Massara insists Roma's future will be bright as Champions League race reopens

Alberto Aquilani will take charge of Sassuolo for his first Serie A managerial job after a successful spell with Catanzaro. The former Roma midfielder expressed his excitement at the appointment, telling Sky Sport: "A nice emotion to begin this journey in Serie A, it stimulates me greatly. We are working well, and when the start of the season approaches the emotions will grow even more." Aquilani will face his former club Roma when the sides meet, adding extra significance to the fixture. He and Daniele De Rossi came through the Roma ranks together, and the prospect of squaring off as opposing managers carries special weight. Aquilani said: "Serie A is full of encounters for me. I have been around and met many coaches. With Daniele we grew up together, it will be strange to face each other from the touchline. And Roma will obviously be another special day."

Bryan Cristante spoke after Roma's 6–0 victory over Trastevere in a pre-season test under Gasperini's watch. The midfielder confirmed he has been in contact with Lorenzo Pellegrini, saying: "I've heard from him, we await him with open arms and hope he returns to the group as soon as possible." Cristante outlined Roma's ambitions for the coming season. "We expect to show continuity," he said. "We want to grow and have another great season. The Champions League makes everything harder—the initial phase will be tougher. But we want to run a strong campaign." He stressed that the squad is already familiar with Gasperini's concepts and is building steadily, with the club handling transfer business separately. On European competition, Cristante acknowledged the step up: "In the Champions League you face the best teams. Even in the first phase there are important sides. We need to be prepared and ready." The midfielder stopped short of setting specific targets for now, citing the difficulty of doing so at this early stage.

Bryan Cristante outlined Roma's ambitions in pre-season after the club's 6–0 friendly victory over Trastevere. The midfielder highlighted the squad's progress under Gasperini's direction, saying: "We're working well, we already know the manager's concepts, we're giving continuity. We started strong, there's a lot of work but that's how this period is." On incoming transfers, Cristante deferred to the club's hierarchy: "Someone will certainly arrive, but that's the society's job." With Lorenzo Pellegrini absent from the ritiro, Cristante confirmed he has been in contact with the captain and expects his swift return to group training. "I've spoken to him, we're awaiting him with open arms, we hope he gets back to the squad as soon as possible," Cristante said. Gasperini has set ambitious targets for the campaign, and Cristante reflected the squad's mindset: "We want to give continuity, we want to grow, make another great season. The Champions League is harder, it will be tough especially at the start. It's difficult to set objectives now." Regarding European competition, Cristante acknowledged the challenge of facing elite opponents early in the new league phase: "You meet the best teams there are, even in the first phase already. We're ready and prepared, we'll be ready for a beautiful season."