Svilar recalls childhood lessons from his father on shot-stopping

Lorenzo Pellegrini has signed a new contract with Roma, turning down offers from Juventus and Besiktas to remain with the club. The midfielder, born in 1996 and formally out of contract from 1 July, will be welcomed back by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini on his return from Roma's pre-season training camp in Wales and England, where a friendly against Brighton is scheduled for 8 August. Pellegrini has used recent weeks to recover from injury, a period that Sky Sport reports helped all parties involved reach the best decision. The club is expected to announce the renewal on 7 August. The deal is structured as a one-year agreement. The midfielder's decision to commit to Roma underlines his importance to Gasperini's plans for the 2026-27 season. Pellegrini, who wears the number 7, was free to negotiate with any club after his previous terms expired but chose to stay at the Giallorossi rather than pursue moves elsewhere.

Roberto Pruzzo has called for AS Roma to sign a player capable of making a real difference to the squad's attacking output. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, the former Roma striker said the pre-season friendlies had shown the same team as last season, and that without a significant addition in the final third, the side risks remaining predictable. "In these summer friendlies you have seen the same squad from last year," Pruzzo said. "If a really capable player does not arrive, one who can shift the balance and add quality, then it remains a repetitive team. Roma have several certainties, but creativity is what it is. To try and raise the level of the attacking department, you need that type of player who reshuffles the cards." Pruzzo acknowledged Roma have solid foundations but stressed that an injection of attacking flair is essential if Gasperini's side are to compete at a higher level. The debate reflects wider concern among Roma supporters and analysts about whether the current squad possesses enough creativity and goal-scoring punch to challenge for the title this season. Nando Orsi, also speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, offered a contrasting view, backing Molina as a worthwhile acquisition. "Molina is a good purchase," Orsi said. "We are not talking about Roberto Carlos, but he is a player who could have the characteristics that Gasperini has been looking for for a long time in that right-wing-back role. Perhaps he does not shift the balance, but he is a footballer with great experience and knows well how to interpret that position."

Neil El Aynaoui has dismissed interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to focus entirely on Roma and the new season ahead. Speaking on Radio Radio, the Morocco international reflected on his first year in Italian football as a foundation for growth. "It was the first time I was leaving France and facing a new championship. This experience has made me grow and today I feel I have much more experience," he said. El Aynaoui praised head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's demanding methods and clear vision. "He is a very demanding coach and knows exactly what he wants. We work hard and I think that, thanks to him, we are making great progress," he explained. The 22-year-old also reflected on his Serie A debut against Bologna, where the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico left a strong impression: "The first match against Bologna was special. It was the first time I really saw the stadium full: the atmosphere impressed me." Looking ahead to Roma's Champions League campaign, El Aynaoui expressed his eagerness to compete at European football's highest level. "When I arrived, everyone told me the objective was to qualify for the Champions League. Today I am very happy to be able to play it. It is a dream for every footballer and I cannot wait to start," he said. Roma face Fiorentina in their next fixture.

Mile Svilar has reflected on Roma's qualification for the Champions League last season and his own development as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Speaking at the club's pre-season training camp in Cardiff, Svilar credited a collective squad effort for securing European football, noting that different players contributed at different moments throughout the campaign. "There was a shared contribution from the start of the season to the end," he said. "When one player wasn't performing at their best, another stepped up, and vice versa. The whole squad's contribution was phenomenal." Developing since his record-breaking Champions League appearance at age 18 years and 65 days in 2017, when he saved a penalty from Anthony Martial, Svilar described himself as a more mature goalkeeper today. He expressed Roma's ambitions in Europe this season, stating: "We must aim to progress from the group, obviously finishing in the top eight, then we want to play the play-offs. But first we have two or three league matches where we need to start well, start strong immediately." He identified his areas for improvement, particularly build-up play from the back, and acknowledged that goalkeepers develop greater completeness over time. Svilar also expressed interest in playing at grounds he has never visited, including the Bernabéu and Parc des Princes, though he suggested facing José Mourinho's Real Madrid at the Bernabéu would hold special appeal for the experience.

Mile Svilar has expressed his commitment to Roma and backed the club to compete in the Champions League, speaking exclusively to Radio Romanista during pre-season training in Wales. The goalkeeper reflected on his development over recent seasons, describing himself as "a more mature Svilar, with more experience in life, in football, who has played many more Serie A matches" compared to his younger self. Svilar emphasised the importance of starting the 2026-27 Serie A campaign strongly, citing how marginal points cost Roma a Champions League place in recent years. "Every match counts enormously," he said. "In my last two seasons, we missed out on the Champions League by a point or two from Juventus and Milan." The 26-year-old expressed enthusiasm about potential Champions League opponents, including matches against Real Madrid's Bernabéu and Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes, neither of which he has played at professionally. He also praised head coach Gasperini: "Fired up. Serene, smiling, but fired up in training. That's what's needed." When asked about his future, Svilar was clear: "In life and a professional career you're not always the only one deciding, but I'm happy here, my family is happy here. So for now I want to stay here and that's it." He highlighted a crucial save against Soulé from Frosinone in 2024 as significant for his Roma career, noting it was "the first match where I knew that if I played well I would stay in goal."

Mile Svilar has reaffirmed his commitment to AS Roma whilst acknowledging the unpredictability of professional football. In an exclusive interview with Radio Romanista, the goalkeeper discussed his long-term plans at the club, emphasising that his family is settled and content in Rome. Svilar stopped short of guaranteeing his future beyond the immediate term, recognising that circumstances can change in football. "In the life and career of a professional, you are not always the only one making decisions, but I am happy here, my family is happy here. So for now I want to stay here and that's it," he said. The 27-year-old acknowledged the broader forces at play in football: "What will happen in two, three, or five years? I don't know, you don't know, the president doesn't know, the coach doesn't know. Football is made up of dynamics that go beyond the player." Despite this philosophical perspective on the game's uncertainties, Svilar made clear his immediate desire to remain at the Giallorossi. "But if you ask me: yes, I want to stay here," he concluded. Svilar joined Roma in July 2022 from Benfica and has established himself as a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's squad.