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UEFA Champions LeagueChampions League

Roma v Sporting CP — UEFA Champions League

London ·

Live on TNT Sports or Prime Video · UK

Stadio Olimpico
ROMRomaClub page
SPOSporting CPClub page
Squad value€498.4m
Squad value€413.7m
Key playerDonyell Malen
Key playerLuis Suárez
Head coachGian Piero Gasperini
Head coachnot published

How they play

Preview from .
ROM

Their pressing and marking switches are well drilled.

Source Sportellate · 21 Sep 2026
“Dall'altro lato, la Roma si conferma una squadra forte e in forma, con dei principi ormai assimilati da tutti i suoi giocatori: il pressing, quando eseguito, è gestito bene; i cambi di marcatura son sempre fatti alla perfezione; inoltre, i movimenti in catena stanno portando tanti frutti in termini di creazione di occasioni.”

On the other side, Roma confirm themselves as a strong side in form, with principles every player has absorbed: the pressing, when they do it, is well managed; the switches of marking are always done perfectly; and the combinations down the flanks are creating plenty of chances. our translation

Read it at Sportellate

ROM

Roma go man for man all over the pitch, so every player on the ball has someone on his back.

Source Mantra Lab · 19 Sep 2026
“In fase di non possesso, Gasperini non scende a compromessi: la Roma adotta una marcatura a uomo feroce e asfissiante a tutto campo.”

Out of possession, Gasperini makes no compromises: Roma use ferocious, suffocating man-marking all over the pitch. our translation

Read it at Mantra Lab

ROM

Every Roma player picks up one opponent and follows him, so the whole team ends up camped in the other half. When that marking holds, the game barely leaves the opposition's half.

Source Il Romanista, Daniele Lo Monaco · 26 Aug 2026
“Le due punte sui due centrali in fase di possesso prevedono come conseguenza l’innalzamento degli esterni fino ai terzini per uno schieramento immediatamente sbilanciato in avanti che porta come naturale conseguenza, se le marcature ovviamente funzionano, a giocare nella metà campo avversaria, cosa che la Roma ha fatto praticamente per tutta la partita.”

With the two forwards on the two centre-backs during the build-up, the consequence is that the wide players push up onto the full-backs, giving a shape immediately tipped forward, which naturally leads — if the marking is working, of course — to playing in the opponents' half, which is what Roma did for practically the whole match. our translation

Read it at Il Romanista

SPO

Sporting want to defend high up the pitch. Their coach says that when they dropped deeper at Braga, Braga got near their goal and scored from their only shot.

Source O Jogo, Hugo Moreira · 9 Oct 2026
“Não queríamos isso, fomos conseguindo manter esse bloco alto e, quando baixámos, o Braga andou uma ou outra vez perto da nossa baliza e, no único remate que tem, acaba por fazer golo.”

We didn't want that; we managed to keep that high block, and when we dropped deeper Braga got near our goal once or twice and scored from the only shot they had. our translation

Read it at O Jogo

SPO

Sporting play fast and direct, not patiently.

Source Hürriyet · 9 Sep 2026
“Güncel taktik veriler de bu 4-2-3-1 tabanını, yüksek tempolu ve dikine bir oyun anlayışıyla tarif ediyor.”

The latest tactical data also describe this 4-2-3-1 base as a high-tempo, direct style of play. our translation

Read it at Hürriyet

SPO

Their playmaker starts in the middle but keeps sliding over to the left and cutting inside. That is deliberate: it clears the touchline for the left-back Maxi Araújo to charge past him.

Source A Bola, Hugo Forte · 31 Aug 2026
“Explicando a geometria da equipa: o charrua começou por se fixar na posição 10, mas tem derivado com frequência para a esquerda, trocando de posicionamento com Flávio Gonçalves e realizando movimentações interiores para abrir a ala às investidas de Maxi Araújo.”

Explaining the team's geometry: the Uruguayan started out fixed in the number 10 position, but has frequently been drifting to the left, swapping positions with Flávio Gonçalves and making inside runs to open up the flank for Maxi Araújo's raids. our translation

Read it at A Bola