Svilar: Roma will play Champions League and Gasperini's impact has been huge

Evan Ferguson, the Roma forward on loan from Brighton, was present at the Amex Stadium on 8 August and exchanged greetings with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the club's staff. Ferguson remains sidelined following an ankle injury sustained in January 2025. The Irish striker's appearance at Brighton ahead of the fixture underlined his continued recovery from the injury that has kept him unavailable since the start of 2025. His presence among the Roma party offered a chance to reconnect with his former coach and teammates despite his absence from the squad on the pitch. Ferguson joined Roma on loan from Brighton in July 2025 with an option to make the move permanent for €40 million.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma played their final pre-season fixture in England at Brighton, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini fielding a squad featuring Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in support roles behind Donyell Malen in attack. The Giallorossi lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation at the American Express Stadium, with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and Bryan Cristante wearing the captain's armband. The match offered Gasperini a chance to test his players against Brighton, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, as Roma prepare to return to their training base at Trigoria. The fixture represented the most demanding friendly of Roma's pre-season schedule to date. Gasperini used the encounter to evaluate his squad ahead of any final transfer business before the new season begins. Devyne Rensch and Neil El Aynaoui operated as full-backs, while Manu Koné occupied a midfield spot alongside Cristante. The absence of several first-team regulars from the starting lineup reflected the manager's rotation strategy during the summer preparation period.

Roma faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the final warm-up match of their British tour. Gasperini named Donyell Malen in the starting eleven, while leaving new arrivals Castro and Koulierakis on the bench to manage their workload ahead of the 2026–27 season opener. The Roma boss fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and a four-strong midfield of Devyne Rensch, Bryan Cristante, Neil El Aynaoui, and Wesley. Matías Soulé and Paulo Dybala occupied the advanced midfield roles, with Malen leading the attack. The fixture served as a final examination of the squad's preparation during the pre-season tour, with Gasperini using the match to assess combinations and match sharpness before competitive action resumes.

Roma played their final pre-season fixture in England at Brighton, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini fielding a squad featuring Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in support roles behind Donyell Malen in attack. The Giallorossi lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation at the American Express Stadium, with Mile Svilar in goal, a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso, and Bryan Cristante wearing the captain's armband. The match offered Gasperini a chance to test his players against Brighton, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, as Roma prepare to return to their training base at Trigoria. The fixture represented the most demanding friendly of Roma's pre-season schedule to date. Gasperini used the encounter to evaluate his squad ahead of any final transfer business before the new season begins. Devyne Rensch and Neil El Aynaoui operated as full-backs, while Manu Koné occupied a midfield spot alongside Cristante. The absence of several first-team regulars from the starting lineup reflected the manager's rotation strategy during the summer preparation period.

Roma faced Brighton in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium at 16:00 CET on 8 August, with head coach Gasperini selecting Donyell Malen to lead the attack after the winger missed the previous match against Newport County due to illness. Malen was supported by Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in a 3-4-2-1 formation, while Devyne Rensch and Wesley operated as wing-backs. Bryan Cristante and Neil El Aynaoui anchored midfield, with Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka, and Mario Hermoso forming the defensive three in front of goalkeeper Mile Svilar. The fixture served as Roma's final warm-up match on their UK tour, following defeats to Cardiff and a victory over Newport County. Gasperini had no fresh squad additions available for the match. Niccolò Pisilli and Bah were unavailable due to injury. Brighton fielded a 4-3-3 formation under manager Hurzeler, while the match was officiated by Bobby Madley.