Roma Secure Champions League Return After Seven Years Under Gasperini; Malen Key Player, Dybala Renewal Expected

Roma will open their 2026-27 season at the Olimpico against Fiorentina on Monday, 24 August at 20:45, with director D'Amico still working to finalise the squad ahead of the summer transfer window's closure on Tuesday, 1 September at 20:00. Rodrigo Mora, a left-sided winger described as a long-term target for Gasperini, is close to joining from Porto, and the club expects at least one further reinforcement before the deadline. However, Gasperini is likely to start the campaign with roughly 10 or 11 players from last season's squad. Molina is expected to earn a starting berth against Fiorentina, but the other recent arrivals face obstacles to immediate prominence. Koulierakis is unlikely to displace Mario Hermoso in the defensive hierarchy, and Castro faces a similar challenge against Donyell Malen despite the winger's low-profile preseason. Mora, expected in Italy in the coming days, will need time to integrate into Gasperini's system; Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé are likely to retain their attacking partnership. Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss the opener through injury, while Niccolò Pisilli hopes to return in the squad and Wesley is managing a minor ankle sprain sustained in Saturday's friendly against Borussia Dortmund.

Paulo Dybala delivered a standout performance to inspire Roma to a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund in a friendly on 15 August at Signal Iduna Park. The Argentine opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a solo effort, then provided a corner-kick assist for Bryan Cristante's header to give Roma a 2-0 lead within nine minutes. Dortmund rallied through goals from Ryerson in the 12th minute and Guirassy in the 28th to equalise before half-time, with the second half remaining competitive until the final whistle. Dybala played all 90 minutes and nearly snatched a late winner with a free-kick. The display provided encouragement to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina. Donyell Malen appeared understandably short of match fitness against his former teammates, though the test offered Gasperini substantial reassurance after a heavy defeat to Brighton. Molina made his debut, Manu Koné returned to action, and 19-year-old Lulli impressed across 78 minutes, convincing the coach to integrate him permanently into the first-team squad. Roma will resume training on Wednesday morning at Trigoria ahead of their home league debut against Fiorentina on 24 August at the Olimpico.

Paulo Dybala produced a standout display to help Roma earn a 2–2 draw against Borussia Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park in a friendly on 15 August. The Giallorossi twice took the lead through Dybala's attacking play before the German side fought back to level the match. The result offers a morale boost ahead of Roma's Serie A opener against Fiorentina in the coming days, after a poor defeat to Brighton during the pre-season schedule. Gasperini's side finished their summer training camp on a positive note following the Dortmund fixture. Donyell Malen continued to show signs of being short of full match fitness, while there were opportunities for other squad members. The manager was sufficiently impressed by Lulli's contribution to consider giving him a more permanent place in the first-team setup moving forward. The draw demonstrated Roma's attacking threat despite defensive lapses that allowed Dortmund back into the contest. Manu Koné returned to action and Molina made his debut in what was an encouraging test of Gasperini's tactical ideas before the competitive season begins.

Roma will host Fiorentina at the Olimpico on Monday 24 August in their Serie A campaign opener, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini preparing a 3-4-1-2 formation centred around Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield role. Malen holds the edge over Castro in contention for a forward berth alongside Paulo Dybala, with Rodrigo Mora arriving but unlikely to start. Soulé, who spent the previous summer with his future uncertain, will make his first competitive start for the club against the Viola, who had previously pursued him before turning their attention to Mastantuono. Manu Koné returns to midfield alongside Bryan Cristante, with Wesley stationed on the left flank and Molina on the right. The backline consists of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso in front of Mile Svilar. Gasperini's setup represents largely familiar territory for Roma, with only one fresh face compared to last season's squad, though further market activity is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Roma will open their 2026-27 season at the Olimpico against Fiorentina on Monday, 24 August at 20:45, with director D'Amico still working to finalise the squad ahead of the summer transfer window's closure on Tuesday, 1 September at 20:00. Rodrigo Mora, a left-sided winger described as a long-term target for Gasperini, is close to joining from Porto, and the club expects at least one further reinforcement before the deadline. However, Gasperini is likely to start the campaign with roughly 10 or 11 players from last season's squad. Molina is expected to earn a starting berth against Fiorentina, but the other recent arrivals face obstacles to immediate prominence. Koulierakis is unlikely to displace Mario Hermoso in the defensive hierarchy, and Castro faces a similar challenge against Donyell Malen despite the winger's low-profile preseason. Mora, expected in Italy in the coming days, will need time to integrate into Gasperini's system; Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé are likely to retain their attacking partnership. Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss the opener through injury, while Niccolò Pisilli hopes to return in the squad and Wesley is managing a minor ankle sprain sustained in Saturday's friendly against Borussia Dortmund.

Roma radio commentators dissected the Giallorossi's opening performance on 15 August, offering mixed assessments of the squad's readiness and frustration over the transfer window's output. Pruzzo told Radio Radio Mattino that Roma played well for 15 minutes but were exposed on set pieces, noting that "Dybala is in good form, but won't be able to play this type of match all the time. Soulé hasn't managed to show his qualities yet, and struggles alongside Dybala. El Aynaoui operates at too measured a pace—we'd need a player with different running ability, and I'd think about it from a market perspective. For now Malen is a distant relation of the player we know, but he and Castro are strong. I'm worried Molina gave his best at Atlético Madrid." Mattioli struck a harsher tone, saying "Roma hasn't displeased me, but some players need to improve physically. Roma 'talks, talks', but then at the final moment does nothing. If we look at the desired targets and who has arrived, the balance is zero. The investments have been made, but the names being discussed for two months haven't arrived. Roma must play in the Champions League." Orsi raised tactical concerns about left-sided incompatibility between Soulé and Dybala, and questioned why Roma, pursuing an attacking wide player since 1 July, had not yet secured one. He also flagged concerns over a potential late-window departure of a key player.

Roma will discover their eight group-stage opponents on 27 August 2026, with their first Champions League match scheduled for 8 September. The club returns to European football's premier competition for the first time in seven years, a milestone marked by the famous UEFA Champions League anthem composed by Tony Britten, adapted from Georg Friedrich Händel's Zadok the Priest. The 2026–27 campaign will feature a new league-phase format across 36 clubs, with all final matchday fixtures played simultaneously on 27 January 2027. Under the restructured format, the top eight finishers in the league phase advance directly to the knockout rounds. Teams finishing 9th to 24th must contest a playoff stage, while positions 25 to 36 are eliminated. Roma's captain Stephan El Shaarawy scored the decisive goal that secured the club's qualification for this season, a moment recalled as a turning point after years away from the competition. The Champions League final was initially assigned to San Siro but has been moved to Madrid due to stadium construction work. From 2027 onwards, the defending champions will open each season with a standalone Tuesday evening fixture.

Roma will learn their eight group-stage opponents for the 2026–27 Champions League on 27 August 2026, with their first match scheduled for 8 September. The club will compete in the new 36-team league phase format, where the top eight finishers advance directly to the knockout stages, sides finishing ninth to 24th enter a playoff round, and teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated. The campaign concludes on 27 January 2027, when all final matchday fixtures kick off simultaneously. Roma's return to Europe's premier competition marks an end to a seven-year absence from the Champions League. The announcement has sparked anticipation among supporters, with references to Stephan El Shaarawy's goal that secured the club's qualification. The iconic Champions League anthem, composed by Tony Britten and adapted from Georg Friedrich Händel's Zadok the Priest, will herald the giallorossi's participation in the tournament once more. From 2027 onwards, the defending champions will open their season with a standalone Tuesday evening fixture. The 2027 final was initially assigned to San Siro but has been relocated to Madrid due to stadium renovation work.

Paulo Dybala has consolidated his status as Roma's cornerstone player despite an injury-depleted forward line under Gian Piero Gasperini. The club initially weighed the possibility of parting with the Argentine at the end of his contract, mindful of his €8 million net annual salary in the 2025–26 season and the 21 matches he missed due to physical problems. However, a contract extension through 2027, confirmed on 13 July, resolved all doubts. Dybala accepted a 70% salary reduction to remain in giallorosso colours, demonstrating his deep attachment to the club. With Stephan El Shaarawy departing on a free transfer, Lorenzo Venturino and Bryan Zaragoza returning to their parent clubs, and Lorenzo Pellegrini sidelined by injury, Dybala and Matías Soulé carry almost the entire responsibility for the attacking midfield role. His experience proves invaluable ahead of Roma's European campaign: Dybala's 53 Champions League appearances make him the squad's most seasoned European player, ahead of Nahuel Molina (37 appearances), Donyell Malen and Mario Hermoso (31 each). Against Borussia Dortmund in a friendly on 15 August at 17:30, Dybala is set once again to lead the team on the pitch, confirming his status as both a technical and commercial pillar of the club.

Roma will host Fiorentina at the Olimpico on Monday 24 August in their Serie A campaign opener, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini preparing a 3-4-1-2 formation centred around Matías Soulé in the attacking midfield role. Malen holds the edge over Castro in contention for a forward berth alongside Paulo Dybala, with Rodrigo Mora arriving but unlikely to start. Soulé, who spent the previous summer with his future uncertain, will make his first competitive start for the club against the Viola, who had previously pursued him before turning their attention to Mastantuono. Manu Koné returns to midfield alongside Bryan Cristante, with Wesley stationed on the left flank and Molina on the right. The backline consists of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso in front of Mile Svilar. Gasperini's setup represents largely familiar territory for Roma, with only one fresh face compared to last season's squad, though further market activity is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Roma will open their Serie A campaign against Fiorentina in exactly one week's time, but face an injury concern over two key players. Wesley and Pisilli were both absent from a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, and their availability for the first league match remains uncertain. Wesley has an ongoing ankle problem that will be reassessed when training resumes at Trigoria in two days' time; Pisilli will undergo a similar evaluation on the same day. There is optimism both players will be fit for the clash with Fiorentina. Molina is expected to be the only recent recruit to start from the beginning against the Viola. Manu Koné requires further assessment before selection. Matías Soulé will operate on the left wing, with Paulo Dybala positioned on the right. Lorenzo Pellegrini, meanwhile, needs more time to recover from injury and will not be included in the squad for the match.

Roma will open their 2026-27 season at the Olimpico against Fiorentina on Monday, 24 August at 20:45, with director D'Amico still working to finalise the squad ahead of the summer transfer window's closure on Tuesday, 1 September at 20:00. Rodrigo Mora, a left-sided winger described as a long-term target for Gasperini, is close to joining from Porto, and the club expects at least one further reinforcement before the deadline. However, Gasperini is likely to start the campaign with roughly 10 or 11 players from last season's squad. Molina is expected to earn a starting berth against Fiorentina, but the other recent arrivals face obstacles to immediate prominence. Koulierakis is unlikely to displace Mario Hermoso in the defensive hierarchy, and Castro faces a similar challenge against Donyell Malen despite the winger's low-profile preseason. Mora, expected in Italy in the coming days, will need time to integrate into Gasperini's system; Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé are likely to retain their attacking partnership. Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss the opener through injury, while Niccolò Pisilli hopes to return in the squad and Wesley is managing a minor ankle sprain sustained in Saturday's friendly against Borussia Dortmund.