Totti backs Roma as title contenders alongside Inter

Wesley made a young fan's evening after Roma's match against Slovan Bratislava, handing the Brazilian's shirt to a boy in the stands at the final whistle. The Roma defender approached the Tribuna Tevere when the game ended, and the young supporter took the shirt, hugged his father and burst into tears. Roma shared the moment on social media, writing: "Alcuni regali significano tutto" ("Some gifts mean everything"). Wesley has become an idol among the club's supporters. After a complicated start to the season, the Brazilian has returned to the levels he showed last year. Tomorrow against Napoli, he will look to score his first goal of the season. The gesture is the latest example of the connection between the midfielder and the fans, who have taken to him since his arrival from Flamengo.

Roma have reached an agreement with Emanuele Lulli on a contract extension running until 2031, according to Il Messaggero. The deal is effectively done, with the defender's salary set to rise over the course of the contract. Lulli, a product of the club's youth ranks, scored his first Serie A goal in Saturday's match against Genoa. He is now a fixed point in Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma side. Last summer he came close to joining Avellino, but the coach blocked the move. The club's aim has always been to avoid repeating the mistake made with Romano in June. Lulli is already part of the Italy Under-21 squad and is also being monitored by Roberto Mancini. Roma face Napoli tomorrow, and Lulli could start, with a battle for the place still open against Molina.

Former Roma winger Max Tonetto has said a Roma centenary without Francesco Totti, Bruno Conti and Daniele De Rossi would not be a true centenary, as the club's 100th anniversary approaches in 2027. Speaking to Roberta Pedrelli on RadioBruno, Tonetto backed a possible return for Totti in a club role. "I hope so, a centenary without players like Totti, Bruno Conti and De Rossi is not a centenary of Roma. The history of Roma is those three. They were absolute legends, and seeing Francesco in the stands gives me hope for his return." The interview also touched on the recent exchange between Totti and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, with Pedrelli recalling the invitation to organise a new dinner. Pedrelli then asked whether the club should keep the number 10 shirt unassigned or give it to a player such as Paulo Dybala. Tonetto said: "I don't consider it such an important issue. Whatever decision is taken will not erase what Totti has done for Roma, but keeping it available would be a dream for a future Roman and Roma fan who longs to wear such an important shirt." The conversation then turned to Niccolò Pisilli, who wore the captain's armband on Tuesday in the Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava. The moment carried strong symbolism for a player who came through Roma's youth sector. Asked about the emotion of that occasion, Tonetto said: "I am a romantic, I love these things, and seeing scenes like these is still the essence of football." Finally, responding to a question from Verdenelli, Tonetto reflected on his own time at Roma, during which he won three trophies without lifting the Scudetto. "Those three trophies are a fine haul, but there were also three second-place finishes. In one of them Inter were truly much stronger, while in the other two we fought until the very end. To win, you have to keep fighting until the end, and in those years, despite a short squad, we achieved a lot. If you fight every year, sooner or later the victory comes."