Roma line up against Slovan Bratislava with Balerdi in defence

Roma return to Champions League action at the Stadio Olimpico against Slovan Bratislava after a 2-0 Serie A win over Genoa, coached by De Rossi. Gian Piero Gasperini's side found answers from their second-string players, with Castro scoring a stunning goal to break the deadlock. Roma now need points in the Champions League to climb the League Phase standings. They opened their European campaign with a draw at Fenerbahçe in Turkey, and then suffered the sting of a comeback by Real Madrid in front of their own fans. Slovan Bratislava are a side Roma should comfortably be able to handle, although they can still pose some dangers. The article also covers where to watch the match on television (Sky and Prime), the kickoff time, the probable line-ups and the Champions League table.

Roma's Primavera side beat Slovan Bratislava 5-0 at the Tre Fontane in the third matchday of the UEFA Youth League, bouncing back immediately from their league defeat to Torino. Paratici scored a hat-trick in the second half, with Arena providing two assists before scoring the final goal himself. Coach Mattia Scala's side dominated the game from the start, although Slovan initially managed to contain the Giallorossi pressure. The opening goal came in the 35th minute. Arena sent Camara through on the counter-attack, and Camara opened his body and finished past Gramblička to make it 1-0 at half-time. The match changed completely after the restart with the introduction of Paratici, who came on in the 56th minute in place of Camara. He needed just five minutes to make his mark, as Arena played him through again and he took the ball into the area and beat the Slovak goalkeeper. Slovan collapsed in the closing stages and Roma ran riot. In the 79th minute Paratici was quickest to react to a loose ball in the area after a shot from Terlizzi and made it 3-0. Six minutes later, from a corner taken by Cama, the young striker rose alone and completed his personal hat-trick. In the 87th minute Arena added the definitive 5-0, having already been involved with two assists, completing a practically perfect afternoon for Scala's team. The result was a wide and convincing victory, built once again through the academy players of the Giallorossi youth sector. Sporting director Tony D'Amico, CEO John Galantic and youth sector manager Massimo Margiotta were in the stands, and Paratici, Arena and their team-mates sent an important message to the first team as well, at a time when Gasperini continues to open the doors wider to the young players of Trigoria.

Roma's Youth League side beat Slovan Bratislava convincingly at the Tre Fontane before the first-team fixture against the same opponents later on Monday evening. Camara opened the scoring in the 35th minute, and after the break Lorenzo Paratici, who came on during the game, scored a hat-trick that decided the match. Arena completed the win with a goal in the closing minutes. The result was Scala's Primavera side's second victory in three matches, following an opening win over Fenerbahce and a narrow defeat to Real Madrid. The win came with several senior Roma figures in attendance. CEO John Galantic and sporting director Tony D'Amico were in the stands at the Tre Fontane, alongside Margiotta, the club's youth sector manager, and Frara, the club's Loan Manager. The Youth League match is played before the senior fixture as usual, and the Primavera result gives the club's young players a timely boost. The presence of the CEO and sporting director underlines the club's interest in the development of its academy squad.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the 2026-27 competition. Bryan Cristante is back in the group. The defenders selected are Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders named are Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma have named their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, and Bryan Cristante is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini. The club confirmed the list in an official statement published on its website. Cristante returns after a knee problem that forced him to miss around 20 days. Cristante's availability is good news for Gasperini ahead of a European night in Rome. Alessandro Di Nunzio is also included in the squad. Having made his Serie A debut, he now gets a fresh opportunity to show what he can do in European competition. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma have named their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, and Bryan Cristante is back in contention for Gian Piero Gasperini. The club confirmed the list in an official statement published on its website. Cristante returns after a knee problem that forced him to miss around 20 days. Cristante's availability is good news for Gasperini ahead of a European night in Rome. Alessandro Di Nunzio is also included in the squad. Having made his Serie A debut, he now gets a fresh opportunity to show what he can do in European competition. The full squad is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava tonight at 21:00 at the Stadio Olimpico in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, and Bryan Cristante is back in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad. The midfielder had been out of the last few matches with a knee problem. His return gives Roma an extra option in midfield during a period of closely spaced fixtures. The match comes after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid, and Gasperini's side are looking to collect important points on their European campaign. Paulo Dybala is not in the squad. Gasperini confirmed at the eve-of-match press conference that the Argentine has a small muscle tear, and his recovery will take another couple of weeks. Manu Koné is also absent and does not feature in the list of players available for the European fixture. Mile Svilar is missing with a foot injury. The full squad list names Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi in defence. The midfield selection is Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora. Alessandro Di Nunzio is a young midfielder from the youth sector, and he was also called up for the league match against Genoa. Pierluigi Gollini, Devis Vásquez and De Marzi are the goalkeepers. In attack, Gasperini can call on Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro to lead the line. More than 60,000 fans are expected at the Olimpico for the game.

Former Roma midfielder Federico Viviani has spoken exclusively to Retesport, reflecting on his debut against Slovan Bratislava and expressing regret that Luis Enrique did not remain at the club. Viviani made his debut against Slovan Bratislava on 18 August 2011, and it was his first start for Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, in front of more than 60,000 spectators. Having come through the club's youth sector, he described the night as indescribable on a personal level. Viviani said the Roma of 2026-27 is showing it is a very good team after 10 matches, though he noted the season is still long. Asked about the Slovan Bratislava match, he recalled that Roma had many chances that went unconverted, and that the evening was strange, with supporters rightly expecting more. He said the emotion of his personal milestone was swept away by what happened on the pitch afterwards. On Luis Enrique, Viviani said he had been able to speak with former team-mates and that the coach was, in his view, years ahead in managing the group and in his working methods. "For me it was a great experience, he had ways of training and setting the team out that were cutting-edge," he said. He added: "Unfortunately we know how it went... That project was not carried forward, partly by his own choice... Francesco and Daniele, who were great champions, tried to dissuade him, but Luis Enrique did not change his mind. He came out of it drained, as it was his first experience with a first team." Viviani spoke warmly of Gianluca Mancini's teammate Daniele Ghilardi's fellow academy product Daniele Lulli, noting that Lulli shares Viviani's agent and that the club brought him up from childhood. He said: "It always gives great pleasure to see young players come through the youth sector and find continuity in the first team: it is every young player's dream to play for the team they grew up with." He added that scoring his first Serie A goal at the Olimpico must have been a great reward for Lulli. Asked about regrets, Viviani said the only thing that disappointed him was Luis Enrique's departure, because he would have kept him at the club. He said the coach also stood in the way of a possible move for Viviani in January. "The only regret is this: had he stayed, I would have had the chance to work with him, continuing to grow on and off the pitch. He helped me enormously, it was a fundamental experience. I will always be bound to Luis Enrique for the opportunities he gave me." On his future, Viviani said he has started a coaching course and hopes everything goes well. He said the hardest part after retiring is understanding which path is right for you. On Daniele De Rossi, he said: "He was a fundamental part of my growth, above all on a human level and in how he behaved with team-mates. He is an exceptional person as well as a fantastic player. Not one person who knows him could say a bad word about him. I hope he becomes a great coach because he deserves it."

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the 2026-27 competition. Bryan Cristante is back in the group. The defenders selected are Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli and Ghilardi. The midfielders named are Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio and Mora.

Bryan Cristante is back in the Roma squad for Thursday's home clash with Slovan Bratislava, Gian Piero Gasperini's team news boost on the eve of the Champions League League Phase third matchday. The midfielder had missed the last few matches with physical problems, and his return gives Gasperini an important alternative in a department already without the injured Manu Koné. The call-up also includes Di Nunzio, who has been added to the group at a time when the emergency is forcing Gasperini to widen his rotations. Paulo Dybala remains out, sidelined by a lesion revealed by the latest tests, along with Koné. Cristante's return is therefore the main development ahead of tonight's fixture at the Olimpico, with Gasperini regaining an important option at the most delicate moment of the midfield crisis. The full squad list is as follows. Goalkeepers: Vasquez, De Marzi, Gollini. Defenders: Rensch, Koulierakis, N'Dicka, Molina, Hermoso, Mancini, Balerdi, Wesley, Lulli, Ghilardi. Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, De Roon, Pisilli, Di Nunzio, Mora. Forwards: Castro, Malen, Soulé.