The waiting is nearly over for AS Roma as the club prepares to step back onto European football’s grandest stage. According to reports from Il Romanista, the Giallorossi will face Fenerbahçe at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul for their opening fixture of the UEFA Champions League season. Kickoff is scheduled for 18:45 local time (UTC+3) on Wednesday, September 10, marking Roma’s first appearance in Europe’s premier club competition since 2019.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad arrives in Turkey carrying momentum following a notable victory over Atalanta in domestic play. Speaking in his pre-match press conferences reported by Italian media, Gasperini noted that this European fixture serves as an immediate, demanding benchmark for his players. The Italian manager has nearly his entire roster available for selection in Istanbul, with club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini representing the sole notable absentee as he works through the final stages of his recovery.
Tactical Setup and Probable Lineups
With a full squad at his disposal aside from Pellegrini, Gasperini is not expected to implement massive squad rotation for the continental opener. The consensus projects Roma to deploy in a 3-4-1-2 shape:
- Goalkeeper: Mile Svilar
- Defenders: Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, Mario Hermoso
- Midfielders: Nahuel Molina, Bryan Cristante, Manu Koné, Wesley
- Attacking Midfielder: Matías Soulé (with minor daily variations noted across Italian sports dailies)
- Forwards: Paulo Dybala, Donyell Malen
On the opposing bench, Fenerbahçe enters the fixture looking to rebound domestically after suffering a defeat to Beşiktaş in their most recent league outing. The Turkish side is making its return to the main phase of the Champions League for the first time since the 2008/09 season. Outlets covering the Turkish camp outline a probable 4-2-3-1 tactical formation:
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defenders: Mert Müldür, Milan Škriniar, Nathan Aké, Archie Brown
- Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, İsmail Yüksek
- Attendants: Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Greenwood, Ayidin
- Forward: Vedat Muriqi
Key Battles Across the Pitch
Coverage from La Gazzetta dello Sport highlights the physical and technical clash between Roma forward Donyell Malen and Fenerbahçe central defender Milan Škriniar as a marquee matchup at the top level. Controlling the midfield tempo will also fall heavily upon the shoulders of Roma’s central pairing of Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné against a defensively energetic Turkish midfield anchored by N’Golo Kanté.
For Roma supporters traveling to Istanbul, official club announcements confirm that away-section tickets remain accessible exclusively through the official AS Roma web portal.
How to Watch and Follow Live
Fans unable to make the journey to Turkey have multiple broadcast and streaming options available. Television coverage in Italy and surrounding regions will be handled by Sky Sport and streaming via NOW, with mobile and online access provided through Sky Go and Now TV platforms, as detailed by Il Romanista. Dedicated live text commentary and real-time match updates will run across specialized sports portals, while radio broadcasts offer full audio coverage for listeners.
Share your thoughts on the starting lineups and predicted scorelines in the comments below.
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