Roma open the Champions League campaign with a creditable 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahce, as Bryan Cristante's opener was cancelled out by Archie Brown.
The Giallorossi returned to the tournament after seven years and coming off three consecutive Serie A victories. Only Lorenzo Pellegrini was still out of action. Devyne Rensch was back, with Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Matias Soulé.
Fenerbahce's last Champions League proper game was 18 years ago, but Matteo Guendouzi was suspended after insulting French fans during the fiery play-off with Lyon. Jayden Oosterwolde and Marco Asensio were injured, with ex-Serie A players Milan Skriniar, Romelu Lukaku and Mert Muldur in the squad, plus Mason Greenwood, who chose the Turkish side over Roma this summer.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – SEPTEMBER 10: A TIFO of Frankenstein's Monster is displayed by fans as players of AS Roma line up before the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Fenerbahce SK and AS Roma at Fenerbahce Sükrü Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi on September 10, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

#league

Lorenzo Bettoni and Wayne Girard take a closer look at Roma's impressive start to the season under Gian Piero Gasperini, examining how the new coach has quickly stamped his authority on the Giallorossi.
They discuss the growing influence and power Gasperini appears to have within the club, arguably more than any of his predecessors, including José Mourinho, and what that could mean for Roma's ambitions this season.
VERONA, ITALY – MAY 24: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, gestures to his players during the Serie A match between ***** as Verona FC and AS Roma at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on May 24, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Click here to subscribe to the official Football Italia YouTube channel.
The pair also turn their attention to Donyell Malen and the role Gasperini could play in unlocking the striker's full potential. Could the Roma boss help Malen mount a serious challenge for Gonzalo Higuaín's remarkable 36-goal Serie A record?

#gian #serie #malen #coach

Atalanta coach Maurizio Sarri has warned Roma that Donyell Malen is in "a state of grace" ahead of Saturday evening's meeting at the Stadio Olimpico, while admitting he is delighted that the summer transfer window has finally closed.
Malen has made an immediate impression since joining Roma and will be one of the main attacking threats Sarri's side must contain. The Atalanta coach singled out the Dutchman when discussing how his team have prepared for the difficult away fixture.
"Malen is in a state of grace, so it will be important to stop him," with quotes via TuttoSport.
Sarri is also aware that his team face a significant physical challenge. Atalanta are the only Serie A side to have already played four matches in 11 days, leaving limited opportunities to train and prepare specifically for their opponents.
"It is a match between a team that already has 13 or 14 months of work behind it and one like ours that has had 45 days."

#atalanta

Roma and Atalanta face off this Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A.
Roma have picked up 6 points and currently lie in 1st position. Last time out, Gian Piero Gasperini's team triumphed 0-4 against Lecce (Serie A 2026/27).
Atalanta have 6 points to their name this season and occupy 5th position in the table. In their last match, Maurizio Sarri's team prevailed 1-0 against Bologna (Serie A 2026/27).
The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw.
Roma: Mile Svilar, Daniele Ghilardi, Gianluca Mancini, Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina, Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné, Wesley França, Matìas Soulé, Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala

#serie #atalanta #team

At the Olimpico on Saturday, August 24, Roma put together a display that went further than the usual opening-day adrenaline: dominant possession and chance creation that kept coming, while Fiorentina struggled to build anything resembling a move.
Possession sat at 61% for the hosts against 39% for Fiorentina, which is more than can be said for the shot counts, where the numbers moved around depending on who was counting. Shots on target were the clearest gap: seven for Roma against a single one from Fiorentina all afternoon. Roma also completed nearly twice as many passes as their visitors and won the aerial battle comfortably, 9 duels to 3. What stood out more than any single number was the shape of the pressing: wing backs pushing forward with real consistency and a high line that didn't switch off even when the ball looked lost, closer to the front-foot version of Gasperini's football than the more cautious, results-first team we mostly saw for long stretches last season.
One match isn't enough to declare a tactical shift official, but when what you watched lines up with what little hard data holds steady across sources, the signal still carries some weight.
Malen and Dybala are already speaking the same language
Donyell Malen closed the game with a hat-trick, in the 27th, 52nd and 60th minutes, and every single goal came from a Paulo Dybala ****** ist. One player supplying all three ****** ists for a Serie A hat-trick is rarer than you'd think: the last time it happened was May 2, 2021, when Rodrigo Palacio scored a treble for Bologna against Fiorentina off three ****** ists from Emanuel Vignato, in a game that finished 3-3. Malen walked off with a perfect 10.0 Sofascore rating after just 68 minutes, subbed before full time because there was nothing left to prove.

#malen #single #possession #last

Roma stars Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala were the standout performers in Serie A round 1, but Italian players left their mark as well, especially Pio Esposito, Antonio Vergara and Davide Frattesi.
The opening round of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign is in the history books, with all the top clubs in Italy's top flight securing victories.
ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 24: Donyell Malen of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on August 24, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
DORTMUND, GERMANY – AUGUST 15: Paulo Dybala of AS Roma runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma at Signal Iduna Park on August 15, 2026 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
Roma's 4-0 win over Fiorentina on Monday was the last game of Week 1 and featured the weekend's absolute best players: Dybala and Malen. The latter scored a hat-trick, inspired by three ****** ists from La Joya.

#donyell #paulo

We're officially past the point in the U-23 rankings where potential alone will get you a spot. When you make your way closer and closer to #1 , you have to show ability in a top-flight league, preferably Serie A, to show that you're a serious hope for the future and for the present. There's no doubt that Santiago Castro has the Serie A experience necessary to view him as a player that Roma can rely on now and for the next five seasons. The biggest question circling the new Giallorossi #9 is whether he will be able to seize the opportunity handed to him confidently, with Donyell Malen ahead of him in the pecking order.
Age: 21
Position: Striker
Shades of: Lautaro Martinez, Julián Álvarez, Carlos Tevez with less wide play
Santiago Castro (who likes to go by Santi) was born in San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina, nearly 22 years ago. He first came to the attention of the Argentine football system while playing for the youth team at Vélez Sarsfield, the club he joined at age seven. After a decade in that youth system, Castro was given the chance to debut for their senior side in August 2021 at the age of sixteen. Since then, it's been a generally quick rise to the top for the young striker, as he racked up 65 appearances across all competitions for Vélez Sarsfield before transferring to Bologna in January 2024 for around €13.2 million.

#sarsfield

Roma are reportedly lining up a summer bid for Lyon forward Malick Fofana to bolster their attacking ranks. According to recent domestic reports, the Belgian starlet has become one of the club's top targets.
Gian Piero Gasperini is keen to reinforce his attacking options after helping Roma return to the Champions League for the first time since 2018. The Giallorossi have already signed Donyell Malen on a permanent deal. Furthermore, Santiago Castro has joined the club from Bologna for a reported fee of €35 million.
In addition to Castro, Roma could soon meet Bologna at the negotiating table again to discuss the future of Jonathan Rowe. They've also been exploring a move for Strasbourg's Diego Moreira. However, that deal now appears to be dead in the water, prompting the Giallorossi to expand their search for a new winger.
Priced out of the move for RB Leipzig's Antonio Nusa, Roma have now set their sights on Malick Fofana. After an impressive 2024/25 breakout season, the 21-year-old suffered a severe ankle injury that sidelined him for almost the entire 2025/26 campaign.
Concerns over Fofana's fitness could make Roma hesitant to meet Lyon's asking price, especially given his lengthy spell on the sidelines. However, his explosive pace, direct running and ability to operate on either flank make him an intriguing option for Gasperini.

#fofana

Donyell Malen said it would be 'a dream' to win the Scudetto with Roma, explains he's 'not jealous' of Aston Villa winning the Europa League, and tried to talk Crysencio Summerville into a move.
The striker made an astonishing impact on Italian football when he arrived from Aston Villa in January, scoring 14 goals in just 18 competitive games.
TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 18: Donyell Malen of AS Roma celebrates a goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on January 18, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Considering that was just with six months, could he aim to become the first Roma player since Edin Dzeko a decade ago to be Serie A Capocannoniere?
"I hope so, but I want to focus on improving week by week, then we'll see how many goals I manage to score," Malen told Il Messaggero newspaper.

#malen #donyell #aston

Roma have set sights on both Endrick and Franco Mastantuono to complete their frontline. Gian Piero Gasperini have explicitly asked for two more forwards, despite the recent arrival of Santiago Castro.
According to Alfredo Pedullà, the Giallorossi have been keeping tabs on the Brazilian for a month, but they are unlikely to pounce on him in short order. They want to make a splash on the left wing first, for Antonio Nusa or other options, before addressing the other one. The future of Matias Soulé, who's been for sale for the whole summer but not particularly close to leaving yet, also contributes to the timing.
Roma are dueling with Fiorentina for Mastantuono, while Endrick has some suitors abroad, Mediaset reports. The former is poised to go out on loan or with a formula similar to Nico Paz's. That could also be the case for his teammate, who has a €45/50M price tag.
The capital club has some tactical reservations. The 20-year-old isn't a pure winger nor a no.10 and is at his best as a false-nine. He's not far from Donyell Malen and Castro in terms of characteristics, even though he could still be molded. He starred for Olympique Lyonnais last year, notching 8 goals and 8 ****** ists in 21 fixtures.
Perhaps there could be an opening to sign the former permanently, as he's been under Real Madrid's control for longer without properly leveling up; if not, they'd better look elsewhere, as this kind of deal is a double-edged sword and works okay only for second-tier teams, as it winds up developing youngsters for somebody else's benefit.

#former #franco #gasperini

Netherlands international Crysencio Summerville appears to be on the verge of joining Al-Hilal in a staggering €80m package, despite the best attempts of Roma and centre-forward Donyell Malen, who made a last-ditch attempt to convince his international colleague to join him at the Stadio Olimpico.
For several days, Roma had been engaged in negotiations with Summerville, who has been seeking a move away from West Ham United following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 season.
The Giallorossi were hoping to secure a deal in the region of €50m with bonuses included, which would have made the Dutchman the most expensive signing in the club’s history.
However, according to updates on Tuesday, Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal have stepped forwards with a staggering offer worth around €80m in transfer fees and around €60m in wages for Summerville over the duration of a four-year contract.
That salary offer is almost four times as high as the €4m-per-season proposal that Roma had put forward.

#hilal #staggering #made

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to Radio Anch'io Sport on the first day of Roma's preseason.
The Giallorossi manager touched upon several topics including Manu Kone and Donyell Malen's World Cup performances and their future.
"Malen? These guys play 12 months a year, not all of them arrived at the World Cup in top condition. It's not easy to consistently play at the highest level after a difficult and tiring season."
"Then again, players also reflect the value of their team. Malen reflects the Netherlands' performance; in the past, there had been this doubt about his position. He can play further out, but for me, never: he plays close to the goal."
"Kone? Unlike Malen, he was sidelined for a while due to injury and arrived at the World Cup in better shape. Last year, he hadn't played for France yet, and he managed to earn a starting spot, which shows his true worth."

Artem Dovbyk's career at Roma is drawing to a close, with the Ukrainian striker set to leave the Stadio Olimpico after two years. According to Calciomercato, Ajax have joined the race to sign the 29-year-old.
Roma dashed out €30.5 million plus €5.5 million in bonuses to secure Dovbyk's services in 2024. He was on fire at Girona, winning La Liga's Golden Boot award in the 2023/24 season, which made the Serie A giants believe he could be an answer to their scoring problems.
However, Dovbyk has never settled into life in Serie A. Last season was disappointing for the robust center-forward, as he made just 14 league appearances and scored three goals. Needless to say, he has fallen out of favor with manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
After being deemed surplus to requirements, he's now preparing to leave Roma. Despite his underwhelming year, the Giallorossi have slapped a €23 million price tag on his shoulders and seem unwilling to budge on their valuation.
With Donyell Malen joining the club on a permanent basis, Roma are keen to offload Dovbyk, especially now that they're pursuing several high-profile targets. In addition to Strasbourg starlet Diego Moreira, they've also set their sights on Chelsea outcast Alejandro Garnacho.

Roma’s attacking certainty is Donyell Malen.
To improve their attack ahead of next season, the Giallorossi are seeking suitors for Dovbyk (watch out for Genoa) and Vaz (on loan).
Inevitably, the focus will then be on a center forward who will allow the Dutch striker to rest and have a ready alternative in case of poor performances in front of goal.
Aside from Greenwood, Roma is exploring several players who could be a good fit, especially if the former Girona player were to leave, as he is currently holding off on any incoming deals. Among those being monitored is Andrea Pinamonti.
As reported by Tuttosport, in addition to Tresoldi, the Giallorossi are also considering the Sassuolo striker, a player already familiar with Serie A.

Roma opted against selling any of their key players before the end of June, a decision that will result in the club being hit with a UEFA fine of around €12m-13m.
Click here to subscribe to the official Football Italia YouTube Channel
Despite the financial setback, the Giallorossi are still expected to be active in the transfer market as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the new Serie A and Champions League campaigns.
Meanwhile, Donyell Malen’s disappointing World Cup performances have come under scrutiny following the Netherlands’ shock elimination by Morocco, sparking widespread debate both in Italy and across Europe.
Lorenzo Bettoni and Wayne Girard break it all down in the latest episode of the Football Italia Summer Show.

Neil El Aynaoui’s father, Younes, admits his son ‘would be the happiest person in the world’ if he could join Barcelona one day: ‘He lived there until he was 11.’
Roma midfielder El Aynaoui dreams of a move to Barcelona, his father Younes told Mundo Deportivo.
“My son is a Barcelona fan; he lived there until he was 11 years old,” El Aynaoui’s father said.
“He would be the happiest person in the world if he could play there one day.”
BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 25: Neil El Aynaoui of AS Roma celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal with his teammate Donyell Malen during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Roma at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on April 25, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)

Coming into the World Cup, Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman was already under pressure from media and fans. His loyalty to some players at the expense of others was questioned, although in fairness to Koeman he had called up some players outside of his usual favourites. One of this, Crysencio Summerville, scored a wonderful goal to give Oranje a 2-1 lead over ******* an in their opening game. However, Koeman then took Summerville off, a move that has received criticism from fans and media alike.
Just six minutes after taking a 2-1 lead, Koeman moved to replace Donyell Malen, Summerville and Tijjani Reijnders with Memphis Depay, Teun Koopmeiners and Quinten Timber. Of those changes, Depay and Koopmeiners have been the ones focused on by fans. Given that this defaulted the Dutch to sitting in and absorbing ******* anese pressure, the side suddenly had no out ball, with Summerville and Malen having shown the ability to stretch the ******* anese defence. When Nathan Ake replaced Ryan Gravenberch, it was clear that Koeman was looking to hold on to the lead.
Unfortunately for the Netherlands, the side were unable to hold on. NEC Nijmegen forward Koki Ogawa came off the bench to head a corner against his teammate Daichi Kamada and into the net late on.
Japan were always going to be the toughest game for the Netherlands in the Group Stages, but the performance left a lot to be desired and has heaped even more pressure on Koeman. Next up is a clash with a Swedish side who just hammered a poor Tunisia, before a final group match against the North Africans to end the group. Failure to beat Sweden could heap plenty of pressure on the Dutch, but realistically they should make it through to the next round of the World Cup with a victory over Tunisia in the final game. Four points in this format will almost certainly be enough to qualify for the next round.
GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

Japan and the Netherlands will kick off their World Cup campaign in Texas on Sunday night. There are seven Bundesliga-based players in Hajime Moriyasu’s squad, with FC Bayern’s Hiroki Itō, Eintracht Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan and Mainz’s Kaishū Sano making the starting lineup.
From the starting XI of the Samurai Blue, Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt) also had previous Bundesliga experience. With Wataru Endo's international retirement and former Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Kō Itakura on the bench, Dōan will captain ***** an.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s Mark Flekken is the substitute goalkeeper for the Netherlands. From the eight players with previous Bundesliga experiences, Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg), Ryan Gravenberch (FC Bayern) and Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) are in Ronald Koeman’s XI.
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, van Hecke, van Dijk ©, van de Ven; Gravenberch, de Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo
Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Itō; Dōan ©, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda

Netherlands are ranked only eighth favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, below Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, England, Portugal and Germany. Depending where you draw the line, they are either the worst of the realistic contenders or the best of the rest.
Yet there is plenty of evidence to suggest that is a pessimistic view of one of the best squads in North America this summer. Netherlands have one of Europe’s form strikers in Donyell Malen, who scored 14 goals in 18 Serie A games since joining Roma in January, much to the surprise of Aston Villa fans. They have Frenkie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders in midfield. And the defence is like something from a Premier League fantasy team.
Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Nathan Ake and Jurrien Timber are an elite quartet, and that is before you get to the power of right-back Denzel Dumfries – about to join Real Madrid from Inter as Jose Mourinho’s first marquee signing since returning to the Bernabeu. Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato and Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke add strength in depth.
Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen is developing into a hugely talented player in his own right, but he feels more secure knowing who will be standing in front of him when the Netherlands begin their World Cup campaign, against ***** an on 14 June.
“It makes my life a bit easier, that’s for sure,” Verbruggen says. “As a competitor, you always want to play against the best players but you also want to beat them, and in order to beat them you need the best players on your side as well. And I’ve got the big privilege to be able to play with a defensive line that I think is up there with the best in the world.”

Mason Greenwood is Gian Piero Gasperini’s top target to strengthen his attack.
The winger has been identified as the ideal candidate to add depth to Donyell Malen’s already strong defense.
According to Sky Sport, talks are expected between Roma and Olympique Marseille regarding the Englishman in the coming days.
However, first, the Giallorossi must formalize Tony D’Amico as sporting director.
As mentioned, Roma will push hard for Greenwood.