Roma embark on a new European mission after a 7-year absence

AS Roma will return to the UEFA Champions League in the 2026-2027 season after an absence since 2018-2019. The Italian capital club finds itself with a new opportunity to reclaim its place among Europe's elite, having secured third place in Serie A last season . The Giallorossi's return to Europe's premier club competition comes at a different time for the club, as coach Gian Piero Gasperini has quickly made his mark, guiding them to a top-three finish in Serie A in his first season, thus guaranteeing their return to the Champions League after years of absence . Roma currently sits 13th in UEFA's coefficient rankings. Their last European appearance was in the Europa League last season, a competition they exited in the round of 16 after a narrow defeat to Bologna . However, the challenge this time around will be greater. The Champions League group stage pits the Italian capital club against a host of heavyweights, starting with Fenerbahçe away on Thursday evening, followed by Real Madrid in Rome on October 14th . Just six days later, the Giallorossi host Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia, before facing another test away at Manchester United on November 3rd, followed by another away match against Paris Saint-Germain on November 25th . Roma's league campaign continues with a home game against Sporting Lisbon on December 8th, followed by a trip to Greece to play AEK Athens on January 19th, 2027, before concluding with a home match against Lille on January 27th of the following year . At the heart of Roma's new project stands Gasperini, the coach who made his name during his long tenure with Atalanta, transforming the team into a regular contender for top positions in Italy and securing consistent Champions League qualification, before leading them to their first-ever European title by winning the Europa League in the 2023-2024 season . Gasperini is no stranger to Italian football, having previously managed Crotone, Genoa, a brief stint at Inter Milan, and Palermo. He also worked with Juventus' youth academy, but his time at Atalanta proved to be the biggest turning point in his career before he moved to Roma in 2025 for a new challenge . The Italian coach relies on Manu Kone as one of the key players in midfield, as the 25-year-old Frenchman has become a regular starter for his national team, despite a hamstring injury limiting his impact towards the end of last season . Roma's most notable summer signing was Dutchman Donyell Malen, whose loan move was made permanent with a four-year contract after a successful spell with the team in the second half of last season . Malen arrived at the Italian capital club from Aston Villa in the middle of the 2025-2026 season, but he didn't need long to make his mark, scoring 14 goals in 18 Serie A matches, his best scoring tally in the competition since his days with PSV Eindhoven .Roma are counting on Malen to add more threat to their attack in the new season, especially with the increased competition following their return to the Champions League, where they face clubs of the caliber of Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain . The 2025-2026 season provided Roma with a significant boost domestically, as Gasperini successfully guided the team to a third-place finish in Serie A, an achievement that secured the capital club's return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2018-2019 season . However, Roma's European adventure in the Europa League came to an end in the Round of 16 against Bologna. Despite this European exit, the team achieved their primary domestic objective of returning to the premier European competition . The Giallorossi boast a long history in European competitions, with their most memorable moment being their appearance in the 1984 European Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties at their home ground, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, in one of the most heartbreaking nights in the club's history . At the level of the Champions League, Roma reached the semi-finals in the 2017-2018 season, after delivering one of its most prominent surprises in the tournament, before its journey was halted by Liverpool. It also reached the knockout stages of the competition four times during the 2010s .