Roma draw Real Madrid as Mourinho returns to the Olimpico

Roma return to the Champions League after seven years away, and the draw has delivered a dramatic storyline: José Mourinho will come back to the Stadio Olimpico as manager of Real Madrid. The Giallorossi, now guided by Gian Piero Gasperini after an ambitious summer window, will open their league‑phase campaign at home against the Portuguese coach who delivered their historic Conference League triumph. Roma’s schedule features several high‑profile clashes, including home fixtures against Sporting CP, Lille and Slovan Bratislava.

Their away programme is equally demanding, with trips to PSG, Manchester United, Fenerbahce and AEK Athens. The draw offers Roma eight compelling tests as they rejoin Europe’s elite, providing Gasperini with an immediate measure of his squad’s competitiveness. For supporters, Mourinho’s swift return adds emotional weight to a campaign already rich with expectation, marking a grand re‑entry onto the continent’s biggest stage.