Totti back at the Olimpico for Roma-Slovan Bratislava, shares a word with Dybala and hugs Malen

Francesco Totti was at the Stadio Olimpico for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the group stage. The Roma legend was on the touchline to watch the game. Before taking his seat, Totti spoke with Paulo Dybala and then gave Donyell Malen a warm embrace before the Roma players went out to warm up. The moment was shared by Sky Sport (Italia) in a post on social media.

Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico spoke to journalists before the club's Champions League League Phase third matchday game against Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, saying the squad is good enough to compete. On Endrick, he said January is a long way off and that the club is focused on itself for now. D'Amico was asked how the team had experienced the seven minutes against Real Madrid that Roma endured in their previous Champions League match. He said: "7 minuti particolari, senza respirare" – seven particular minutes, without breathing – but added that football is like this and the Champions League is a difficult competition. He pointed to the 80 spectacular minutes the team had played, adding that in all matches the club analyses every aspect and that in that game the negative aspect was the points. "Abbiamo vissuto una grande serata" – we had a great evening. Roma have already restarted their league campaign, with a win over Genoa featuring many young players. D'Amico described it as a nice evening and said the club was curious too. He praised head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, saying he is a master on this matter regardless of the players' age, and that if he has valid players at his disposal he always gets the maximum. The Genoa game came three days after the Real Madrid match, and D'Amico said the young players had been good and the club was truly happy. "Sappiamo che possiamo contare su una discreta rosa" – we know we can count on a decent squad. Asked whether Roma would try again for Endrick, D'Amico said: "Gennaio è molto lontano" – January is very far away. "Ora ci concentriamo su noi stessi, poi a gennaio metteremo il nostro massimo per mettere a disposizione del mister delle risorse" – now we are concentrating on ourselves, then in January we will do our utmost to make resources available to the coach.

Slovan Bratislava coach Yaya Touré has spoken ahead of Roma's Champions League third-matchday fixture against Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico, saying he has fond memories of the stadium. Touré, who played in the Olimpico as a player, said returning there is always special, recalling a "special final against United that we managed to win" when he was on the pitch for Barcelona against Manchester United. Touré said: "Yes, I was on the pitch. It is always nice to return here, I have wonderful memories, a special final against United that we managed to win. Today is a different match, as a coach, and I am curious too to see how it goes." Asked whether both sides were looking for their first win, Touré said: "We have respect for Roma, we know it will be difficult. In the last match against Real they were unlucky, and I think they should have won that game. Now they will have to repeat that against us, and we will see whether we can bring the result home." The match is part of the third matchday of the Champions League league phase. Roma's Champions League campaign for 2026-27 is taking place alongside their Serie A commitments, and this fixture gives the Giallorossi a chance to build momentum in Europe's premier club competition.

Francesco Totti was at the Stadio Olimpico for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the group stage. The Roma legend was on the touchline to watch the game. Before taking his seat, Totti spoke with Paulo Dybala and then gave Donyell Malen a warm embrace before the Roma players went out to warm up. The moment was shared by Sky Sport (Italia) in a post on social media.

Former Roma midfielder Angelo Di Livio, speaking to Retesport a few hours before Roma's match against Slovan Bratislava, said the team must play with intelligence and without rushing, as they did against Genoa, which he called the model performance for today. He said there is only one result that matters, and that Bryan Cristante is back tonight, with Gasperini having guaranteed him around twenty minutes, which will be a test for Napoli. Di Livio said the win over Genoa was less attractive because many players had little playing time. He called it an important game and said De Rossi's side did not have a single shot on target in the second half. On Matías Soulé, he said he liked the flashes of quality against Genoa but that the forward had long spells of inactivity. He named Emanuele Lulli as the best player on the pitch against Genoa. On Paulo Dybala, Di Livio was blunt: "Non ci puoi fare affidamento, gioca 4-5 partite e poi rimane fuori." On Lulli, he urged caution, saying the defender could potentially become a star but should be allowed to grow calmly. He noted that against Genoa Lulli won back a lost ball, earned a corner, and showed grit and a fighting spirit. On Daniele Ghilardi, Di Livio said that when trained and prepared well he also has the legs to play as a fifth defender.

Former Roma striker Antonio Cassano has criticised the quality of Serie A and singled out Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in his latest appearance on Viva el Futbol. Cassano said: "With this Serie A, if I lose two kilos and play in flip-flops I make the difference. And if Nicola Ventola and I played up front together, we would do better than everyone else." He went on to back his own talent, saying: "I was a phenomenon. I played with ten kilos of excess weight, I didn't train, I decided what I wanted to do with my life." Cassano also turned his attention to two current Roma forwards. He said: "Dybala goes to a cylinder and falls over, Malen after eight years on the bench between Dortmund and Aston Villa is the top scorer." The comments are likely to stir debate among Roma supporters, given the contrast Cassano drew between the two attackers. José Mourinho was among the sharpest targets of his criticism, a week after his Real Madrid side beat Gasperini's Roma 4-3 at the Olimpico. Cassano said: "He is finished, he is washed up. He should stop coaching. It has been like this for more than ten years." On the Portuguese's style of play, he added: "A team of phenomena and he makes them play in an unworthy way, outside all logic. I would be ashamed in his place." He continued: "Old football, old football, without ideas. All he has left is the chatter." Cassano also suggested that Mourinho's continued prominence at the top of international football is helped by his relationship with agent Jorge Mendes: "He has the luck of having the best agent in the world, who if he wants will find him a place even on the Moon." In contrast, Cassano praised Gian Piero Gasperini, distinguishing the Roma head coach's work from that of the managers he criticised. The praise fits with his repeated call for proactive, attacking football.

Francesco Totti was at the Stadio Olimpico for Roma's Champions League league-phase match against Slovan Bratislava, the third matchday of the group stage. The Roma legend was on the touchline to watch the game. Before taking his seat, Totti spoke with Paulo Dybala and then gave Donyell Malen a warm embrace before the Roma players went out to warm up. The moment was shared by Sky Sport (Italia) in a post on social media.

Roma head to Bratislava for their third Champions League match looking for a first win of the campaign, after a draw with Fenerbahce and a defeat to Real Madrid. Gian Piero Gasperini has left Evan N'Dicka and Gianluca Mancini out of the starting line-up, with Daniele Ghilardi and Leonardo Balerdi starting in defence. Donyell Malen leads the attack, with Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini behind him. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Pierluigi Gollini in goal; Ghilardi, Balerdi and Mario Hermoso in the back three; Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli and Wesley in midfield; Mora and Pellegrini in the attacking pair; and Malen up front. On the bench are Giorgio De Marzi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Mancini, N'Dicka, Devyne Rensch, Emanuele Lulli, Di Nunzio, Bryan Cristante, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro. Slovan Bratislava, coached by Yaya Touré, set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Takac starts in goal, protected by Blackman, Bajric, Markovic and Sandro Cruz. Pokorny and Gajdos form the double pivot, with Barseghyan, Ibrahim and Suleman Camara behind Marcelli.

Roma led Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in their third League Phase match of the Champions League, with Hermoso (21'), Molina (38'), Pisilli (52') and Malen (57') on the scoresheet. Roma had dominated the first half, and the game had long since been settled by the time of the latest update. Roma came into the match with one point from their first two games, a draw at Fenerbahçe and a 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid in a chaotic game. Slovan, coached by Yaya Touré, had made a difficult start to their European campaign, losing 6-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 to Stuttgart. More than 60,000 Roma fans were expected at the stadium. Gian Piero Gasperini's side lined up in a 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso in defence, and Molina, Pisilli, De Roon and Wesley in midfield. Mora and Pellegrini were behind Malen, who was back from a league suspension. Hermoso opened the scoring with a header at 21', from a free kick by Pellegrini that Ghilardi nodded across for him to finish at the far post. Molina doubled the lead at 38', following up to on the rebound after Malen's right-footed strike was blocked by Takác. Pellegrini had earlier shot wide from the edge of the box at 28', and Takác made a diving save. Pellegrini had a problem at 50' and was replaced by Soulé at 51'. Pisilli made it 3-0 at 52' with a left-footed finish under the keeper, playing in on a pass from Malen after a mistake by the Slovan defence. Wesley was brought down in the area at 56', and Malen converted the resulting penalty at 57' with a right-footed shot into the corner. Wesley had a chance at 32', going past his man and delivering a fine ball to the second post, where Molina's volley went over the bar. Roma made two changes at 58', with Wesley and Malen replaced by Castro and Rensch. Slovan made three changes at 68', bringing off Ibrahim, Gajdos and Suleiman Camara for Mustafic, Martinez and Maros. Barseghyan was booked for simulation at 20', and Suleiman Camara was cautioned at 65' for holding Rensch. The match was refereed by Sandro Schärer of Switzerland, with Fedayi San as VAR. At 70', Rensch tried his luck with a low right-footed shot from the edge of the box, and the effort went just wide.

Roma head to Bratislava for their third Champions League match looking for a first win of the campaign, after a draw with Fenerbahce and a defeat to Real Madrid. Gian Piero Gasperini has left Evan N'Dicka and Gianluca Mancini out of the starting line-up, with Daniele Ghilardi and Leonardo Balerdi starting in defence. Donyell Malen leads the attack, with Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini behind him. Roma line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Pierluigi Gollini in goal; Ghilardi, Balerdi and Mario Hermoso in the back three; Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Niccolò Pisilli and Wesley in midfield; Mora and Pellegrini in the attacking pair; and Malen up front. On the bench are Giorgio De Marzi, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Mancini, N'Dicka, Devyne Rensch, Emanuele Lulli, Di Nunzio, Bryan Cristante, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro. Slovan Bratislava, coached by Yaya Touré, set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Takac starts in goal, protected by Blackman, Bajric, Markovic and Sandro Cruz. Pokorny and Gajdos form the double pivot, with Barseghyan, Ibrahim and Suleman Camara behind Marcelli.

Roma led Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in their third League Phase match of the Champions League, with Hermoso (21'), Molina (38'), Pisilli (52') and Malen (57') on the scoresheet. Roma had dominated the first half, and the game had long since been settled by the time of the latest update. Roma came into the match with one point from their first two games, a draw at Fenerbahçe and a 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid in a chaotic game. Slovan, coached by Yaya Touré, had made a difficult start to their European campaign, losing 6-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 to Stuttgart. More than 60,000 Roma fans were expected at the stadium. Gian Piero Gasperini's side lined up in a 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso in defence, and Molina, Pisilli, De Roon and Wesley in midfield. Mora and Pellegrini were behind Malen, who was back from a league suspension. Hermoso opened the scoring with a header at 21', from a free kick by Pellegrini that Ghilardi nodded across for him to finish at the far post. Molina doubled the lead at 38', following up to on the rebound after Malen's right-footed strike was blocked by Takác. Pellegrini had earlier shot wide from the edge of the box at 28', and Takác made a diving save. Pellegrini had a problem at 50' and was replaced by Soulé at 51'. Pisilli made it 3-0 at 52' with a left-footed finish under the keeper, playing in on a pass from Malen after a mistake by the Slovan defence. Wesley was brought down in the area at 56', and Malen converted the resulting penalty at 57' with a right-footed shot into the corner. Wesley had a chance at 32', going past his man and delivering a fine ball to the second post, where Molina's volley went over the bar. Roma made two changes at 58', with Wesley and Malen replaced by Castro and Rensch. Slovan made three changes at 68', bringing off Ibrahim, Gajdos and Suleiman Camara for Mustafic, Martinez and Maros. Barseghyan was booked for simulation at 20', and Suleiman Camara was cautioned at 65' for holding Rensch. The match was refereed by Sandro Schärer of Switzerland, with Fedayi San as VAR. At 70', Rensch tried his luck with a low right-footed shot from the edge of the box, and the effort went just wide.

Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico in their Champions League fixture, looking to bounce back after a dramatic defeat to Real Madrid. Kickoff is at 21:00. Gian Piero Gasperini's side have also beaten Genoa in Serie A since that loss, and the Slovan Bratislava match is presented as a more accessible opponent. Roma's starting XI is set to be a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gollini in goal and a back three of Ghilardi, Balerdi and Hermoso. Molina, de Roon, Pisilli and Wesley make up the midfield, with Mora and Pellegrini in support of Malen. Slovan Bratislava line up in a 4-2-3-1 under coach Yaya Touré, with Takac in goal and Marcelli leading the attack. Roma scored four times without reply. Hermoso opened the scoring in the 21st minute, Molina doubled the lead in the 39th, Pisilli made it three in the 51st and Malen completed the rout with a goal in the 58th. Barseghyan was booked for Slovan Bratislava in the 18th minute. Wesley was replaced by Rensch in the 59th minute, Pellegrini by Soulé in the 51st and Malen by Castro in the 59th. On the bench for Roma were De Marzi, Koulierakis, Mancini, N'Dicka, Lulli, Di Nunzio, Cristante and Soulé.