Champions League line-ups: Roma vs. Slovan Bratislava

Roma seek their first Champions League victory by hosting Yaya Touré’s Slovan Bratislava with Donyell Malen supported by Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini, but a revamped defence.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST).

The Giallorossi are still smarting after that incredible 4-3 defeat to Real Madrid, where they were leading 3-1 only to concede three late almost identical goals from corner kicks.

That left them with one point from two Champions League games, having earned a 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahce.

Injuries continue to pile up, with Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Mile Svilar out of action, but Bryan Cristante returns to the bench after more than a month on the sidelines.

Malen was suspended for the Serie A victory over Genoa on Saturday, but returns here with support from Pellegrini and Rodrigo Mora,

Marten de Roon and Niccolò Pisilli are confirmed in midfield, but there are radical changes in defence with Leonardo Balerdi moving central, flanked by Daniele Ghilardi and Mario Hermoso.

Slovan Bratislava are coached by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré in his first role as head coach, having previously been part of Roberto Mancini’s Saudi Arabia national team staff.

They are rock bottom of the Champions League table, losing 6-1 away to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 at home to VfB Stuttgart.

Mykola Kukharevych has been out of action for two months, but Roman Cerepkai is struggling with a back issue, while striker and captain Andraz Sporar has had a fever over the last few days, missing Saturday’s domestic derby with Trnava.

They have not made the trip to the Eternal City, but Robert Tomanek has shaken off a knock.

There is a reunion between coach Gian Piero Gasperini and former Genoa midfielder Juraj Kucka.

These teams only met before in the 2011/12 Europa League play-offs, Slovan Bratislava surprisingly going through 2-1 on aggregate.

Roma vs. Slovan Bratislava

Roma: Gollini; Ghilardi, Balerdi, Hermoso; Molina, Pisilli, De Roon, Wesley; Mora, Pellegrini; Malen

Roma bench: Vasquez, De Marzi, Rensch, Koulierakis, Cristante, N’Dicka, Castro, Soulé, Mancini, Di Nunzio, Lulli

Slovan Bratislava: Takác; Blackman, Bajric, Markovic, Sandro Cruz; Gajdos, Pokorny, Ibrahim; Barseghyan, Marcelli, Suleiman Camara

Slovan bench: Popovic, Kozlovsky, Wimmer, Hofstadter, Yirajang, Mustafic, Tomanek, Maros, Sahmkou Camara, Martinez, Ihnatenko, Matsuoka

Ref: Scharer (SUI)

20-10-2026 20:00

MatchDay 3

Season Analytics

Roma

Positions

Slovan Bratislava

SEASON TOTAL

ROM HOME

0 0 1

0 1 1

Last matches

26

36

Position

SEASON TOTAL

SLO AWAY

0 0 1

0 0 2

Last matches

Roma

Slovan Bratislava

Starting lineups

95 Pierluigi Gollini Goalkeeper

87 Daniele Ghilardi Defender

26 Leonardo Balerdi Defender

22 Mario Hermoso Defender

20 Nahuel Molina Defender

43 Wesley Defender

7 Lorenzo Pellegrini Midfielder

15 Marten de Roon Midfielder

61 Niccolò Pisilli Midfielder

86 Rodrigo Mora Midfielder

14 Donyell Malen Attacker

71 Dominik Takac Goalkeeper

28 César Blackman Defender

12 Kenan Bajric Defender

57 Sandro Cruz Defender

15 Svetozar Markovic Defender

8 Artur Gajdos Midfielder

10 Nino Marcelli Midfielder

3 Peter Pokorny Midfielder

5 Rahim Ibrahim Midfielder

21 Suleiman Camara Attacker

11 Tigran Barseghyan Attacker

Substitutes

4 Bryan Cristante Midfielder

23 Gianluca Mancini Defender

18 Matìas Soulé Attacker

5 Evan Ndicka Defender

2 Devyne Rensch Defender

3 Konstantinos Koulierakis Defender

32 Devis Vásquez Goalkeeper

9 Santiago Castro Attacker

70 Giorgio De Marzi Goalkeeper

77 Emanuele Lulli Defender

63 Alessandro Di Nunzio Midfielder

6 Kevin Wimmer Defender

77 Danylo Ignatenko Midfielder

20 Alen Mustafic Midfielder

1 Aleksandar Popovic Goalkeeper

2 Samuel Kozlovsky Defender

70 Cristian Martínez Midfielder

14 Alasana Yirajang Attacker

49 Sahmkou Camara Defender

29 Alexej Maros Midfielder

88 Daiki Matsuoka Midfielder

7 Leo Hofstädter Midfielder

26 Robert Tomanek Defender