Wesley to undergo fresh tests at Trigoria; Gasperini offers support

Gian Piero Gasperini has named his squad for Roma's Champions League return, confirming that Lorenzo Pellegrini will miss the trip to Istanbul through injury. Roma face Fenerbahçe on 10 September at 18:45 in the first matchday of the league phase. Antonio Arena is also unavailable. Ahead of the fixture, Gasperini outlined Roma's approach to Europe's elite competition. "We will encounter top teams in their respective leagues and especially sides with extraordinary players who can change the result even in a balanced match thanks to their individual quality," the coach said. "We need to know this and try to control it, but we also need to be very good at not losing our identity, to have confidence in our means and know that we can also put opponents in difficulty." Defender Mario Hermoso, who impressed in Roma's recent Serie A win against Atalanta, addressed the step up in competition. "To play a great match tomorrow we need to know what the opponent's strongest points are. We have done that work. For us this is a new competition and we need to raise our level compared to Serie A. The best teams play in this cup and these types of matches. You have to have a great season to play them, so we are happy. We have the will to make a great start to the Champions League here in Istanbul." Meanwhile, Fabio Maresca will referee Torino v Roma on Monday at 18:30 in Serie A's fourth round. Maresca will be assisted by Tegoni and Fontani, with Sozza as fourth official; Aureliano and Ghersini will operate VAR. Maresca has refereed Roma 20 times in his career—more than any team except Lazio—with a record of 9 wins, 5 draws and 6 defeats. Most recently he oversaw the May Derby della Capitale won 2–0 by Gasperini's side, goals from Gianluca Mancini.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has recovered from a right thigh rectus femoris injury and will be included in Roma's squad for their Champions League trip to Fenerbahçe, though head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is managing his return cautiously. The midfielder has been sidelined during pre-season and the opening stages of the campaign but has spent the past week training at full intensity with his teammates, absorbing increasingly demanding physical work. His medical clearance comes at a crucial moment as Roma prepare for a congested fixture schedule spanning league and European commitments. Gasperini will have Pellegrini available as a key option from the bench in Istanbul, but the staff intends to handle his reintegration into match action with maximum care. The target date for his actual return to the pitch is next Monday in Roma's Serie A fixture against Torino. The number seven, who recently renewed his contract, is a central weapon in Gasperini's rotation system, offering versatility, playmaking vision and the ability to operate between the lines—assets essential for navigating the dense autumn calendar ahead.

Matías Soulé has recovered from a fifty-day injury spell between February and April by committing to an obsessive rehabilitation programme that saw him train between six and seven hours daily. Beyond the routine work at Trigoria with the club's physios, Soulé transformed his villa in Casal Palocco into a specialist diagnostic centre, equipping it with state-of-the-art machinery and working under his personal trainer Viggiano to defeat the pubic bone injury that had sidelined him. The intense regimen included hyperbaric chamber sessions, a diamagnetic pump to reduce bone swelling in the pubic area, and extended exercise and pilates routines. Soulé was determined to leave nothing to chance, fearing that such a prolonged absence could further delay his progress, and chose to combine medical recovery with particularly demanding daily individual work. The result has been a completely regenerated player: having returned to consistent training, he has lost weight, regained sharpness, and recovered the pace that had defined his form before the injury. Back progressively to the centre of Gasperini's Roma plans, Soulé has turned difficult months into a fresh start. Behind his recent displays and goals lies a story chiefly of sacrifice—a player who chose to work relentlessly when the pitch still lay out of reach, transforming setback into comeback.

Roma face Fenerbahce in the opening match of the Champions League league phase at 18:45 in Istanbul, marking their return to Europe's elite club competition after seven and a half years. The fixture promises intensity in an atmosphere the hosts say is completely sold out, with Fenerbahce's Turkish contingent including former Serie A stars Skriniar, Muldur, and Lukaku, who previously played for Roma, alongside Muriqi and Mason Greenwood, whom Gasperini pursued this summer. Fenerbahce are managing their own crisis: their coach Kartal faces the sack after a derby loss to Besiktas, and they are themselves back in the Champions League for the first time in 18 years. Roma must not be daunted, according to Gasperini, who stressed the need for confidence and tactical clarity in his pre-match press conference. The squad possesses genuine pedigree in this competition. Gasperini himself brings 34 European matches in the dugout—33 with Atalanta and one with Inter—having arrived in Rome after guiding Atalanta to Champions League qualification just weeks earlier. He reiterated yesterday: "It is a satisfaction to find the Champions League with Roma, it is a reason for greater gratification. In this competition you face top teams in their championship, with great players, who can change the inertia of a match at any moment." Key players carry substantial experience: Paulo Dybala has appeared 53 times at club level and scored 18 goals with 4 assists (all from his Juventus years); Marten de Roon has 43 Champions League appearances with Atalanta and 4 assists; Nahuel Molina has 37 matches from his time at Atlético Madrid, with 1 goal and 3 assists. Donyell Malen and Mario Hermoso both have 31 appearances each from spells in the competition. Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Gollini have 13, 14, and 10 Champions League outings respectively. Eight players will make their debut in the competition: Mancini, Ghilardi, Koulierakis, Lulli, Wesley, Koné, Pisilli, and Rodrigo Mora, and will wear UEFA debut patches.

Roma return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years on 10 September, travelling to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce in the league-phase opener at 18:45. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to field largely the same squad that started the season well, with Mile Svilar in goal and a settled back three of Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso. The main change from the recent match against Atalanta appears to be on the right flank, where Nahuel Molina is favoured over Emanuele Lulli and could make his Roma debut as a starter in the Champions League. Wesley is set to continue on the left wing, with Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné as the central midfield partnership. In the attacking area, Matías Soulé looks set to start at the expense of Rodrigo Mora. The Argentine impressed as a substitute in the Atalanta fixture, delivering an assist and scoring the winning goal in the closing stages. Soulé will operate behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Gasperini highlighted Dybala's importance at the pre-match press conference, stating that with the Argentine performing at his best Roma can raise their overall level. Malen remains the focal point of attack and has been Roma's standout performer so far this season. This setup would shift Roma's usual 3-4-1-2 formation into a 3-4-2-1, with Soulé and Dybala operating freely between the lines and Malen as the most advanced attacker. Gasperini has virtually the full squad available. Lorenzo Pellegrini was not selected despite being close to full fitness, while Devyne Rensch has returned to the available list. The UEFA squad list includes recent arrivals such as Marten de Roon, Molina and Leonardo Balerdi, all eligible for the league phase. Molina is rated 70% likely to start over Lulli, while Soulé is given a 60% chance ahead of Mora. Roma are expected to approach the Champions League return without major upheaval, but with two potential changes: Molina on the right flank and Soulé in the attacking midfield position.

Roma travel to Fenerbahçe today for their opening Champions League League Phase fixture at 18:45, marking their return to Europe's elite club competition after more than seven years away. Gian Piero Gasperini must settle a pair of selection dilemmas as he prepares his starting eleven. On the right flank, Nahuel Molina's experience is expected to edge out Emanuele Lulli, the 19-year-old who has made three Serie A starts. The main uncertainty centres on attacking midfield, where Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora are competing for the role. Soulé arrives in form after scoring the winning goal against Atalanta on Saturday, while Mora is regarded as better suited to the pure trequartista position. Gasperini has also tested Niccolò Pisilli in that area during the week. Paulo Dybala is set to continue in the side. Rome's leading newspapers have offered differing predictions. La Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero and Leggo favour a 3-4-1-2 shape with Soulé in the attacking role behind Dybala and Donyell Malen. Il Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport both lean toward a 3-4-2-1, positioning Soulé and Dybala together in the two attacking-midfield berths with Malen as the lone forward. La Repubblica and Il Tempo predict Mora will get the nod instead, also in a 3-4-1-2 setup. All eight forecasts agree on the back line and midfield spine: Mile Svilar in goal; Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso across the defence; Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné anchoring midfield; Wesley on the left flank and Molina on the right.