Bryan Cristante

Roma return to the Champions League for the first time in seven years on Thursday 10 September, travelling to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce in the League Phase's first matchday with a 18:45 kickoff. The match will be broadcast on Sky Sport and available to subscribers via Sky Go. Gasperini's side arrive in buoyant form after a 2–1 comeback win against Atalanta in Serie A, where Hermoso and Soulé scored in the closing stages, and have won their opening three league matches. Roma are expected to line up in a 3–4–2–1 formation with Svilar in goal, a back three of Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, Wesley and Molina as full-backs, Cristante and Koné in midfield, and Dybala and Soulé supporting lone striker Malen. Molina and N'Dicka remain in contention with alternatives, and the squad picture will become clearer in training over the coming days. Lorenzo Pellegrini is almost certain to remain absent. Fenerbahce will be without Guendouzi, the former Lazio midfielder, who is serving a four-match suspension (two of which are conditional) following a fight during their qualifier against Lyon. The Turkish side reached the League Phase unbeaten through the preliminaries, eliminating Górnik Zabrze, Sturm Graz and Lyon, though they suffered a recent domestic setback when losing the derby to Besiktas after wins over Konyaspor and Samsunspor. In European competition they remain unbeaten across seven matches. Their probable lineup shows Ederson in goal, Semedo, Škriniar, Aké and Brown across the defence, Kanté and Yüksek in midfield, and Asensio, Aktürkoğlu and Nene behind striker Lukaku. This will be the first official meeting between the two clubs. Fenerbahce have won their last three home matches against Serie A sides without conceding, the most recent a 2–0 victory over Lazio in the 2012–13 Europa League quarter-finals. Official team lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kickoff, around 17:45 Italian time.

Roma secured a 2–1 home victory over Atalanta on 5 September 2026, their first win at the Olimpico against the Bergamo side since 5 March 2022. After falling behind through Ederson's goal in the second half, Roma fought back without capitulating as they had in previous seasons. Mario Hermoso equalised with a header from a corner on the left wing, meeting the ball with a delicate chip. Matías Soulé then settled the match at the 93rd minute, cutting inside with his right foot before crossing with his left to find the far post and beat Carnesecchi. The performance at Trigoria on the morning after the match drew praise, with staff noting the return to form of Soulé. Gasperini's side demonstrated growing resilience as the season progresses, refusing to surrender despite going behind. The comeback underlined a shift in mentality compared to the previous campaign. Hermoso's involvement from set-piece defence and Soulé's match-winning intervention were highlights of Roma's recovery, with the latter's impact immediately evident upon his introduction. Press ratings reflected the quality on display. Hermoso earned marks ranging from 6.5 to 7.5 across outlets, with one publication rating him 7.5 for his performance. Soulé, brought on in the 54th minute, received ratings between 7.5 and 8.5. Paulo Dybala was marked between 6 and 8, while Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné drew ratings of 5.5 to 7.5 and 6.5 to 7.5 respectively. Manager Gasperini received ratings between 7 and 8 from the newspapers assessed.

Roma delivered a dramatic comeback at the start of matchday three to beat Atalanta, with Matías Soulé scoring at the 93rd minute to seal the three points. The Argentine forward, who also provided an assist, was the standout performer in what the Italian press dubbed a statement win for the Giallorossi this season. Mario Hermoso proved instrumental in reigniting the match when it appeared lost, while head coach Gian Piero Gasperini earned widespread praise for his tactical management. The victory is being framed as Roma's first authentic championship display of the campaign, with the comeback signalling a bold statement to the league's other top clubs. Soulé's performance drew particular attention from Italy's major sports newspapers, with the 54th-minute substitute recapturing the form that impressed observers last season. Hermoso's contribution, meanwhile, was credited with turning the tide when the match seemed to be slipping away. Across ratings from Corriere dello Sport, Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, and Il Tempo, Soulé received the highest individual marks, with Corriere dello Sport awarding him 8.5 out of 10 for his performance off the bench. Hermoso's ratings ranged from 6.5 to 7.5, while Gasperini received marks between 7 and 8 across the publications. Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné were also highlighted for their midfield contributions, with Cristante earning 7.5 from Corriere dello Sport. Paulo Dybala received marks ranging from 6 to 8. The match formation was recorded as 3-4-1-2, with substitutions bringing on Daniele Ghilardi, Leonardo Balerdi, Nahuel Molina, and Santiago Castro during the course of play.

Roma have overcome a longstanding curse in direct confrontations, coming from behind to beat Atalanta for the first time in eight head-to-head meetings under head coach Gasperini. The match displayed a commanding Roman performance across large stretches, with the technical foundation laid by Gasperini's work producing moments of exceptional attacking force. By the 90th minute, Roma had registered 17 corner kicks, 40 shots on goal, and an expected goals figure of 3.48, yet the tactical narrative extended beyond the statistics: the visible intensity, attitude, temperament and application filled the contest, with every player demonstrating the consistent aerobic production capacity that defined the 90 minutes. Roma's weekly training loads are elevated but extremely qualitative, and the side projected constant aerobic production throughout. Gasperini deployed a 4-3-2-1 designed to overturn nearly a decade of man-to-man marking across the pitch, anchoring a back four oriented to the ball and a compact midfield in the central spaces. The wide midfielders and inverted-footed attacking wingers aimed to compress the central zone where Roma held numerical advantage, accepting delayed slides on the Giallorossi fullbacks to isolate supply lines primarily to Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala. Atalanta's Sarri immediately attacked Gasperini's setup, pressing forward onto Roma's reference points with Cristante and Ederson while Koné and Samardzic battled in midfield, with N'Dicka engaging Scamacca, Hermoso on De Ketelaere, and Mancini facing Elmas. The visitors struggled to escape Gasperini's aggressive press, as their high line left Wesley and Lulli regularly arriving late on the wings because the four defenders had to remain compact against Roma's attacking three. Roma seized initiative with continuous possession, two-touch distribution and rapid development, producing a devastating opening wave; they flowed into the final third fluidly but lost precision in the closing pass. Malen regularly drifted to the left-centre to create space for Wesley's interior movement, whom Atalanta repeatedly caught out of position. Mancini advanced into the box while Cristante provided cover; the three centre-backs pressed the three attackers, suffocating Atalanta's exit play. By half-time, Koné was dominant in midfield, systematically quashing every Atalanta transition, while N'Dicka neutralised Scamacca. Roma delivered a blank scoreline despite 9 corners to 0, 70% possession, overwhelming territorial supremacy and 14 shots on goal. After the interval, Sarri introduced Krstovic for Scamacca's mobility in search of greater depth, and Atalanta struck in chaotic circumstances to lead—a jolt that briefly animated the visitors and forced Roma onto the back foot. Gasperini reacted with Soulé and Molina replacing Mora and Lulli, withdrew the struggling Mancini for Ghilardi, and replaced Malen with Castro, who struck the post. Sarri added Pasalic, Zalewski and Kessie to consolidate; Gasperini inserted Balerdi for the fatigued N'Dicka to restore balance for the final assault. Roma rediscovered mental and physical energy their weekly training programme furnished, recovering to overturn an opponent they had dominated throughout and who had built their match around a goal of minimal merit.

Roma overturned Atalanta with two goals in three minutes at the Stadio Olimpico to reclaim top spot in Serie A. Mario Hermoso equalised after Ederson had given Atalanta the lead, then Matías Soulé struck in the third minute of added time from a Paulo Dybala assist to spark an eruption in the stadium. The comeback, described as a dramatic act of redemption in just 180 seconds, has Roma dreaming after reclaiming the league's summit alongside Inter. Gian Piero Gasperini gave Leonardo Balerdi his debut in place of Evan N'Dicka, a decision that fielded five Argentine players. Roma had created chances throughout—Soulé tried a header, Dybala attempted a curling shot, Bryan Cristante and Nahuel Molina pressed—but the breakthrough seemed elusive until those final three minutes of chaos transformed the night. The stadium's roar echoed through the evening as Roma's resurgence became suddenly, spectacularly real.

Roma came from behind to beat Atalanta 2–1 in a third-round Serie A match at the Stadio Olimpico. Ederson had given Atalanta the lead, but Mario Hermoso levelled with a header before Matías Soulé sealed the victory after coming on as a substitute. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini earned praise for his tactical adjustments, with Soulé providing an assist before scoring the winning goal in a high-tempo performance. The win carried significant weight in the title race. Hermoso was reliable in defence and decisive in attack despite occasional lapses in possession, while Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné anchored the midfield with solid contributions. Evan N'Dicka returned to the squad after absence and proved a reliable point in the back line, dealing with Atalanta's attacking threat. Paulo Dybala remained a constant reference point, though he did not find the net. Rodrigo Mora was central to Roma's play, providing a precise assist for Gianluca Mancini early on—a chance Mancini squandered—and frequently attempting shots, though accuracy was lacking. Leonardo Balerdi made an impressive debut, replacing N'Dicka from the 67th minute and playing with personality to render Atalanta's Mateo Krstovic ineffective, earning deserved applause. Daniele Ghilardi came on from the 63rd minute and brought intensity and aggression. Emanuele Lulli showed promise with good intensity but needs to improve his crossing. Nahuel Molina replaced him from the 54th minute and made a more substantial impact. Donyell Malen, despite drawing constant double coverage from Atalanta's defence and coming close in the first half, did not score. Santiago Castro, introduced from the 63rd minute, struck the post and crossbar but could not break through; Gasperini noted he is growing and deserves time, suggesting he has the quality needed. Mile Svilar made a routine save in the first half and was beaten by Ederson's powerful shot in the second. Cristante repeatedly threatened with his heading ability but could not convert.