Pisilli on Roma's strength and Champions League ambitions

RB Leipzig have submitted a formal proposal to Roma for midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, offering a loan with an obligation to buy. According to Fabrizio Romano, the German club has tabled the offer and talks between the parties are ongoing to establish whether a deal can be reached. El Aynaoui had been flagged as a potential departure in the final stages of the transfer window. Roma had previously shown greater openness to a permanent sale, so the club must now decide whether to negotiate on Leipzig's loan-plus-obligation formula or push for different terms. The structure of the proposal represents a key consideration for the Roma hierarchy, as it differs from the outright transfer the club had indicated as preferable in recent days. El Aynaoui was among the squad members identified as potentially leaving before the close of the window. The coming hours will reveal whether Leipzig can move closer to Roma's demands and convert the initial inquiry into an agreement.

Roma are accelerating their search for an attacking reinforcement this summer. Beyond ongoing talks over a midfielder, the club is pushing to secure an offensive signing. Jamie Leweling of Stuttgart has re-entered their radar, with contacts reported between the two parties. The 2001-born winger was already on Roma's list and now features alongside Luiz Henrique of Zenit and Gittens as a striker target, for whom a fresh attempt is planned. Leweling is one of three candidates being actively considered. Roma had explored other options but found some difficult to pursue: Gittens presents complications, while Fofana did not warrant a firm approach. The club will make one more push for Gittens before drawing final conclusions on their attacking priority. According to Alfredo Pedullà, the Stuttgart forward's profile has come back into focus as Roma weigh their options across multiple positions in the final weeks of the transfer window.

Roma have reopened discussions over Colombian midfielder Richard Ríos as the transfer window enters its final hours. The Benfica player, previously tracked by the club, has returned to the agenda of director Tony D'Amico in recent days. According to Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio, Benfica are open to allowing Ríos to leave on loan, a formula that could make the deal attractive for Roma. Besiktas are also competing for the player's signature. The move is directly linked to Roma's ongoing efforts to offload Neil El Aynaoui, with whom Leipzig are in contact. If the Moroccan midfielder's departure is completed, it would free up important squad space under Gian Piero Gasperini and create an urgent need for reinforcement in the centre of the park. Roma have already initiated concrete talks with both Benfica and Ríos's representatives to establish the conditions for bringing him to Trigoria. Ríos represents a familiar solution to Roma's management and has suddenly become viable thanks to Benfica's willingness to discuss a temporary arrangement. Much depends on how the El Aynaoui-Leipzig negotiation unfolds; if that sale goes through, director D'Amico will need to deliver a new midfielder to Gasperini quickly. With Besiktas in the running and minimal time remaining in the market, the coming hours could prove decisive.

Roma travel to Lecce on Monday 31 August at 18:30 for the second round of Serie A 2026–27, aiming to build on a commanding 4–0 opening-day victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has injury concerns ahead of the fixture at the Stadio Via del Mare: Devyne Rensch is sidelined with a strain to the left thigh flexor, and Lorenzo Pellegrini remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a right thigh rectus femoris injury. Gasperini is expected to field a settled defensive shape with Mile Svilar in goal and a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. Nahuel Molina's availability is being assessed; if he cannot play, Giorgio De Marzi will step in after an impressive display against Fiorentina. Wesley continues at left wing-back. Bryan Cristante is assured of his midfield place alongside Manu Koné. In the attacking third, the main selection question concerns Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé; Mora started against Fiorentina and impressed, forcing a good save from De Gea, while Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are primed to lead the line. Malen was the star of Roma's opening fixture, scoring three goals and supplying three assists against Fiorentina, while Dybala also contributed three assists. Niccolò Pisilli rounded off the rout with Roma's fourth goal. The visitors hold a commanding historical record: across 42 meetings with Lecce, Roma have won 29, drawn 11 and lost only twice. The clubs last met in the 2025–26 season, when Roma won 1–0 at home through Robinio Vaz. Lecce arrive after an away victory over Venezia (2–0, goals from Gorter and Tiago Gabriel) and will play in a 4–3–3 formation under manager Eusebio Di Francesco. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN, Sky Sport and NOW. Official team sheets will be released approximately one hour before kickoff.

Roma return to the Champions League after eight years with a curious contradiction: a squad seasoned in European competition but largely inexperienced in the continent's top tier. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, the giallorossi have navigated knockout stages, difficult away trips and high-pressure evenings in recent seasons, yet a significant portion of the squad presents as Champions League debutants when their record in the competition itself is examined. The drawn opponents—Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester United, Sporting, Lille, Fenerbahçe, Slovan Bratislava and AEK Atene—underscore the magnitude of the step up. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen stand as the principal points of reference, each with around 50 Champions League appearances. Behind them Nahuel Molina brings roughly 40 such matches from his time at Atlético Madrid, followed by Mario Hermoso, equally accustomed to the highest level of European football. The picture shifts sharply thereafter. Bryan Cristante and Lorenzo Pellegrini have played in the Champions League, though Roma's last participation dates back to the 2018–19 season. Other squad members have sampled the competition only briefly, while a substantial portion will encounter it for the first time. Key players such as Manu Koné, Wesley, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Niccolò Pisilli and Santiago Castro have either never played it or collected minimal appearances. Yet Roma should not be labelled a European-inexperienced side. The club built a genuine identity in the cups: Cristante, Pellegrini, Gianluca Mancini, Mile Svilar and the core nucleus lived through the Conference League triumph in 2022, the Europa League final of 2023 and numerous knockout campaigns. Dybala, Evan N'Dicka, Koné, Pisilli and Matías Soulé have progressively accumulated international experience outside the Champions League but in matches where pressure, emotional control and reading momentum matter most. Here lies the true uncertainty: Roma possesses European aptitude but lacks a true Champions League identity. Errors recoverable in Europa League risk becoming instant goals against Real Madrid and PSG. The new League Phase format demands Gasperini navigate eight different fixtures without building a classic group-stage rhythm. The task ahead is not to teach Roma what a European night means, but to elevate what they have learned over five years.

Neil El Aynaoui's relationship with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has deteriorated, and AS Roma are now open to selling the midfielder. El Aynaoui has struggled for playing time since returning from international duty with Morocco, finding himself behind Manu Koné, Bryan Cristante, and Niccolò Pisilli in Gasperini's midfield pecking order. The 25-year-old's reaction to his bench role has not gone down well, and the club has granted him permission to leave for an offer of €30 million. Crystal Palace have registered interest and could make a concrete move in the coming days. Should El Aynaoui depart, Roma are considering a surprise midfield swoop. Richard Rios, a Colombian midfielder at Benfica, has emerged as a potential target. Rios was among Gasperini's preferred options before the club, via sporting director Massara, pivoted to sign El Aynaoui. Benfica's recent acquisition of Palhinha has pushed Rios further down their hierarchy, and the player is eager for greater consideration—something Roma could offer. Like El Aynaoui at Roma, Rios would be available from Benfica for €30 million, provided an acceptable offer arrives. Roma have also monitored Frank Kessié, but the Ivorian is expected to accept a Juventus offer today barring any surprise developments. Roma have not seriously pursued Kessié, who has been inactive for over a month following his release from his previous club.