Roma fans gather in central Rome to celebrate club's 99th birthday

Roma faced Cannes at Stade Pierre de Coubertin in their first competitive friendly of the summer, more than two months after the Verona match that secured their return to the Champions League. The fixture marked a reunion between the two clubs under common ownership: the Friedkin Group has controlled Roma since 2020 and has managed Cannes, who play in France's third tier, since 2023. Ryan Friedkin, son of owner Dan, attended the match in person. Gasperini's squad had previously undertaken internal training matches at Trigoria against the Primavera and Trastevere before this fixture. The friendly served as a formal return to action ahead of the new season, providing valuable competitive minutes and tactical preparation for the Champions League campaign that awaits.

Roma faced Cannes in their third pre-season friendly, a domestic clash between the two clubs both owned by the Friedkin Group. Ryan Friedkin attended the match in the stands alongside Tony D'Amico and Maurizio Lombardo. The fixture served as another step in Roma's summer preparation ahead of the new season. The presence of the ownership at the friendly underscored the Friedkin Group's involvement in both clubs' operations and their shared portfolio in European football. At the conclusion of the match, final approval from ownership was expected for the completion of the Castro transfer operation.

Ryan Friedkin attended Roma's pre-season friendly against Cannes, accompanied by sporting director Tony D'Amico, in a show of institutional backing for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The match represents Roma's third pre-season outing following back-to-back 6–0 victories over Primavera and Trastevere. Gasperini will lead the team from the bench as usual, but the presence of the ownership and executive hierarchy underscores the club's commitment to the new coaching project. Gasperini has previously requested tangible signs of proximity from the ownership during his early weeks overseeing the squad's preparations. The Cannes fixture offers a more meaningful test than the two domestic warm-up opponents, with the French club providing the technical challenge needed to evaluate the work conducted so far in pre-season. D'Amico's attendance at both the Trastevere match and this Cannes encounter indicates close monitoring of squad development and tactical implementation during the preparation phase.