Roma drew 1–1 with Fenerbahce in Istanbul on 10 September in their opening Champions League fixture following a seven-year absence from Europe's premier competition. Bryan Cristante put the Giallorossi ahead late in the first half, but Fenerbahce equalized just three minutes into the second half through Brown. The result leaves Roma with one point after the opening round of fixtures.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised his team's first-half performance despite the draw, acknowledging the difficulty of the environment and Fenerbahce's compact defensive setup. "We played a good match," Gasperini said. "It wasn't easy in this environment and against a team that closed itself off very much and looked to counter-attack with very quick players. We put on an excellent performance; it was a draw but these are also needed to reach our objectives." Gasperini noted a pattern of early second-half vulnerability, mirroring an earlier fixture against Atalanta, and acknowledged defensive lapses that led to the conceded goal. He singled out Paulo Dybala for an "extraordinary" display, saying: "Dybala was extraordinary for consistency and quality." Goalkeeper Mile Svilar made crucial saves, including one denying Muriqi at close range, to secure the point. The coverage highlights Roma's dominance in possession during the opening 45 minutes but their inability to build on their lead after the interval, with Fenerbahce's intensity increasing as the match progressed.
Roma's return to the Champions League at the Olimpico on 14 October against Real Madrid has already reached near-capacity, with general tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale on 9 September, joining 40,000 supporters who purchased through the advance sale window.
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