Roma Primavera beat Atalanta 3–1 away to keep perfect record

Roma face Real Madrid at the Olimpico on 15 October at 21:00 in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League league phase. The fixture marks the return of Champions League football to the Olimpico after seven years and will be broadcast on Prime Video. José Mourinho returns to manage Real Madrid against his former club. Gasperini has two unavailable players for the match: Bryan Cristante and Mile Svilar are omitted from the squad list. Konstantinos Koulierakis has recovered from a contusion sustained on international duty and returns to selection. Paulo Dybala suffered a hand problem when he departed Roma's previous match against Como but has no concerns ahead of this fixture. Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal, with Devis Vásquez reintegrated into the Champions League squad list. Roma's starting XI will be Gollini in goal behind a three-defender line of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. Wesley plays right-back to handle Real Madrid's pace, while Devyne Rensch takes the left-back slot in a surprise tactical choice over Nahuel Molina. Manu Koné and Marten de Roon fill the midfield, with Matías Soulé deployed behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack. Real Madrid, managed by Mourinho, line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and arrive after beating Inter 2-1 in their opening league-phase match. Roma drew 1-1 at home against Fenerbahce in their first game. The head referee is Letexier from France, with Higler from the Netherlands as VAR. Historically, Real Madrid lead the fixture record with eight victories to Roma's three, with one draw between them. Real Madrid have scored 24 goals and Roma nine across their meetings. Roma's last victory came in the 2007–08 Champions League last-16 tie, when they won 2-1 both at the Bernabéu and at home.

A new mural by street artist Harry Greb has appeared in Rome's Testaccio district ahead of tonight's Champions League match between Roma and Real Madrid. The work, titled "I mister", depicts José Mourinho and Gian Piero Gasperini in a playful confrontation, with Mourinho seated on Roma's bench in an amused expression while Gasperini smiles beside him, apparently inviting him to step aside and climb onto a Vespa scooter emblazoned with the words "Roma is magic". The mural is located at via Ghiberti 31, near the Roma Club Testaccio, in a district deeply connected to the club's history. The artwork honours both managers as protagonists of tonight's second matchday of the Champions League league phase, capturing the anticipation surrounding Mourinho's return to the Stadio Olimpico as Real Madrid's coach.

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Real Madrid, kick-off 21:00 this evening. Konstantinos Koulierakis returns to the travelling party, while Devis Vásquez is included among the goalkeepers. The squad list features 24 players across all four positions. In defence, Gasperini has selected Devyne Rensch, Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley, Emanuele Lulli and Daniele Ghilardi. Midfield options comprise Lorenzo Pellegrini, Marten de Roon, Manu Koné, Niccolò Pisilli and Rodrigo Mora. The forward line includes Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala.

The Friedkin Group is considering selling its majority stake in Everton and welcoming new investors into the club, marking a shift in strategy from earlier plans to seek only minority partnerships. The Athletic reports that the family has expanded its options to include a possible exit from control of the English club, which they acquired at the end of 2024. The potential sale comes as The Friedkin Group pursues a separate expansion into the NHL with a franchise in Texas, an investment estimated at approximately $3.5 billion that would cover both the entry fee and construction of a new arena. The exploration of Everton's future does not signal any retreat from AS Roma. The club remains a central asset in the Friedkin sporting portfolio and continues to receive investment in technical, infrastructure and stadium projects. Roma's position is described as stable, with no indication of disengagement emerging at this stage. The NHL expansion process with the North American league is not yet concluded and requires further approval procedures. The article notes that it would be premature to assume the possible Everton sale is directly tied to financing the new hockey franchise, as some American reports lack sufficient evidence to establish a direct connection between the two plans. The Friedkin Group's broader strategy is becoming more complex, with the family now evaluating every available option for Everton, from simply opening the club to new partners through to a full sale of control, less than two years after entering Liverpool.

Antonio Arena, Roma's young striker, has been named among the 60 most promising players born in 2009 globally in a list compiled by The Guardian. The Primavera talent has already scored for the first team in the Coppa Italia and regularly features in Gasperini's matchday squads for Serie A fixtures, demonstrating qualities that set him apart from his peers. Arena's inclusion reflects his early impact at Roma, where he has attracted the attention of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who frequently calls him up for league matches. The recognition underscores the talent emerging from the club's academy and the confidence placed in him by the first-team staff. The Guardian's list also includes Riccardo Cassano of Como and Destiny Elimoghale of Juventus among the 60 young players identified as prospects.

The Guardian has included three Italian young players in its "Next Generation" selection of 60 of the world's best prospects born in 2009, among them Antonio Arena of Roma. In the 2026–27 season, Arena has made 4 appearances for Roma's Primavera, scoring 1 goal and providing 3 assists. He previously made his first-team debut in the 2025–26 season, scoring in the Coppa Italia against Torino in a 2–3 defeat at Stadio Olimpico. Also named in the list is Roma goalkeeper Slim Bouaskar, who was born and raised in Rome but represents Tunisia at international level and continues to feature in Roma's youth ranks and international tournaments including the U17 World Cup. Bouaskar has not yet made his senior debut for Roma. The list also includes Riccardo Cassano of Como and Destiny Elimoghale of Juventus. The Guardian identified Arena as a centre-forward with classical traits and aerial strength, effective in the box. The publication noted his striking debut record: a goal on his first appearance with Pescara in Serie C, followed by a goal on his first touch with Roma in the Coppa Italia match against Torino. His mentality has impressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who believes the young player has "strength to sell". Of Bouaskar, The Guardian described him as a talent from the Tunisian diaspora and one of the few positive notes in a complicated year for Tunisian football. Standing 1.88 metres tall, he commands the defence, reads his exits well, and possesses notable reflexes. Former Roma manager José Mourinho noticed him during his time at the club, while Claudio Ranieri gave him his first real opportunity. Bouaskar has shone in youth competitions including the U17 World Cup, the 2025 U17 African Cup of Nations, and the U20 UNAF tournament, though he has yet to debut for Roma or Tunisia's senior side.