Roma arrive in Brighton for final pre-season friendly

Guido Angelozzi, now sporting director at Spezia and formerly sporting director at Cagliari until June 2026, has revealed the details of his dealings with Roma last year. Speaking on Radiolina, he said Cagliari were close to signing Niccolò Pisilli, the Roma academy product, and that Cagliari had been trying to sign Romano. Angelozzi said Roma sporting director Massara had refused to let Romano go completely. Angelozzi spent a year at Cagliari before leaving by mutual agreement at the end of last season, after the club's president wanted to change direction. He said Cagliari are continuing the path set out last year under a young coach in his first managerial role. Romano had been managed by Cagliari for some years, Angelozzi said, and last year Cagliari were taking him on, but Massara would not fully release him. Angelozzi praised Cagliari for a big signing and congratulated the director who brought the player in, saying the player has an important future. He said: "Massara ci aveva detto no per Romano. Ed eravamo vicini a Pisilli." He added: "Sono contento che sia arrivato a Cagliari, sia per lui che per Pisilli. A gennaio stavamo prendendo anche lui, ma non è stato possibile."

Roma midfielder Emanuele Lulli has been named in Italy Under-21 coach Carlo Baldini's squad for two friendlies against France and Belgium. The call-up comes during the international break, which has also brought recognition for Daniele Ghilardi and Niccolò Pisilli, who have been called up to the senior Italy squad by head coach Roberto Mancini. The Under-21 fixtures are high-profile international tests against peers from France and Belgium, and will help the young side continue its development after qualifying for the European Under-21 Championship finals, to be held in 2027 in Albania and Serbia. Lulli's inclusion is a further sign of the progress of the club's young players, with Lulli representing Roma in the Azzurrini squad. Baldini's provisional squad lists the following players. Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone), Massimo Pessina (Bologna). Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia M'Gladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino). Midfielders: Lorenzo Amatucci (Deportivo La Coruna), Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina). Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Torino), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Jeff Ekhator (Juventus), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Vavassori (Palermo).

Roma supporters have accused stewards of charging at and assaulting fans during the Champions League away trip to Manchester United. According to their testimonies, one fan was pinned down and beaten by stewards until he lost consciousness. He was rescued and taken to hospital, and returned to Italy the following day. The accounts come from giallorossi supporters who travelled for the club's Champions League fixture against United. The allegations describe the violence as a serious incident for the travelling Roma support, and the fan's ordeal required emergency treatment before he was transported to hospital.