Roma chase Champions League qualification in historic derby, Mancini hailed as people's hero

Roma began free sales of cup competition subscriptions on 19 August, with more than 25,000 supporters queuing online to purchase seats. The move follows seven years away from major European competition: Roma have qualified for the Champions League and will compete across multiple knockout stages this season. Season-ticket holders and supporters who secured league subscriptions from 12 August onwards already had priority access to cup packages. The return to European football's top stage has generated extraordinary demand despite recent criticism over ticket pricing. The club's official website was inundated with traffic as fans rushed to book seats for matches across all European venues. Roma's qualification ends a lengthy absence from elite continental football and has energised the fanbase ahead of their campaign in the group stage and beyond. Cup subscriptions remain available to any supporter, with no restrictions on who may now purchase a package. The surge in sales reflects the scale of anticipation surrounding Roma's reappearance in Europe's premier club competition.

Roma's return to European competition after seven years has triggered a surge in demand for cup subscriptions. Free sales began today, 19 August, following a priority window from 12 August for existing season-ticket holders and those with pre-emption rights. The sales window runs until 26 August. Nearly two hours after opening, more than 26,000 people were already queuing to purchase subscriptions. Combined with renewals and the first day of free sales, over 35,000 subscriptions have been sold; the maximum capacity stands at 40,000. Roma's qualification for the Champions League has generated extraordinary enthusiasm among the fanbase in the capital. The club's absence from Europe's premier competition for seven years makes the return particularly significant, and the scale of the queue reflects the magnitude of that moment for supporters. Before European fixtures begin, Roma face Serie A action. Fiorentina visit the Olimpico on Monday in the club's opening league match of the season.

Malick Fofana, the Belgian winger, started Lyon's opening leg of the Champions League preliminary round against Fenerbahçe on 18 August, which ended 1–1. After the match, Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca was asked about the 2005-born player's future availability for the return fixture. Fonseca said: "Will he be there on the return? I think so. He is very important for us, I believe in all the players in our squad. They will be ready for the return." Roma are pushing to complete a deal for Fofana to strengthen their attack, but Lyon are unlikely to release him before the return match on 26 August. The French club regard him as a key player for their European campaign and are resisting Roma's overtures for a premature departure.

Rodrigo Mora impressed in his first training session and now has four days to convince Gasperini he deserves the starting role in Roma's match against Fiorentina on Monday. The Portuguese forward will compete with Matías Soulé for the trequartista position in a 3-4-1-2 formation that Roma trialled on 19 August. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are set to start as the two strikers, with Mora eyeing an opportunity to stake his claim in the role that suits him best. Soulé's availability for the match remains uncertain as AC Milan continues to press for his signature, alongside English club Sunderland. The competition for places elsewhere in the team appears settled: Molina is ready to make his debut, Wesley will start at left-back, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné will operate in midfield, and the defensive line in front of Mile Svilar will comprise Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso. Gasperini's early feedback on Mora has been positive, giving the forward genuine scope to earn a starting berth.

Rodrigo Mora has been assigned shirt number 86 at Roma, completing a historical milestone for the club. The Portuguese player, a class of 2007 talent, chose the number on 19 August, and it marks the first time the 86 has been worn since Roma introduced fixed squad numbers in the 1995–96 season. Mora wore the number at Porto and had worn the 10 in UEFA Youth League there; across Portugal's national youth levels he has worn 11, 24, 20, 17, 28, and 10 in Under-21, but returns to the 8 and 6 combination familiar from his time at Porto. The 86 was the final unassigned number in Roma's history of squad allocation, a gap that has persisted for three decades. Though some numbers have been selected but never worn in matches—such as the 84 given to Del Bello and Louakima in 2022–23 and the 79 assigned to Edoardo Morucci in European League action last January without deployment—the 86 remained untouched until Mora's arrival. The club's iconic numbers include the 10 retired for Francesco Totti since 28 May 2017, the 21 currently worn by Paulo Dybala, the 23 of Gianluca Mancini, the 22 of Mario Hermoso, the 5 of Falcao, the 6 of Aldair, the 16 of Daniele De Rossi, and the 9 of Roberto Pruzzo. Mora will now seek to make the 86 uniquely his own in Roma colours.

Rodrigo Mora landed at Ciampino yesterday to a reception of nearly 500 supporters as Roma completed the Portuguese attacking talent's signing. The 19-year-old expressed his gratitude in an official interview: "I want to thank Roma and Porto. I'm very happy to be here, and I thank the fans for the support they showed me at the airport. I'm very pleased and hope to have a great season here." José Mourinho endorsed the move, calling Mora "one of the greatest talents in Portuguese football. Technically very strong, a creative player who unbalances matches. I think Roma fans will love him." Meanwhile, Roma remain in talks over striker Malick Fofana from Lyon. An agreement in principle is in place for €35 million plus bonuses, but the deal is conditional on Lyon's European preliminary round results and awaits approval from the Friedkin Group ownership, who are reluctant to commit such a sum without significant departures or cheaper payment structures, mindful of financial fair play constraints. Defender Gianluca Mancini discussed the challenge ahead under Gian Piero Gasperini in an interview with Sky Sport. On competing in the Champions League for the first time, he said: "Yes, we pursued it for some years. Last season we secured it and we can't wait to take part in this beautiful competition." He added on Gasperini's training intensity: "I think all preparations are tough because you come from a holiday period and when you restart in the heat the first sessions are tough everywhere, what the manager and his staff do is put us in the right conditions to face the season in the best way possible. We as a group follow exactly what he tells us to do." Manu Koné is expected to remain at Roma after Manchester United withdrew from the race for the French midfielder.