusiasm among supporters. Several sections sold out rapidly on the first evening, with limited availability already reported in premium and general seating areas. Monte Mario Centrale Nord and Sud tickets were priced at €99 and €110 respectively, Monte Mario Sud at €89, Monte Mario Top Sud at €83, Tevere Nord at €78, and Tevere Top Centrale at €86. Reductions for under-16s were available across multiple sectors: €38 for Nord tickets (already exhausted by evening), €48 for Distinti Nord Est, and €75 for Monte Mario Laterale (both North and South). Each supporter may purchase up to four tickets per transaction. All tickets will be issued digitally only, downloadable to mobile wallet or the "Il Mio Posto" app, with no PDF summary file issued.

Ticket sales for Roma's Serie A season opener against Fiorentina opened today. The fixture is scheduled for Monday, 24 August at 20:45 at the Stadio Olimpico. Tickets are available on the official club website according to the phases and methods announced by Roma, with prices and availability varying by sector and sales window. Roma have already reached the 40,000-subscription limit well in advance, which means the match will not proceed to the free general sale phase. The club expects a large attendance at the stadium. Fans purchasing tickets should note the structured allocation and pricing framework set out by the Giallorossi.

Roma's defence, which finished as Serie A's second-best last season, has shown alarming fragility during their pre-season tour of Britain. The Giallorossi conceded eight goals across three friendlies—four against Cardiff, one against Newport, and three against Brighton—with the tally rising to 11 when including a 3–3 draw against Cannes. Against Brighton on 8 August, Gasperini made wholesale defensive changes after Roma had shipped three goals in 49 minutes, introducing Ghilardi and new arrival Koulierakis while withdrawing N'Dicka and Hermoso. The ivory-coast central defender had failed to close down Ayari's double, prompting Gasperini to turn to the bench and shout "Let's change." Hermoso, managing an ankle problem, allowed Rutter to nearly extend the lead moments after the 3–0. Earlier defensive lapses against Cardiff exposed deeper issues: Ahsford's opener came after N'Dicka slipped and a rebound off Rensch, while Salech's second followed a costly Svilar error on a dangerous Wesley backpass. El Aynaoui was substituted at half-time after a misplaced pass that set up Ayari's second goal, and Rensch drew criticism for poor decision-making. The unit that had anchored Roma's recent success now appears fragile heading into the season. Gasperini acknowledged the work ahead, saying "the team is struggling to switch back on," highlighting the scale of the challenge to restore defensive solidity before competitive fixtures begin.

Roma are preparing a fresh approach for Alessio Cacciamani after remarks from Torino's technical director Gianluca Petrachi reopened the possibility of a deal for the 2007-born midfielder. Although Torino president Urbano Cairo's recent comments had suggested the door was closing, Petrachi's public comments on Cacciamani signal potential movement. Speaking at the Memorial Sandro Criscitiello, Petrachi said: "He is a youth academy prospect, very interesting. He needs to prove himself in Serie A, but he has everything to grow and grow significantly. He is certainly being monitored. We would like to continue with players like him, but we also have to account for a market that sometimes presents absurd, mad prices that one cannot reasonably consider. Our intention is to hold on to him." The implicit opening has encouraged Roma to make another bid, seeing Cacciamani as the ideal fit to serve as Wesley's backup under Gian Piero Gasperini's tactical setup. Cacciamani impressed in Serie B on loan at Juve Stabia in the previous season, where he was developed by Ignazio Abate, now Torino's manager.

AS Roma's pursuit of Torino left-back Alessio Cacciamani remains viable after recent comments from the club's technical director suggested the transfer could still happen. The 2007-born defender, who spent last season on loan at Juve Stabia in Serie B, is wanted by Roma as a potential deputy to Wesley. Torino president Urbano Cairo's earlier remarks had appeared to rule out the player's departure, but Gianluca Petrachi, the club's current technical director and former Roma sporting director, reopened the possibility during an appearance at the fourth Memorial Sandro Criscitiello event in Avellino on 8 August. Petrachi acknowledged the value of Cacciamani, a product of Torino's academy, while also outlining the constraints facing his club in the market. "He is a very interesting academy player. He needs to prove himself in Serie A, but he has everything to grow and grow significantly. He is certainly being watched. We would like to continue with players like him, but we also have to reckon with a market that sometimes presents absurd, crazy prices that you cannot take into account. Our intention is to keep him," Petrachi said. Roma's next bid, if it comes, will need to address those financial realities to tempt Torino into a sale.

Roma's defence, which finished as Serie A's second-best last season, has shown alarming fragility during their pre-season tour of Britain. The Giallorossi conceded eight goals across three friendlies—four against Cardiff, one against Newport, and three against Brighton—with the tally rising to 11 when including a 3–3 draw against Cannes. Against Brighton on 8 August, Gasperini made wholesale defensive changes after Roma had shipped three goals in 49 minutes, introducing Ghilardi and new arrival Koulierakis while withdrawing N'Dicka and Hermoso. The ivory-coast central defender had failed to close down Ayari's double, prompting Gasperini to turn to the bench and shout "Let's change." Hermoso, managing an ankle problem, allowed Rutter to nearly extend the lead moments after the 3–0. Earlier defensive lapses against Cardiff exposed deeper issues: Ahsford's opener came after N'Dicka slipped and a rebound off Rensch, while Salech's second followed a costly Svilar error on a dangerous Wesley backpass. El Aynaoui was substituted at half-time after a misplaced pass that set up Ayari's second goal, and Rensch drew criticism for poor decision-making. The unit that had anchored Roma's recent success now appears fragile heading into the season. Gasperini acknowledged the work ahead, saying "the team is struggling to switch back on," highlighting the scale of the challenge to restore defensive solidity before competitive fixtures begin.

Roma's pre-season tour of England ended in a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton. Goals from Georginio and a double from Ayari condemned the Giallorossi to a sluggish, listless performance that prompted immediate concern from head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "Terrible: a poor performance, lacking the right concentration. We're struggling to switch on, but we think we can fix it soon," Gasperini said after the match. The squad returns to Trigoria on Tuesday for group training, which will mark Nahuel Molina's first session with the team. Lorenzo Pellegrini's injury layoff extends beyond initial expectations, with Gasperini warning recovery will take at least a month and the matter will be reassessed in September. The coach also urged patience for players returning from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen among them—as Roma prepare for Serie A's start in a fortnight. On the transfer front, Gasperini confirmed changes to the squad. "We replaced Çelik with Molina and Dovbyk with Castro, then Koulierakis arrived. But numerically we still need something. D'Amico is negotiating very young but important players," he said, referencing director Tony D'Amico's ongoing dealings in the market.

Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged Roma's transfer shortfall after a poor showing in a friendly against Brighton, conceding that the club lacks adequate depth. The head coach said: "If we do the count, numerically there is still a need for something, but you know how it is. D'Amico is negotiating very young and very important players. That is the indication." Gasperini stressed that squad decisions rest with the club's chief executive, saying: "We have a chief executive, you will have to ask him these questions and he will say what Roma can and cannot do. On numbers and market possibilities the ball passes to him." Gasperini cited returnees from international duty—Evan N'Dicka, Neil El Aynaoui, and Donyell Malen—as still recovering their sharpness. He praised Paulo Dybala's fitness and noted that recent arrivals from the start of preseason had performed well. The manager confirmed that an injured player "will be out for at least a month," with discussion to resume from September onward. Gasperini also highlighted recent squad changes: "We replaced Çelik with Molina, whom we will see on Tuesday. We replaced Dovbyk with Castro, who I believe will give us great satisfaction. And then Koulierakis arrived, who seems interesting to complete the defence."

Roma returned to Italy on the afternoon of 8 August following a 3–0 friendly defeat to Brighton during their ten-day training camp in Wales and England. The squad travelled by coach to London before boarding a direct flight to Fiumicino. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini granted his players two full days of rest before resuming work. Training resumes on Tuesday at the Fulvio Bernardini centre in Trigoria, where Lorenzo Pellegrini will rejoin the group. Gasperini also expects to have Nahuel Molina on the pitch the same day. The Argentine right-back is set to arrive in Rome in the coming days to undergo medical tests ahead of signing his contract with Roma.

Gian Piero Gasperini is evaluating the possibility of organising a second training camp away from Trigoria during the first international break of the season, which will last three weeks this year. The Roma head coach identified multiple areas to refine following the summer tour of Wales and England, where he was able to integrate only new arrival Konstantinos Koulierakis into his system while awaiting the arrival of Nahuel Molina in the capital. The squad resumes work at Trigoria on Tuesday to prepare for a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, the final warm-up before the Serie A season opener against Fiorentina on Monday 24 August. The proposed September retreat holds particular strategic importance for Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma's recently renewed captain. Pellegrini missed the summer training camp for the second consecutive year due to ongoing physical issues and is expected to return between late September and early October. A second pre-season block would allow him to build the necessary fitness to reach full condition. Gasperini's wider focus extends beyond squad integration, with the strategic use of the extended international break providing an opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the campaign's crucial opening weeks.

Roma's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is considering arranging a preparation camp outside the club's Trigoria training ground during September's international break. The idea emerged after Roma's recent tour of Wales and England, during which Gasperini welcomed only Koulierakis while awaiting Molina's arrival in the capital. From Tuesday, Roma will intensify preparations ahead of a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August and their league opener against Fiorentina on 24 August. Gasperini's focus extends beyond the transfer window to squad conditioning. This season marks the first time the Serie A campaign will feature a three-week pause in late September and early October. During that window, Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return to full availability after completing his recovery. The captain renewed his contract recently but requires additional time to reach peak fitness, with Gasperini stating after Brighton's pre-season match against Roma that 'it will take another month'. Pellegrini skipped the summer retreat for the second consecutive year, and a mid-season training camp could accelerate his return to full form.