Pellegrini awaits contract renewal as Roma seek agreement

Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano has been appointed to officiate Roma's opening Champions League match against Fenerbahçe on Thursday at 18:45. Gil Manzano will be supported by assistants Diego Barbero and Guadalupe Porras Ayuso, with Juan Martínez Munuera serving as fourth official. Gil Manzano brings previous European experience against Roma. He previously oversaw their Europa League defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 2019–20 season, and refereed their Round of 16 second leg against Feyenoord in 2024, when Roma progressed on penalties.

Jesús Gil Manzano, the Spanish referee, will take charge of Fenerbahçe–Roma on Thursday 10 September at 18:45 CET (19:45 local time) in Istanbul, marking Roma's return to the UEFA Champions League. The match is the opening fixture of Roma's league-phase campaign this season. Gil Manzano brings previous European experience against Roma. He refereed Roma's away fixture against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 2019–20 Europa League season, a match that ended 2–1 to the German side. More recently, he oversaw Roma's February 2024 Europa League playoff return leg against Feyenoord, when Roma progressed after drawing 1–1 over 120 minutes and winning the penalty shootout. This will be his third European meeting with the club. The wider refereeing team comprises assistants Diego Barbero and Guadalupe Porras Ayuso, with Juan Martínez Munuera as fourth official. César Soto Grado is the VAR operator, supported by Valentín Gómez as AVAR.

Roma's radio stations weighed in on the club's Champions League campaign launch and squad decisions ahead of Thursday's fixture in Istanbul. Roberto Pruzzo told Radio Radio he saw no red flags in the project: "The sensation around Roma is absolutely positive, there seems to be only one path and they are following it. Everyone is behind the manager, and that feels like the most positive signal. There are technical qualities that let the coach make changes when necessary without negative impact. Right now I don't see any downsides. Until the break I expect Roma to physically surprise opponents—I think they've done targeted planning to go 200 kilometres per hour until the break." Staff changes dominated discussion of squad depth. Ilario Di Giovambattista reported that Nahuel Molina would play against Fenerbahce, while Lorenzo Pellegrini's first call-up would come at Torino. Paolo Marcacci anticipated "surgical changes" for Istanbul, potentially including Santiago Castro for Donyell Malen up front. Paolo Cosenza and Piero Torri both attacked the travel ban on Roma province residents, with Torri calling it "totally unconstitutional" and urging the club to take an official stand. "Why can't I go to Torino to watch Roma? What have I done wrong?" Torri asked. "If there is individual responsibility, the state must guarantee me freedom." Alessio Nardo questioned Gasperini's handling of Salah-Eddine, who has rejected all offers with only the Mexican market remaining open. "He's turned everything down and now he's just going to graze at Trigoria with no real ambition until January," Nardo said. "When Salah-Eddine isn't considered and is out of the project, and when Guerreiro—who played for Bayern Munich last season—is immediately discarded, it makes me think the left-back position is a priority for Gasperini. But he doesn't seem to have chased it aggressively on the market. Salah-Eddine played in a World Cup and African Cup of Nations. If Kostas Tsimikas was there last season, maybe he deserved a chance. Clearly Gasperini really hates him." Lorenzo Pes added that Gasperini had made no current reassessment: "He's stuck with the view he had a year ago. Salah-Eddine doesn't have the characteristics Gasperini wants in his wing-backs." Roma's opening Champions League fixture comes Thursday at 18:45 in Istanbul against Fenerbahce. David Rossi noted the absence of Aurélien Guendouzi and flagged environmental difficulty alongside technical challenge. Nando Orsi backed the title ambition, calling the league Roma's "indubitable objective" while viewing Napoli as in a particular moment and Inter focused on Champions League victory.

Roma's radio stations weighed in on the club's Champions League campaign launch and squad decisions ahead of Thursday's fixture in Istanbul. Roberto Pruzzo told Radio Radio he saw no red flags in the project: "The sensation around Roma is absolutely positive, there seems to be only one path and they are following it. Everyone is behind the manager, and that feels like the most positive signal. There are technical qualities that let the coach make changes when necessary without negative impact. Right now I don't see any downsides. Until the break I expect Roma to physically surprise opponents—I think they've done targeted planning to go 200 kilometres per hour until the break." Staff changes dominated discussion of squad depth. Ilario Di Giovambattista reported that Nahuel Molina would play against Fenerbahce, while Lorenzo Pellegrini's first call-up would come at Torino. Paolo Marcacci anticipated "surgical changes" for Istanbul, potentially including Santiago Castro for Donyell Malen up front. Paolo Cosenza and Piero Torri both attacked the travel ban on Roma province residents, with Torri calling it "totally unconstitutional" and urging the club to take an official stand. "Why can't I go to Torino to watch Roma? What have I done wrong?" Torri asked. "If there is individual responsibility, the state must guarantee me freedom." Alessio Nardo questioned Gasperini's handling of Salah-Eddine, who has rejected all offers with only the Mexican market remaining open. "He's turned everything down and now he's just going to graze at Trigoria with no real ambition until January," Nardo said. "When Salah-Eddine isn't considered and is out of the project, and when Guerreiro—who played for Bayern Munich last season—is immediately discarded, it makes me think the left-back position is a priority for Gasperini. But he doesn't seem to have chased it aggressively on the market. Salah-Eddine played in a World Cup and African Cup of Nations. If Kostas Tsimikas was there last season, maybe he deserved a chance. Clearly Gasperini really hates him." Lorenzo Pes added that Gasperini had made no current reassessment: "He's stuck with the view he had a year ago. Salah-Eddine doesn't have the characteristics Gasperini wants in his wing-backs." Roma's opening Champions League fixture comes Thursday at 18:45 in Istanbul against Fenerbahce. David Rossi noted the absence of Aurélien Guendouzi and flagged environmental difficulty alongside technical challenge. Nando Orsi backed the title ambition, calling the league Roma's "indubitable objective" while viewing Napoli as in a particular moment and Inter focused on Champions League victory.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered from a right thigh rectus femoris injury and will be included in Roma's squad for their Champions League trip to Fenerbahçe, though head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is managing his return cautiously. The midfielder has been sidelined during pre-season and the opening stages of the campaign but has spent the past week training at full intensity with his teammates, absorbing increasingly demanding physical work. His medical clearance comes at a crucial moment as Roma prepare for a congested fixture schedule spanning league and European commitments. Gasperini will have Pellegrini available as a key option from the bench in Istanbul, but the staff intends to handle his reintegration into match action with maximum care. The target date for his actual return to the pitch is next Monday in Roma's Serie A fixture against Torino. The number seven, who recently renewed his contract, is a central weapon in Gasperini's rotation system, offering versatility, playmaking vision and the ability to operate between the lines—assets essential for navigating the dense autumn calendar ahead.

Roma trained at Trigoria on 7 September with full focus on their Champions League debut on Thursday in Istanbul, under the watch of CEO John Galantic and sporting director Tony D'Amico, ahead of a possible visit from the Friedkin ownership. No residual effects from the intense Atalanta match meant the entire squad was available to Gasperini, who allowed himself a smile when Santiago Castro performed penalty press-ups during a training session. Lorenzo Pellegrini, who recently signed a contract renewal, has fully recovered from a right thigh rectus femoris injury and has been training with the group for a week, putting him in contention for the Fenerbahçe encounter. However, his debut in the competition will likely come on the following Monday at Turin.

Roma return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years when they travel to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce on Thursday evening. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will deploy a squad combining several players making their maiden appearance in the competition's main draw alongside seasoned European campaigners. Gianluca Mancini and Manu Koné will make their Champions League debuts, as will younger squad members including Pisilli, Lulli, Mora and Ghilardi. Gasperini can call on considerable experience to balance the newcomers. Paulo Dybala and Marten de Roon have accumulated nearly one hundred appearances between them at the highest level. Nahuel Molina and Mario Hermoso both bring over sixty European appearances from their time at Atlético Madrid, while Donyell Malen, Leonardo Balerdi and Artem Dovbyk add further continental pedigree. Dybala will lead the attack and is targeting a European goal; his last came in the Europa League final in Budapest against Seville. Roma will be supported by approximately 2,300 fans in the away section at the Turkish stadium. The domestic competition faces a ticketing restriction for the upcoming Serie A fixture against Torino: the CASMS has banned ticket sales to residents of Rome province due to potential clashes with Parma supporters travelling to Como, permitting purchases only to AS Roma Card holders from other Italian regions.

Paulo Dybala will lead Roma's return to the Champions League after seven years when the club travels to Turkey on Thursday. The Argentine striker carries the most European experience in the squad—53 appearances and 18 goals, all earned with Juventus—but his Roma European journey away from the Olimpico remains barren. His last goal in a European away fixture came on 31 May in the Europa League final against Sevilla, a span of 1196 days. Since then, under both José Mourinho and Gian Piero Gasperini, Dybala has failed to score outside the Olimpico in continental competition. Dybala has not found the net since January, when he scored against Torino before suffering a knee injury. He returned late in the season without adding goals, though he provided several decisive assists as 2026 began in promising form. Thursday's match in Istanbul offers him the chance to end both droughts—his lack of goals this year and the long European away curse that has haunted his time in the giallorossi.

Matías Soulé is set to play a starring role in Roma's return to the Champions League as the club travel to face Fenerbahce. The Argentine forward's comeback comes on the back of a decisive display in the previous league fixture against Atalanta, marking his readiness to shine on the European stage four years after his debut in the competition with Juventus. Soulé's resurgence is the product of work undertaken with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Roma's restructured medical staff. The 2003-born forward arrived back this summer hampered by a troublesome groin injury and behind in his pre-season preparation, but worked hard during the training camp to regain peak condition. A transfer market saga saw Roma value him at €40 million in the face of interest from several Premier League clubs, while Gasperini considered the profile of Mason Greenwood for the right flank during early talks. Without official offers at that price and given Soulé's considerable commitment, he has been fully reinstated, with Gasperini certifying his complete physical and athletic recovery. In Istanbul, Roma will encounter both former Lazio striker Vedat Muriqi and Greenwood as opponents. For Soulé, the match represents the confirmation of a redemption arc that sees him restored to the heart of the capital club's tactical project, working in full harmony with teammate Paulo Dybala to deliver quality, unpredictability and high-level attacking solutions.

Zeki Çelik's departure this summer has proven beneficial for Roma, with the Turkish defender struggling at his new club while the Giallorossi have found capable alternatives. Çelik, who had agreed a renewal with Roma before changing his mind to join another side, has posted uninspiring numbers in his opening matches. Against Milan yesterday he recorded zero successful crosses, matching the same figure across his previous two outings against Parma and Frosinone. Social media criticism has already mounted, with fans questioning the absence of a 'Çelik cam'—a reference to a video DAZN produced weeks earlier following his first friendly appearance. His exit has cleared the path for Emanuele Lulli, who has become integral to Gasperini's setup. Initially withdrawn from the transfer market, Lulli started in all three of Roma's opening matches and has impressed the coaching staff considerably. Equally significant is the emergence of Nahuel Molina, the Argentine fullback who is continuing to build his fitness following Argentina's run to the World Cup final. Against Atalanta, Molina made a decisive 36-minute appearance, creating multiple dangerous situations and setting up a header from Santiago Castro that struck the crossbar. He recorded 100 per cent of tackles won and 90 per cent pass accuracy. Roma's first Champions League fixture arrives Thursday against Feyenoord, with Molina and Lulli in direct competition for the fullback berth. Molina's experience in high-pressure stadiums should serve him well as Roma prepare for what the article describes as an extremely hostile environment.

Roma are flying this season, and Gian Piero Gasperini has been central to building a unity across the club that extends from the pitch to the boardroom. The coach has overseen a start to the campaign that may rival even the magical 2000–01 season. After comfortable victories over Fiorentina and Lecce, Roma faced a severe test against Atalanta on Saturday and managed not only to win but to overturn the flow of the match—playing what the commentary describes as "winning in the Mourinho way while playing Gasperini football." The side showed genuine compactness in that contest, particularly during difficult moments when they could have faltered; instead, the entire Roma family—players, management, staff and supporters—rallied together. Gasperini has also brought D'Amico onto the coaching staff to ensure everyone speaks the same language, an approach likened to a well-coordinated naval fleet where no one rows against the current. The appointment of the right people and the absence of internal division have created an environment where squad, leadership and fanbase all pull in the same direction. On the pitch, Roma deployed what appeared to be 13 players rather than 11 against Atalanta, a testament to the collective spirit that has taken root. The article contrasts Roma's current harmony with the pattern of internal factions that has plagued the club in the past, noting that some external commentators have already prepared critiques—whether about Zeki Çelik's non-renewal, spending on Rodrigo Mora or Santiago Castro, or other decisions—but results are rendering those arguments moot. The article frames Roma's trajectory as one where polemica (internal dispute) is being actively rejected in favour of unified purpose, suggesting the club is moving in a markedly different direction from its historical tendency toward division.

Zeki Çelik's departure from Roma has proved no source of regret, particularly given how his exit has benefited the club's defensive options. The Turkish defender, who chose not to renew his Roma contract and joined Torino, made a slow start at his new club. In yesterday's match against Milan, he completed zero successful crosses, a tally he matched in earlier friendlies against Parma and Frosinone. Social media criticism emerged, with supporters questioning whether the club would repeat a promotional video similar to one released by Dazn weeks earlier following Çelik's opening pre-season appearance. Celik's departure has cleared space for Emanuele Lulli, who was removed from the transfer market and has impressed considerably. The 2007-born defender started all three pre-season matches and has largely convinced onlookers. Nearby, Nahuel Molina is gradually building match fitness despite still recovering from the demands of Argentina's World Cup campaign, which reached the final. His performances with Roma have proven decisive. Over thirty-six minutes, Molina won 100 per cent of his duels, achieved 90 per cent passing accuracy and created a clear chance that Santiago Castro struck against the crossbar. Roma face Fenerbahçe in their opening Champions League fixture on Thursday, which will reignite the battle between Lulli and Molina for the full-back position. The away venue promises to be an intense atmosphere, though Molina has shown no fear of such occasions. His experience at this level will be invaluable as Roma look to navigate European football's biggest stage.