Roma Begin Champions League Campaign Against Fiorentina
Roma begin their Champions League season against Fiorentina in Serie A, with team news, predicted line-ups, form and TV details explained.
Daniele Quaranta
Updated on 24 August 2026
Roma host Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday, 24 August 2026, in Serie A’s Game Week 1, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm UK time.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side begin their first campaign back in the Champions League for seven years against Fabio Grosso’s Fiorentina, who arrive in Rome after opening their competitive season with a 4-1 Coppa Italia win over Benevento.
Roma’s pre-season brought mixed results, while Fiorentina have several new arrivals still settling into Grosso’s system.
Roma v Fiorentina Match Details And Kick-Off Time
Competition: Serie A, Game Week 1.
Date: Monday, 24 August 2026.
Kick-off: 7:45pm UK time (20:45 local time).
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome.
Roma Probable Line-Up And Team News
Gasperini is expected to set his side up in a 3-4-2-1, with Mile Svilar in goal behind a back three of Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini and Evan N’Dicka.
Matías Soulé, Manu Koné, Bryan Cristante and Wesley are projected to make up the midfield band, with Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina supporting Donyell Malen up front.
Lorenzo Pellegrini is unavailable through injury, and there are no reported suspensions to complicate Gasperini’s selection.
Roma’s summer has been built around backing that Champions League return, with the club reportedly investing more than €120 million to reinforce the squad, including the arrivals of Molina, Malen, Santiago Castro, Rodrigo Mora and Konstantinos Koulierakis.
Their pre-season included a 3-0 defeat to Brighton, while their final five warm-up fixtures produced one win, two draws and two losses.
Fiorentina Probable Line-Up And Team News
Grosso is expected to go with a 4-3-2-1 rather than a straight 4-3-3, with David de Gea starting in goal behind a back four of Radu Dragusin, Victor Valdepenas, Luca Ranieri and João Mario, though João Mario is only the favourite over Alex Jiménez at right-back rather than a confirmed starter.
Cher Ndour, Nicolò Fagioli and Rolando Mandragora are set to form the midfield trio.
Up front, Franco Mastantuono is expected to get the nod in the attacking three, with Arthur Atta not fully fit after picking up a knock in the Coppa Italia win over Benevento.
The central striker spot remains a genuine contest between Moise Kean and new signing Mateo Pellegrino, rather than a settled selection.
Fabiano Parisi is ruled out through injury, while Grosso has no suspended players to contend with.
Where To Watch Roma v Fiorentina On TV
In the United States, Roma v Fiorentina is available to watch live on Paramount+. In Italy, the fixture is being carried on DAZN.
Supporters travelling or based outside their usual territory may encounter geo-restrictions when trying to access their regular streaming services.
Roma And Fiorentina Form Heading Into The Fixture
Roma’s pre-season form has been uneven, with one win, two draws and two losses across five friendlies.
Their most recent outing was a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund on 15 August, while the 3-0 defeat to Brighton was their heaviest loss of the period. Roma conceded 13 goals across those five matches.
Fiorentina head into the fixture after a 4-1 Coppa Italia win over Benevento. Their last five matches produced two wins, two draws and one loss, with nine goals scored and seven conceded. They also drew 2-2 with Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly on 1 August.
Roma finished third in Serie A last season to secure their Champions League return, while Fiorentina finished 15th, a gap in recent form and expectation worth keeping in mind heading into this opener.
Roma v Fiorentina Head-To-Head Record
Roma have had the better of the last five Serie A meetings between the sides, winning three, with Fiorentina winning once and one match ending in a draw.
The most recent meeting ended in a 4-0 Roma victory at the Olimpico on 4 May 2026.
Fiorentina haven’t won in Rome against Roma since 2018, a run that adds extra weight to Grosso’s first competitive test away from home.
Roma v Fiorentina: What To Expect
The match brings together a Roma side beginning a season that includes a return to the Champions League and a Fiorentina squad that has already played a competitive fixture.
Roma’s recent results have varied across pre-season, while Fiorentina’s preparations ended with the Coppa Italia win over Benevento.
Both managers are expected to lean on the formations reflected in the projected line-ups, with Roma set to operate in a 3-4-2-1 and Fiorentina likely in a 4-3-2-1.
The opening Serie A fixture will offer an early indication of how both sides adapt to their respective systems, and whether Fiorentina’s summer investment translates into an end to their poor recent record in Rome.
Daniele Quaranta
Daniele Quaranta grew up in Bergamo watching Atalanta from the curva nord with his father, and that upbringing gave him a deep appreciation for the tactical and emotional layers that Italian football carries unlike any other league in the world. He has spent years studying the game through a decidedly Italian lens, paying close attention to how formations evolve across seasons, how managers adapt under pressure, and what historical patterns reveal about the modern game.
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