Chelsea, Lyon, and Roma all secured convincing victories in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, extending their perfect starts to the group stage. Roma demolished Galatasaray, Chelsea triumphed over Twente, and Lyon claimed a win over Wolfsburg. Real Madrid bounced back from their opening loss with a comfortable victory over Celtic, while Wolfsburg’s Alexandra Popp made her 100th appearance in the competition.
Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their Europa League campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Qarabag, overcoming an early red card. Roma, meanwhile, let a lead slip and drew 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao, while Fenerbahce and Rangers secured early wins in the revamped Europa League.
Roma shocked the football world by sacking coach Daniele De Rossi just four games into the Serie A season, despite signing him to a long-term contract just months ago. Former Torino manager Ivan Juric has been appointed as De Rossi’s replacement, marking the first coaching change in Serie A this season.
UEFA has imposed a €2 million fine on Roma and threatened Istanbul Basaksehir with a one-year ban from European competitions for failing to meet financial targets. Aston Villa and Marseille were also fined for late submission of financial reports. The ruling comes as part of UEFA’s Financial Sustainability regulations, which aim to promote financial stability in European football.
Former England and Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has signed with Saudi Arabian club Al-Fayha, ending his five-season stint with Roma. The move comes as Saudi clubs continue to attract players, though not necessarily the top names in the sport.
Juventus, under new manager Thiago Motta, dropped its first points of the Serie A season with a goalless draw against AS Roma. The match saw both sides struggle to create clear chances, with Roma holding Juventus at bay. Juventus remains second in the standings despite the draw, tied with Inter Milan, Torino, and Udinese on seven points.
Tottenham Hotspur will face Roma in the UEFA Europa League group stage, marking their return to the competition after a three-year absence. The draw, held in Monaco, also saw Spurs paired with Rangers, AZ Alkmaar, Ferencvaros, Qarabag, Galatasaray, Elfsborg, and Hoffenheim.
AC Milan’s shaky start to the Serie A season intensifies pressure on manager Paulo Fonseca, who faces a crucial match against Lazio this weekend. Meanwhile, Juventus enjoys a perfect record, Inter Milan awaits Atalanta’s challenge, and Roma seeks to rebound from a disappointing start.
Australian international goalkeeper Mathew Ryan has joined Roma on a one-year deal, providing backup to first-choice goalkeeper Mile Svilar. The 32-year-old, who has 93 caps for Australia, arrives from AZ Alkmaar and will be looking to contribute to Roma’s Serie A campaign starting August 18.
After decades-long efforts, a memorial has been opened at the site of a former Nazi concentration camp for Roma in the Czech Republic. The opening marks the culmination of a process that gained momentum after the Czech government removed a pig farm that had been built on the site. The memorial will serve as a reminder of the horrors of the past and a warning against allowing such atrocities to occur again.
