Roma return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years on Thursday evening, facing Fenerbahçe in Istanbul at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium at 18:45. The squad will depart for Turkey on 9 September, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini scheduled to hold a pre-match press conference at 17:00 Italian time and oversee a final training session at 17:30. The milestone comes after three consecutive Serie A victories to start the season, following Roma's third-place finish last term that secured their European qualification.
Gasperini is expected to lean heavily on experience for the fixture. Paulo Dybala, the Argentine forward, will return to Champions League football for the first time in over four years after his last appearance for Juventus on 16 March 2022; he has accumulated 53 career appearances and 18 goals in the competition. Roma will pit experience against debutants: Mancini, Koné, Wesley, Pisilli, Mora, Ghilardi and Lulli compete in the competition for the first time, while De Roon, Molina, Balerdi, Hermoso, Malen and Dybala bring substantial European pedigree. Matías Soulé, who has rediscovered form with goals in recent Serie A matches, will feature among Roma's attacking threats, while Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered from injury and trained with the group, though his Champions League debut may come later. The fixture will see Roma face former striker Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood, though Fenerbahçe will be without suspended midfielder Guendouzi. Paolo Di Canio has offered a cautiously optimistic outlook, suggesting Roma "can enjoy themselves" in the competition, noting that Inter can progress among Italian clubs, while others with fortunate draws can aim for the quarter-finals.
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