Soprintendenza approval clears major hurdle for Roma's new Pietralata stadium

Gian Piero Gasperini surprised his Roma players in the Old Trafford dressing room after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, choosing reassurance over a angry tirade despite Roma having let a two-goal lead slip. According to journalist Andrea Pugliese, speaking on Radio Radio, Gasperini avoided any hunt for culprits and instead highlighted the quality of Roma's performance in the first half of the match. Pugliese reported that Gasperini told his players after the final whistle: "We dominated," urging them not to forget how much good they had built against a high-level opponent. The message aimed to turn the disappointment into motivation. It was a significant choice, especially after Roma suffered their second comeback in the Champions League, coming just weeks after the one against Real Madrid. The approach matches what Gasperini said publicly after the game. He said: "This team perhaps needs to take off the pressure of the result at all costs. This match matters to us more than the others." Gasperini appears keen to protect his players' confidence without ignoring the mistakes that were made. The real test now comes on the pitch, with the trip to face Sassuolo the first chance to show whether the coach's words have helped Roma move on from the disappointment of Manchester.

Roma supporter Emanuele has described being refused entry to Old Trafford for the Champions League fixture against Manchester United on Tuesday 3 November, despite holding a valid ticket, and says he was physically removed from the area by stewards. He spoke to Retesport about the experience. According to Emanuele, the Roma fans' march was calm despite setting off late, but once they reached the car parks they were pushed and charged by English police. He said supporters were packed into a space of a few metres, side by side, barely able to breathe, and held in those conditions for about an hour and a half. Groups of only 50 people at a time were allowed through to the entrance, which he said slowed the process further and made the situation harder. "It was an endless wait," he said. It was only after 20:00 Italian time, when the match had already started, that Roma supporters were finally allowed to reach the turnstiles. Emanuele held a ticket for Section 29, close to the stand. While queuing, a steward began shouting in his ears because a fan in front of him could not get his ticket to scan. He explained in English that the fan's phone was flat, so the screen brightness was too low, but that the ticket was valid. After he presented his own ticket and received the green light from the turnstile, he said a steward grabbed him from behind by the neck. Together with another security member, he was dragged away from the stadium with no plausible explanation given. When he asked why he had been removed, he was told he would not be admitted because he had attacked a steward. He immediately asked to see the CCTV footage, given the large number of cameras in the area, but said he was shown nothing. "I was not given any evidence or any concrete explanation," he said. He added that if he had really assaulted a member of security staff, the consequences would have been far more serious, and he would have been arrested. He said that, after speaking to some Italian stewards, he was advised to go to the ticket office, about a kilometre away, to have his ticket checked and validated again. There he was told that, although the ticket was valid, the general management had already decided that, having been identified as a dangerous individual who had attacked a steward, he would not be allowed into the stadium. Emanuele said at least 20 other people were in the same situation outside. Some of them had legitimately bought tickets for the stand next to the away section, which he said was not prohibited in any way. Those fans had got in and taken their seats, but after celebrating Malen's goal they were identified, removed from their seats and thrown out of the stadium. "The reason?" he said. "They were Italian fans and they had cheered a Roma goal."

Matheus Cunha has drawn attention from Roma supporters after posting a one-word reply to Leonardo Balerdi's Instagram message following Manchester United's 3-2 win over Roma at Old Trafford. Roma had led twice in the first half before being pegged back after the break, and Cunha, who scored a brace, was among the protagonists of the evening. Roma wanted to put the defeat behind them. Cunha was involved in the penalty incident with Mancini and went on to score two goals, the first arriving straight after a mistake by Balerdi. Among the many messages of support under the post, the Manchester United forward wrote a single word: "Crack", an expression generally used as a compliment for a player of great talent. The comment did not go unnoticed by Roma fans, many of whom questioned whether it was a simple compliment or a provocation after what happened on the pitch. Replies to the Brazilian came quickly, and one of the most appreciated read: "Pensa alla tua squadra" ("Think about your own team"). Balerdi's message, posted on Instagram after the match, read: "Fa male. Non era il finale che volevamo. Ma ci sono cose che non cambiano mai: l'impegno, il rispetto e l'orgoglio di difendere questi colori. Ai nostri tifosi che sono venuti fino a Manchester, grazie di cuore per il vostro sostegno. Forza Roma." In English: "It hurts. It was not the ending we wanted. But there are things that never change: the commitment, the respect and the pride of defending these colours. To our fans who came all the way to Manchester, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. Forza Roma."