Radio voices weigh in on Hermoso's focus and Mora's playing time

Rome's radio stations aired their verdict on Roma's opening Champions League fixture in Turkey, with opinion split between caution and optimism. Roberto Pruzzo, speaking on Radio Radio, said Roma arrive in the best condition for this opening Champions match, with the squad well prepared and good alternatives available, though he expressed concern over midfield depth. He cautioned against repeating Inter's mistake from the previous day, when a lapse in concentration made a comeback difficult. "You must not give anything away and be concrete to the maximum," he said. Nando Orsi noted that playing in Turkey is always difficult, with Fenerbahçe fielding experienced players who will be motivated to progress in the cup. He expected Gasperini to adapt Roma's usual league approach, arguing that boldness alone does not guarantee success unless a team is Manchester City's calibre. "Roma will need to exploit this physical condition, which can make the difference," Orsi said. Lorenzo Pes, on Tele Radio Stereo, was more bullish: "Against Fenerbahçe it will be hard, but Roma is perfectly capable of winning in Turkey, and I would not sign for a draw." Pes observed that Fenerbahçe have quality in certain positions but do not play particularly well, and will likely adopt a waiting approach while seeking to exploit counterattacks, especially through Greenwood. "Roma has all the chances to win. Gasperini is a guarantee and knows how to handle matches like this," Pes concluded.

Roma radio commentators have offered a bullish assessment of the club's opening Champions League campaign, with several backing the side to make a strong impression in Europe. Matteo Cirulli suggested Mario Hermoso will accompany head coach Gian Piero Gasperini at the pre-match press conference, and forecast that Nahuel Molina and Matías Soulé will start from the first minute. Gasperini will make a late decision on the forward line, with Paulo Dybala's fitness central to that choice. Stefano Impallomeni declared: "Roma can compete in the Champions League. The team has a recognisable and identifiable style of play. We should expect something even more beautiful from this squad. Intensity is the foundation of this Champions League and I am sure Roma will feel at home in it. The application must be total — you cannot find loopholes. Intensity is needed but you must also understand the moments of the match." Francesco Balzani added that Roma will enjoy the competition and face an opponent within their reach in the opening fixture, with the stadium atmosphere expected to be heated but the club accustomed to such environments. He called Roma the best equipped Italian side to succeed in Europe. Ugo Trani confirmed Daniele Ghilardi is in good shape and performing well. He noted the Argentine contingent at the club are tightly bonded, making it unlikely they dislike one another. Leonardo Balerdi could play centrally if needed. Antonio Felici said Gasperini is keen to make a strong impression in the Champions League and believes Roma will trouble Fenerbahce based on their form to date, expressing confidence in a successful passage through the round. Roberto Pruzzo stated Roma arrive in the best condition for the opening Champions League match, with the squad well prepared and good alternatives available, though he noted concern over midfield depth if Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné do not perform consistently.

Giuseppe Cruciani, a Lazio-supporting radio broadcaster and host of the programme La Zanzara, has expressed serious concern about Roma's prospects under Gian Piero Gasperini. Speaking on the podcast Numer1 alongside Ivan Zazzaroni and Sandro Sabatini, Cruciani openly admitted his fear of seeing Roma go all the way in the Serie A title race. He said: "I have a terror of the Circus Maximus and that Roma win the title. The reality is only one, and it is a reality that destroys me. I have not been saying this since today: I have been saying it since the construction of the market, from the fact that Gasperini has everything in hand and that the club is following a straight, sure and coherent path, which is that of putting everything in Gasperini's hands." Cruciani highlighted Roma's level of performance in the first three matches of the season. He stated: "Roma is a notch above, at least in these first three matches, both Juventus and Milan. I read a statistic and I believe that Roma in three matches has taken 70 shots on goal, of which I don't know how many inside the penalty box. I see a situation where they could really win every match." Cruciani also recounted his experience following Roma's comeback victory against Atalanta. He explained: "I was in a restaurant and following the result on one of those websites where updates appear. At a certain point I see that 0–1 was holding, but I was not watching the match and so I did not realise the dominance. I thought: 'At most they draw.' Then I get up, go into the other room where there was a screen and I see four chances in stoppage time."

Roma play their first Champions League match in seven years this evening at Fenerbahce, with kickoff at 18:45. The only absentee is Lorenzo Pellegrini due to injury, with the rest of the squad available for what will be their opening fixture in the league phase. Fenerbahce's forward line includes Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood. Gasperini expressed confidence ahead of the tie despite acknowledging the scale of the competition. "The impact with this competition always creates particular tension. The victory against Atalanta gave us great joy," he said. "This is a new competition for us; we're keen to measure ourselves against the top clubs. Fenerbahce are an excellent side. The stadium will be hot and we'll see what our personality is like. It will be a test, but I'm confident because it will be tough for them too. We won't change our characteristics." He highlighted Paulo Dybala's form: "Paulo is well and showing consistency. With him on the pitch we are stronger. Now the squad has more quality and the substitutes make less of a difference." Defender Mario Hermoso reinforced the team's mindset in the pre-match press conference: "In this competition we'll discover our true strength, but nothing changes for us. We'll play with the same identity and mentality we showed on Saturday evening." The starting eleven is expected to closely mirror the Atalanta lineup, with Nahuel Molina favoured over Emanuele Lulli at right-back. Rodrigo Mora holds a slight edge over Matías Soulé in midfield to support the attack pairing of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala. Leonardo Balerdi is being considered for the defensive line, having direct knowledge of Greenwood from previous seasons at Marseille.

Roma face Fenerbahçe in Istanbul tonight at 18:45 in their opening UEFA Champions League fixture, marking the club's return to Europe's elite competition for the first time in seven seasons. Gasperini's side arrive in ideal form, with the full squad available except for Lorenzo Pellegrini. The Fenerbahçe squad includes former Roma target Greenwood alongside Lukaku. Gasperini acknowledged the weight of the occasion but expressed optimism about his team's prospects. "The impact with this competition always brings particular tension. The victory against Atalanta gave us greater joy. This is a new competition, we're curious to measure ourselves against the top clubs. Fenerbahçe is an excellent team. The stadium will be hot and we could see what our personality will be like. It'll be a test but I'm confident because for them too it will be difficult. We won't change our characteristics," he said. He expects to make only one change to the side that beat Atalanta, with Nahuel Molina likely to start at right-back ahead of Lulli. Rodrigo Mora is slightly favoured over Matías Soulé in attack, while Leonardo Balerdi has a chance to start in defence. Dybala and Donyell Malen will continue in attack. Gasperini noted: "Paulo is well and showing consistency. We're stronger with him on the pitch. But now it's not only him and Malen scoring—we're scoring more goals with everyone. The squad now has more quality and substitutes make less of a difference. We can cause problems for anyone." Defender Mario Hermoso said: "In this competition we'll discover our true strength, but nothing changes for us. We'll play with the same identity and mentality we showed Saturday evening."

Roma begin their return to the UEFA Champions League after a seven-year absence on Thursday 10 September at 18:45 local time, travelling to Istanbul to face Fenerbahçe at the Şükrü Saracoğlu stadium. The fixture marks the first-ever official meeting between the two clubs and the start of Roma's group-stage campaign under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who arrives in exceptional form: three wins in the opening three Serie A matches, including a 4–0 victory over Fiorentina, a 4–0 win against Lecce, and a 2–1 comeback against Atalanta. Fenerbahçe qualified for the league phase after eliminating Gornik Zabrze, Sturm Graz and Lyon in qualifying but approach the contest having lost their most recent domestic fixture, a derby against Beşiktaş. Gasperini will have nearly a full squad available, with Lorenzo Pellegrini the sole absence after not being selected. Paulo Dybala has fully recovered from injury and is expected to start again. Gasperini said at the pre-match press conference: "We are all well", and emphasised how with the Argentine in the side Roma can raise their technical level further. The manager is likely to field a three-man defence of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso in front of goalkeeper Mile Svilar, with Wesley continuing at left-back. The right-back position remains a point of consideration: Sky reports Emanuele Lulli is marginally favoured to retain his place, though Gasperini is also evaluating Nahuel Molina, who would provide greater international experience. In midfield, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné appear certain starters. Donyell Malen is the focal point of the attack, with Dybala operating behind him. The final attacking position remains open between Rodrigo Mora, who leads the selection indicators, and Matías Soulé, who was decisive in the Atalanta win and remains in contention. Fenerbahçe manager Ismail Kartal will be without Aurélien Guendouzi, suspended following events in the Lyon playoff, and Marco Asensio, who was not selected due to a muscle injury. The Turkish side will likely adopt a 4–2–3–1 formation with uncertainty over the central striker: Vedat Muriqi holds a slight edge ahead of Romelu Lukaku, though the Belgian is available and competing for the role. Sky Sport Uno and Sky Sport 253 will broadcast the match in Italy; streaming will be available via Sky Go and NOW. Booking odds favour Roma at 2.10–2.25 for a win, with the draw quoted at 3.40–3.60 and Fenerbahçe at 3.25–3.40. Goals are expected: both sides scoring is priced at 1.55–1.60, and Over 2.5 goals at 1.65–1.80. The referee is Jesús Gil Manzano of Spain.

Gian Piero Gasperini faces two main selection decisions for Roma's trip to Istanbul: Nahuel Molina is expected to get the nod over Emanuele Lulli at right-back, and Matías Soulé appears to have the edge over Rodrigo Mora in attack. Gasperini has been testing squad depth in midweek, including an experimental setup with Niccolò Pisilli deployed high as a playmaker—a move that could strengthen Roma's structural balance between midfield and attack. Molina's experience at this level of competition appears to have tilted the balance in his favour despite Lulli starting consistently so far this season. Other squad members including Leonardo Balerdi, Marten de Roon and Santiago Castro are pushing for increased minutes, though Gasperini is likely to hand them more game time later in the campaign rather than immediately. Soulé's selection ahead of Mora reflects the manager's preference despite the Portuguese midfielder's suitability for the central playmaking role.

Roma play their first Champions League match in seven years this evening at Fenerbahce, with kickoff at 18:45. The only absentee is Lorenzo Pellegrini due to injury, with the rest of the squad available for what will be their opening fixture in the league phase. Fenerbahce's forward line includes Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood. Gasperini expressed confidence ahead of the tie despite acknowledging the scale of the competition. "The impact with this competition always creates particular tension. The victory against Atalanta gave us great joy," he said. "This is a new competition for us; we're keen to measure ourselves against the top clubs. Fenerbahce are an excellent side. The stadium will be hot and we'll see what our personality is like. It will be a test, but I'm confident because it will be tough for them too. We won't change our characteristics." He highlighted Paulo Dybala's form: "Paulo is well and showing consistency. With him on the pitch we are stronger. Now the squad has more quality and the substitutes make less of a difference." Defender Mario Hermoso reinforced the team's mindset in the pre-match press conference: "In this competition we'll discover our true strength, but nothing changes for us. We'll play with the same identity and mentality we showed on Saturday evening." The starting eleven is expected to closely mirror the Atalanta lineup, with Nahuel Molina favoured over Emanuele Lulli at right-back. Rodrigo Mora holds a slight edge over Matías Soulé in midfield to support the attack pairing of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala. Leonardo Balerdi is being considered for the defensive line, having direct knowledge of Greenwood from previous seasons at Marseille.

Roma face Fenerbahçe in Istanbul tonight at 18:45 in their opening UEFA Champions League fixture, marking the club's return to Europe's elite competition for the first time in seven seasons. Gasperini's side arrive in ideal form, with the full squad available except for Lorenzo Pellegrini. The Fenerbahçe squad includes former Roma target Greenwood alongside Lukaku. Gasperini acknowledged the weight of the occasion but expressed optimism about his team's prospects. "The impact with this competition always brings particular tension. The victory against Atalanta gave us greater joy. This is a new competition, we're curious to measure ourselves against the top clubs. Fenerbahçe is an excellent team. The stadium will be hot and we could see what our personality will be like. It'll be a test but I'm confident because for them too it will be difficult. We won't change our characteristics," he said. He expects to make only one change to the side that beat Atalanta, with Nahuel Molina likely to start at right-back ahead of Lulli. Rodrigo Mora is slightly favoured over Matías Soulé in attack, while Leonardo Balerdi has a chance to start in defence. Dybala and Donyell Malen will continue in attack. Gasperini noted: "Paulo is well and showing consistency. We're stronger with him on the pitch. But now it's not only him and Malen scoring—we're scoring more goals with everyone. The squad now has more quality and substitutes make less of a difference. We can cause problems for anyone." Defender Mario Hermoso said: "In this competition we'll discover our true strength, but nothing changes for us. We'll play with the same identity and mentality we showed Saturday evening."