Pruzzo warns Roma must avoid Conference League; Torri demands clarity on summer planning

Ultras fan groups UTR and AIRC have issued a fresh statement protesting the blanket ban on away travel for Roma supporters living in Rome and the surrounding Lazio province, calling the measure unjust and discriminatory. The groups argue the restriction is no longer tied to specific public-order risks at sensitive matches but has become a generalised policy applied routinely a few days before every away fixture, effectively preventing Lazio-based fans from supporting the team in the league—currently top of the table—and lacking any proportionate justification. UTR and AIRC contend that the Interior Ministry's approach has turned away-travel bans into a blanket public-order management tool rather than a targeted preventive measure. They draw a parallel to closing an entire motorway to prevent accidents, suggesting the policy is administratively crude. The groups also note that UEFA itself has criticised this method of managing public order and away-fixture issues in football. They point out that AS Roma itself has expressed opposition and intends to protest the ban applied to the Turin–Roma fixture. The statement from the organised fan groups represents their formal objection to what they describe as the Interior Ministry's flawed application of this policy to football.

Radio Roma analysts have begun parsing Gasperini's tactical options ahead of Roma's Champions League fixture this evening against Fenerbahçe, with particular focus on midfield deployment and squad rotation. Gianluca Piacentini predicted that De Roon could start alongside a higher-positioned Cristante, describing it as a potential tactical surprise. He said: "The extra midfielder could be the surprise: I'm thinking of De Roon as a starter, with Cristante higher up. This year's choice is technical, tactical, not medical—that's the nuance I like most." Roberto Pruzzo, the Roma legend, backed the squad's depth but flagged a concern in midfield: "I expect Roma in good health, though playing packed fixtures can be draining. The squad looks strengthened overall—Castro fits perfectly, the defence has solutions—but in midfield I don't think you have the right replacements to rest Cristante and Koné." However, he remained optimistic: "I think Roma has the quality to compete well tonight." Nando Orsi assessed Fenerbahçe's threat directly. He said: "The Roma formation, I see stronger than Fenerbahçe and I see winning, but it will be hard-fought. If you look at Fenerbahçe's lineup, these are players who could play for important European teams: Skriniar, Kanté, Greenwood. The squad remains formidable and the environment—we all know it. Difficult match. Roma is doing important things in the league and everyone expects them to win 2 or 3-0, but it's not like that." Paolo Cosenza emphasized the home-away imbalance: "This match played in Turkey has a difficulty factor of 3, whereas in Rome it would have been 1." Lorenzo Pes noted that starting well was crucial to avoiding an early deficit: "Roma often had to chase in European competitions, start poorly and then think they need to take points against PSG or Real Madrid—that can be very complicated. That's why tonight's match has its importance." Squad availability remained fluid. Pes indicated that the Soulé-Mora competition was "wide open, we're at 51–49 per cent, and it will only be settled this morning." Francesca Ferrazza drew attention to Balerdi's recent performance against Atalanta: "I'd keep an eye on Balerdi in place of N'Dicka: he convinced me for his experience, for how he came on the other evening against Atalanta, and he knows Greenwood." Valentina Catoni raised concerns about Dybala's shooting: "Dybala lately shoots far less at goal, and when he has he's also missed two goals that with that foot he rarely gets wrong. It seems he seeks the finish less, perhaps from fear of hurting himself kicking with power at full extension. It seems he's missing that last step." Analyst Andrea Pugliese highlighted Dybala's importance to the attack: "The extra man can be Dybala; if he switches on, he changes the quality, creates endless passing lines." Fabio Petruzzi identified a pattern across the competition's opening matches: "Looking at Champions League results, there's a fact I don't like at all: so far there hasn't been a draw. All wins. For the table and for Roma it would have been better with a few more draws." David Rossi criticized two prominent managers but offered no prediction specific to tonight: he called Allegri and Mourinho "dinosaurs of football" whose era must end.

Rome's radio stations offered their assessments on 10 September 2026 ahead of Roma's UEFA Champions League return after seven years, with the club facing Fenerbahçe at the Stadio Olimpico in what commentators described as a crucial fixture. The match will be played before an expected sold-out crowd. Multiple analysts highlighted Paulo Dybala's physical condition as central to Roma's chances, with Ugo Trani noting: "If he's well he plays, if there's doubt he doesn't." Francesco Balzani stressed that Dybala had been decisive in Roma's previous match against Atalanta and questioned why Gasperini would drop him if fit. The availability of Matías Soulé remained uncertain, with Lorenzo Pes estimating the Soulé-versus-Mora decision at "51–49%" and noting Gasperini typically makes tactical changes around the 30 or 40-minute mark. Andrea Pugliese described the mood around the club as positive: "The feelings ahead of the Champions League debut are good, there's important underlying enthusiasm. During the training session yesterday the group seemed very concentrated. The stadium will be scorching, a sold-out crowd is expected." Pugliese characterised the contest as "a good test," echoing Gasperini's own language, and said: "When Dybala lights up his fantasy Roma can be truly dangerous; when you have that quality there it's another thing and the ability to be immediately threatening even with Malen is much higher." Nando Orsi noted Roma's return to European football's elite competition after such a long absence, saying: "There's emotion for Roma's return to the Champions League after 7 years." Roberto Pruzzo, a Roma legend, cautioned that intense fixture scheduling could affect performance and questioned whether the midfielder options matched the club's ambitions, though he praised the defensive rotation: "Castro can be there perfectly and they've shown they can rotate well at the back. In midfield the impression is that there aren't the changes that would be needed. You have to involve the strongest players like Dybala." Several commentators offered tactical predictions, with both Pes and Orsi forecasting a 1–1 draw, while Pugliese also predicted 1–1 and Pruzzo suggested a 1–2 Roma victory if Santiago Castro entered the match. Stefano Agresti expressed a broader hope that Roma and Como would buck the trend of poor results by Italian clubs in the Champions League this season.