Totti holds fresh talks with Roma over centenary role

AS Roma flew to Turkey on 9 September 2026 for their opening match of the Champions League group stage. The squad gathered at Fiumicino airport in the morning and boarded a direct flight to Istanbul, where they will face Fenerbahce on 10 September in the first round of the tournament. Around forty supporters, mostly young fans, waited outside Terminal 5 to send off the team led by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The players stopped before boarding to sign autographs on official shirts and pose for photographs with the crowd. Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen drew the loudest acclaim from supporters, signing items and taking pictures before passing through security checks.

Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico was interviewed by the Federal Prosecutor yesterday in connection with an incident involving Atalanta chief executive Luca Percassi at the end of the Roma-Atalanta match. D'Amico provided his account of what occurred as he left the Stadio Olimpico following Gasperini's team's victory. According to reports, D'Amico confirmed the version of events that had emerged in the immediate aftermath of the fixture, stating he was chased and repeatedly insulted by Percassi while departing the stadium. D'Amico maintained he did not respond to the Atalanta executive's provocations. The Federal Prosecutor has also collected testimony from stewards who were present in the area at the time of the incident. The investigation will now proceed to Percassi's hearing, expected in the coming days, allowing him to provide his account. Only after completing its inquiries will the Prosecutor be able to assess any potential developments on the sporting justice front. Roma, which had already publicly backed its sporting director, awaits the conclusions of the investigation. Meanwhile, the club has announced its intention to appeal against restrictions imposed for Monday's away trip to Torino, which currently exclude residents of Rome province from the away section.

Roma's director of sport Tony D'Amico was questioned by the Italian football federation on 8 September regarding the aftermath of the Roma–Atalanta match. D'Amico maintained his account of events, stating that Atalanta's Luca Percassi pursued and repeatedly insulted him as he left the stadium without receiving a response. Atalanta's chief executive will be questioned in the coming days; disciplinary sanctions including suspension orders may follow once the investigation concludes. Francesco Totti has been appointed advisor to Maxima Roma, a new basketball club based in the capital, on a three-year deal worth approximately 1 million euros per season. Totti emphasised his enduring connection to AS Roma, saying: "I will never set Roma aside; it is my first skin. I will spend the centenary with my fans, with my people." On the league title race, he added: "Roma and Inter are the two teams in contention for the Serie A championship." Regarding his future, he stated: "I do not know if I will return to Roma; I have a three-year contract here." Roma officially enter the week of their Champions League return, seven seasons after their last participation in the competition. Today at 12:00 the squad will depart from Fiumicino airport to Istanbul, where Gasperini will hold a press conference at 17:00 Italian time with a player present, followed by a training session at 17:30 at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu stadium. Against Fenerbahçe tomorrow, Roma will wear the red kit without the main sponsor Eurobet.