Roma to wear kit without main sponsor in Fenerbahce Champions League debut due to Turkish regulations

Rodrigo Mora is among the young players set to make their Champions League debuts on matchday one this season. The Roma midfielder has been highlighted by the New York Times in a list of ten young players to watch in this year's competition, earning a striking comparison to Lionel Messi. The New York Times article described Mora as "a small playmaker of 168 cm who shines with his long hair, and comparisons with a young Lionel Messi are inevitable." While acknowledging that "Mora does not possess Messi's supernatural ability, the stylistic similarities are there." Like the Argentine, Mora operates freely between the lines, seeking the ball from teammates before driving toward goal, and his dribbling style is characterised by feints and changes of direction. The piece noted his typical pattern: "Mora collects the ball on the left flank and runs toward the defender to mark and beat him, as he did against Fiorentina."

Roma begin their Champions League campaign against Fenerbahçe, but the Turkish club will be without midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi, suspended following a playoff match against Lyon. Guendouzi was handed the ban after an on-field incident in which he provoked the opposing squad and supporters following victory. Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yildirim has submitted an appeal to the disciplinary tribunal. He said: "We have lodged an appeal and it will go to the appeals court. We hope the sanction is reduced." Yildirim added: "Greenwood's suspension has already been overturned and we believe Guendouzi's can also be lessened."

Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım has filed an appeal against Mateo Guendouzi's suspension, which will keep the midfielder out of the club's next two Champions League matches—including Thursday's fixture against Roma. Yıldırım said: "We have lodged an appeal and it will go to the appeals court. We hope the sanction will be reduced." Guendouzi's ban comes amid Fenerbahçe's claims of refereeing injustices in recent league matches. Yıldırım drew a parallel with a previous case at the club, stating: "Greenwood's suspension has already been overturned and we believe Guendouzi's can also be reduced."