Roma face tough Champions League draw, El Aynaoui on the market

Roma return to the Champions League after eight years with a curious contradiction: a squad seasoned in European competition but largely inexperienced in the continent's top tier. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, the giallorossi have navigated knockout stages, difficult away trips and high-pressure evenings in recent seasons, yet a significant portion of the squad presents as Champions League debutants when their record in the competition itself is examined. The drawn opponents—Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester United, Sporting, Lille, Fenerbahçe, Slovan Bratislava and AEK Atene—underscore the magnitude of the step up. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen stand as the principal points of reference, each with around 50 Champions League appearances. Behind them Nahuel Molina brings roughly 40 such matches from his time at Atlético Madrid, followed by Mario Hermoso, equally accustomed to the highest level of European football. The picture shifts sharply thereafter. Bryan Cristante and Lorenzo Pellegrini have played in the Champions League, though Roma's last participation dates back to the 2018–19 season. Other squad members have sampled the competition only briefly, while a substantial portion will encounter it for the first time. Key players such as Manu Koné, Wesley, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Niccolò Pisilli and Santiago Castro have either never played it or collected minimal appearances. Yet Roma should not be labelled a European-inexperienced side. The club built a genuine identity in the cups: Cristante, Pellegrini, Gianluca Mancini, Mile Svilar and the core nucleus lived through the Conference League triumph in 2022, the Europa League final of 2023 and numerous knockout campaigns. Dybala, Evan N'Dicka, Koné, Pisilli and Matías Soulé have progressively accumulated international experience outside the Champions League but in matches where pressure, emotional control and reading momentum matter most. Here lies the true uncertainty: Roma possesses European aptitude but lacks a true Champions League identity. Errors recoverable in Europa League risk becoming instant goals against Real Madrid and PSG. The new League Phase format demands Gasperini navigate eight different fixtures without building a classic group-stage rhythm. The task ahead is not to teach Roma what a European night means, but to elevate what they have learned over five years.

AS Roma's eight opponents in the UEFA Champions League league phase have been confirmed following the draw on 27 August. Roma will face Real Madrid (home), PSG (away), Sporting Lisbon (home), Manchester United (away), Lille (home), Fenerbahçe (away), Slovan Bratislava (home) and AEK Athens (away). The UEFA will publish the official fixture calendar on 29 August, with matchday one scheduled for 8–10 September and the final round on 27 January. The league-phase format sees the top eight teams qualify automatically for the last 16, teams placed ninth to 24th enter a two-legged playoff round, and sides finishing 25th to 32nd are eliminated.

Roma radio stations aired conflicting assessments of the club's transfer priorities and Champions League prospects on 28 August. Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo reported that coach Gasperini favours Jesurun Gittens over Sofyan Fofana for a midfield signing. According to Pes, Roma will continue pushing to construct a deal with Chelsea for Gittens while the English club has yet to open discussions. "If it becomes clear there will be no margin, then we'll turn to Fofana. The agreement was there with him. But Gittens has the financial and technical favour, and for that reason remains the favourite. The two clubs have good relations," Pes said. Meanwhile, fellow analyst Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport suggested Roma's pursuit of Franck Kessié may be part of a broader market dynamic involving Juventus. Torri commented that the club faces further difficulty in securing a midfield winger option. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio Mattino described Roma's Champions League path as "hard", calling the draw "mediately squads of good level" and expressing doubt about whether Kessié could still deliver significantly in Serie A. Tony Damascelli of the same station called the European campaign "a fascinating journey", singling out the fixture against Real Madrid as "always beautiful, because they are the most winning team in the world." The radio commentary reflects broader debate within Roma's fanbase about the depth and direction of the squad ahead of the league-phase campaign beginning 8 September.

Roma are working on multiple fronts as the summer transfer window enters its final phase. Forward Robinio Vaz (19) is close to joining Hull City on a loan deal worth €2 million with a €30 million option to buy, though the move hinges on the player's final approval. Roma and Hull have already agreed the structure, and today an meeting between the English club and Vaz's agents is scheduled to secure his decision. The departure would free space for Roma to bring in an attacking midfielder, a priority shared between the club and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Roma's main targets for that position remain Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (22) from Chelsea and Malick Fofana (21) from Lyon. However, Bynoe-Gittens has become the preferred option in recent days because Gasperini favours his physical attributes and ability to attack goal. Roma have made a fresh approach to Chelsea hoping to reopen talks on a loan, having previously proposed around €3 million for the loan plus a purchase option between €37 and €40 million, which was rejected. Interest in Fofana has cooled after Roma's acquisition of Rodrigo Mora; the club initially reached a framework with Lyon around €30 million plus add-ons, but now can only realistically offer a loan with a purchase option. Concerns also remain about the Belgian's physical condition following ankle problems. Elsewhere, Roma are exploring defensive reinforcements. Nayef Aguerd (30), the Marseille centre-back, has entered the club's evaluation list as a potential loan option to complete the defence. The centre-half market is evolving as Morato (25) of Nottingham Forest has lost ground—Gasperini was reportedly not fully convinced—and other options including Kehrer are being assessed. Roma are also tracking Rocco Vata (21), an Irish winger at Watford, though this remains only an exploratory inquiry so far. Competition for targets is increasing: Hull City has also declared interest in Fofana, and Bologna are monitoring Vata. On the departures front, Neil El Aynaoui (25) is subject to sustained interest from the Premier League and Bundesliga, though Roma prefer a permanent sale while receiving mostly loan proposals, particularly from Germany. Any departure of Aynaoui could prompt Roma to seek a replacement on similar financial terms. A new centre-back arrival is also conditional on Jan Ziółkowski leaving, which Roma will only authorize once a replacement is secured. Roma are also continuing to develop young talent: 17-year-old Ante Mardešić, a Croatian midfielder from Trnje, has spent two weeks on trial at Trigoria and reportedly impressed the coaching staff; Roma now intend to push to sign him and integrate him into their academy setup.

Roma's pursuit of a left-sided attacking midfielder dominates transfer discussion across Rome radio as the summer window approaches its final days. Commentators on Tele Radio Stereo, Rete Sport and Radio Radio debate whether Gasperini will land his primary target—a wide forward he has been seeking for 15 months—or be forced into a late compromise. Lorenzo Pes stated: "Between Gittens and Fofana, the first is preferred especially by the coach. As long as there is time to do it, Roma will try to construct the operation with Chelsea. The English club has not yet given openings, but Roma will continue to push. If it becomes clear there will be no margin, then we will go to Fofana. The agreement there you had already found. But Gittens has the financial and technical favour, and for this remains the favourite. The two clubs have good relations." Pes added that Gittens would arrive on loan if a deal is struck in the final hours of the market. Alessio Nardo expressed frustration at the extended delay. "Surreal this situation. Gasperini has been asking for this attacking winger profile for 15 months. The important thing is not to find ourselves taking the Zaragoza of the moment on the last day of the market. You must take someone strong, an added starter and not the last leftover that happens to you. You are still in serious delay—we are at the end of a very long transfer campaign and you are still missing that player there. It has become a novel. It would be grotesque to end up with the short end of the stick, and even more demoralizing to take the Zaragoza of the moment at the last." Gianluca Piacentini noted that Roma correctly declined to sign Oosterwolde and that Gasperini likely prefers a player with different physical characteristics than Mora, making Fofana an option—though Gittens's loan structure makes him likely to arrive only in the final window hours if at all. Francesca Ferrazza reported that Roma has neither confirmed nor denied interest in Kessié or Fofana, describing the situation as "very very complicated" and dependent on other pieces falling into place. She also noted that Gasperini's reaction to El Aynaoui's approach in training "does not drive him crazy," raising questions about the winger's future. Piero Torri suggested Kessié's agent approached Roma as leverage to accelerate Juventus's interest, implying Roma is being used in a negotiating game. Roberto Pruzzo expressed scepticism about Kessié's fit for Serie A and backed the idea of selling El Aynaoui if Roma can bring in a player with different strengths. He predicted a 2–0 Lecce result, while Nando Orsi suggested De Roon as an unconventional alternative despite his 35 years and predicted a draw. Checco Oddo Casano warned Roma could be left empty-handed if decisions do not come before Friday and the weekend fixture congestion dilutes focus. The club remains without a fifth defender and a left-sided midfielder as the window enters its final stretch.

Roma are positioning themselves to sign Franck Kessié ahead of Juventus in the closing stages of the transfer window. Juventus tabled an offer of €3.5 million per season over two years with a view to a third, but Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma are preparing a superior proposal for the free agent midfielder, who departed Al Ahli. Gasperini worked with Kessié at Atalanta early in the Ivorian's career and is keen to reunite with him at Roma. The move would come as Neil El Aynaoui, signed last summer from Lens, faces a probable departure after limited involvement under Gasperini. El Aynaoui's exit would provide Roma with funds to pursue Kessié, a 1996-born midfielder and Italian champion with Milan in 2022. Juventus held talks with Kessié's representatives in Milan on 28 August, but Roma's interest and willingness to exceed Juve's financial terms puts the club from the Capitale in pole position to secure the player.