Tsimikas under fire after captain's armband incident at Liverpool

Roma have announced the squad selected by Gian Piero Gasperini for the second phase of pre-season, with the team departing for Wales in the afternoon. The travelling group includes defenders Rensch, Ndicka, Hermoso, Mancini, Ziolkowski, Wesley, Mannini, Nardin, Reale, Lulli and Ghilardi; midfielders Cristante, El Aynaoui, Pisilli, Panico and Bah; and forwards Castro, Malen, Soulé, Dybala, Cherubini and Vaz. The Wales camp marks a significant checkpoint in Roma's preparation for the new season under Gasperini's management. The head coach has selected a mixed squad that blends established first-team players with younger prospects, reflecting the club's approach to squad development during the off-season training schedule. The three-week pre-season programme continues to build fitness and tactical cohesion ahead of Serie A's return.

Roma's second pre-season training camp begins with the squad traveling to Wales this evening under the management of Gian Piero Gasperini. The most notable inclusion in the squad list is the return of midfielder Niccolò Pisilli, who has recovered from a calf injury sustained in recent days and is now fully available to Gasperini. Robinio Vaz has also rejoined the full group after returning to training in the preceding days. The club released the complete squad list via official channels, confirming the presence of new signings and young players aggregated for the overseas tour. The midfield contingent includes Cristante, El Aynaoui, Pisilli, Panico, and Bah, while the defence features Rensch, N'Dicka, Hermoso, Mancini, Ziółkowski, Wesley, Mannini, Nardin, Reale, Lulli, and Ghilardi. The attacking options comprise Castro, Malen, Soulé, Dybala, Cherubini, and Vaz. The tour provides Gasperini with an opportunity to continue the squad's preparation for the upcoming campaign in a controlled environment away from Italy.

Francesco Totti has shared a poignant tribute to Franco Baresi on Instagram following the AC Milan legend's death. The former Roma captain posted a video clip from a Serie A match between Roma and Milan on 12 October 1996, capturing a moment of sportsmanship between the two icons. In the footage, Baresi rises to win a header, and Totti instinctively steadies him gently by the legs as he falls, prompting Baresi to respond with a pat and a grateful smile. Totti accompanied the video with a simple but meaningful message: "Ciao leggenda" (Goodbye legend). The moment encapsulates the mutual respect that defined an era of Italian football marked by dignity and fair play. The clip has resonated with supporters as an enduring symbol of the sportsmanship and integrity that both players embodied throughout their careers at their respective clubs.

Roma have a long history of recruiting Greek players, particularly in defence. The first was Lampros Choutos, an attacker from Roma's youth academy between 1995 and 2000 with only 4 appearances, followed by defender Traianos Dellas (2002–2005, 67 presences, 4 goals, 3 assists). Dimitrios Eleutheropoulos served as third-choice goalkeeper in 2005–06 without playing. Between 2012 and 2019, four Greek players represented Roma: the standout centre-back Kostas Manolas (206 presences between 2014 and 2019, 8 goals, 6 assists), plus full-backs Vasilis Torosidis (77 appearances with 7 goals and 5 assists from 2013 to 2016) and José Cholevas (34 presences with 1 goal and 1 assist in 2014–15), alongside midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis (23 appearances with 1 goal and 2 assists in 2012–13). Torosidis publicly backed the signing of Koulierakis. More recently, centre-back Dimitrios Keramitsis (born 2004), a cornerstone of Roma's youth setup, earned only one first-team appearance between 2022 and 2024. Full-back Kostas Tsimikas featured 25 times with 1 assist in the last disappointing campaign before returning to Liverpool.

Kostas Tsimikas has been named Liverpool captain for the first time, a striking turnaround after his disappointing spell at AS Roma. The left-back arrived in Rome last summer to bring experience from his years at Liverpool, but failed to establish himself on the flank despite Angeliño's absence. His time at the Stadio Olimpico was marked by poor performances, including a memorable poor free-kick attempt against Como and being substituted for Bryan Zaragoza. Roma supporters view the development with bitter irony—what promised to be a valuable acquisition under Gasperini became a complete failure. Tsimikas has now returned to Liverpool, where he has been warmly received by the club's supporters. Manager Arne Slot, who took over from predecessor Jurgen Slot, has confirmed the Greek defender in the squad for next season and appears committed to building around him. The contrast between Tsimikas's struggles in Serie A and his embrace at Anfield illustrates how drastically circumstances can differ for the same player at different clubs. His captaincy represents a significant show of faith from Liverpool's new management.

Roma played a pre-season friendly against Cannes, with Paulo Dybala scoring twice and assisting Donyell Malen in the first half to put the Giallorossi 3–0 ahead. Wesley was sent off in the 45th minute for a second yellow card, leaving Roma with ten men for the second half. Cannes staged a comeback with a brace from Lopez and a penalty goal from Oggad, which was caused by Artem Dovbyk. Dybala's strong display underscores his recent contract renewal and his commitment to Roma; his left foot proved decisive throughout the match. Malen responded well to a poor start to pre-season, finishing the chance created by Dybala without hesitation. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini used the fixture to give younger squad members valuable minutes. Gianluca Mancini, another recent renewal, required medical attention after falling in the 30th minute but returned without issue. Kostas Tsimikas (listed as Ndicka in the ratings) maintained his defensive positioning effectively. The squad will depart for Wales next as part of their pre-season schedule ahead of the competitive campaign. The match provided encouraging signs in terms of Dybala's form and Malen's return to previous standard, though defensive vulnerabilities against a second-half onslaught highlight areas for tactical refinement.