Daniele Ghilardi

Roma have identified Rafik Belghali as a candidate to fill the defensive gap left by Zeki Çelik's move to Juventus. The Algerian-born Belgian defender, who plays for relegated Hellas Verona, was previously admired by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and director D'Amico during his time at the Veneto club. Verona have valued Belghali at €15 million, a fee Roma consider manageable, and relations between the two clubs remain strong following the earlier transfer of Daniele Ghilardi to the Giallorossi. Belghali's versatility across both flanks mirrors Çelik's position flexibility, making him an attractive option for Gasperini's tactical setup. Verona's relegation from Serie A has made the defender available on the market, with Roma leading the pursuit. The club's wage structure can comfortably accommodate his salary demands. However, Roma are also monitoring Nottingham Forest's Alessandro Savona as an alternative option, with the defensive recruitment drive partly motivated by concerns over the fitness and reliability of Angeliño following his extended absence.

Spain and Argentina face off in the World Cup final, with the Spanish seeking their second world title after 2010 and Argentina pursuing a fourth star and back-to-back victories. Ahead of Roma's training session against the Primavera this morning, the club's players declared their allegiances. The majority of the Roma squad will support Argentina and Messi. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé lead the Argentine contingent, joined by Bryan Cristante, Daniele Ghilardi, Niccolò Pisilli, Mile Svilar, Artem Dovbyk, Devyne Rensch, and Gianluca Mancini. Mancini also sent a message to his former Roma teammate Leandro Paredes: "Vamos Leandro". On Spain's side, Jan Ziółkowski, Hermoso, and Angeliño will be backing the Spanish, with one additional Roma player from the Spanish camp also expressing support for las furias rojas.

Roma defeated their Primavera side 6-0 in a pre-season fixture at 09:00, with Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk each scoring twice. Bryan Cristante and Matías Soulé added single goals in a match that served as preparation for Gian Piero Gasperini's second season in charge. The friendly was divided into four 20-minute periods, allowing Gasperini to assess his squad ahead of the campaign. Dybala and Dovbyk impressed most prominently throughout the contest. Mario Hermoso departed the field with ice applied to his knee, though no serious concern was immediately indicated. The Primavera squad included players D'Amico, Margiotta and Frara. Roma fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back line of Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski and Hermoso, and Devyne Rensch, a player listed as Bah, Niccolò Pisilli and Angeliño across the midfield, with Soulé and a player listed as Cherubini supporting Dovbyk. Goals came on 8 minutes (Dovbyk), 40 minutes (Soulé), 49 minutes (Dybala), 52 minutes (Cristante), 56 minutes (Dybala) and 62 minutes (Dovbyk).

AS Roma opened their 2026–27 season with an in-house friendly against the Primavera at the Fulvio Bernardini training centre on a sweltering July morning in Rome. The match kicked off at 09:00 and finished the first half goalless, with referee Neglia in charge. The fixture was structured in four 20-minute periods. Roma fielded a 3–4–2–1 formation with Mile Svilar in goal, a back line of Daniele Ghilardi, Jan Ziółkowski, and Mario Hermoso, Devyne Rensch and Angeliño as wing-backs, Niccolò Pisilli and Bryan Bah in midfield, Matías Soulé and another midfielder supporting striker Artem Dovbyk. The Primavera, guided by new coach Mattia Scala, lined up in 4–5–1. New director of sport Tony D'Amico attended the match to observe the squad's opening preparations.

Roma opened their summer preparation with a 6–0 friendly victory over the club's Primavera side at Trigoria. The match, contested across four 20-minute periods, saw Gian Piero Gasperini's squad put on an attacking display headlined by Paulo Dybala's brace. Artem Dovbyk scored twice (28' and 62'), with additional goals from Matías Soulé (40'), Bryan Cristante (52'), and a penalty from Dybala (49'). Dybala delivered an accomplished performance throughout, contributing assists and creating openings alongside his two finishes. The fixture concluded Roma's opening week of pre-season work, with goalkeeper Mile Svilar, defenders Daniele Ghilardi and Jan Ziółkowski anchoring a 3–4–2–1 shape. The squad is gradually assembling with international players returning from post-tournament breaks; midfielder Manu Koné's departure was confirmed during the session. Gasperini's tactical framework began to take shape across the extended fixture, offering early evidence of attacking intent and movement in the final third ahead of the competitive season.

Roma's first friendly of the season takes place tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Fulvio Bernardini training centre, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side facing the Primavera team coached by Mattia Scala. The fixture serves as an early-season workout for the capital club, who have yet to complete any summer signings. Gasperini will have the chance to assess his squad's condition and test potential attacking combinations. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé are expected to feature behind centre-forward Artem Dovbyk in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The squad selected reflects the current roster without any new arrivals to integrate. Roma's line-up: Svilar; Ghilardi, Mancini, Hermoso; Wesley, Cristante, Pisilli, Angeliño; Dybala, Soulé; Dovbyk. Live text coverage will be available on romanews.eu.