Roma - Fiorentina: a major season opener at Stadio Olimpico
The new Serie A season begins with a clash that immediately brings together two teams coming from very different starting points after the previous year. Roma and Fiorentina meet on 24 August at 20:45 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, in the final match of the opening round. For both teams, this is the first league test of the 2026/2027 season, so the current table does not yet offer any advantage: every club starts on zero points.
Roma finished last season in third place with 73 points and secured a return to Europe's premier club competition. Fiorentina had a completely different year. They finished 15th with 42 points after a season in which they spent a long time battling to avoid relegation.
That is why the first league appearance matters beyond the three points themselves. Roma want to immediately confirm their status as a team that belongs near the top, while Fiorentina, under new coach Fabio Grosso, are trying to show that the summer changes can bring a significantly calmer season.
It is worth securing tickets in good time, especially for spectators planning a trip to Rome who need to organise transport and their journey to Stadio Olimpico in advance.
Roma enter the new season with high expectations
Gian Piero Gasperini remained in charge of Roma after their third-place finish in the previous championship. The end of last season showed just how competitive his team was: Roma finished the last league campaign with 73 points, and a place among the top three teams represented a major step forward.
The core of the squad also remains recognisable. Mile Svilar is the first choice in goal, Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka remain important in the back line, while Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné provide strength in midfield. In attack, Gasperini has several different profiles available, including Paulo Dybala, Matías Soulé, Donyell Malen and Santiago Castro.
Malen is a particularly interesting name after a very strong second half of last season. After arriving during the winter transfer window, he scored 14 league goals and quickly became an important part of Roma's attack.
The final test before the start of the league ended in a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. Roma took the lead as early as the fourth minute through Dybala, and Cristante doubled the advantage five minutes later after Dybala's corner. Borussia Dortmund then came back through goals from Julian Ryerson and Serhou Guirassy.
The result showed both sides of Gasperini's team. Roma can attack very quickly and create chances through combinations involving their creative players, but at the same time they need to control periods of the match better when the opponent raises the tempo.
Dybala and Soulé between the lines
In Dortmund, Gasperini started in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Dybala and Soulé behind Malen. That is an important detail for the match against Fiorentina as well.
Dybala can drop towards midfield to receive the ball and open space for another attacker, while Soulé looks for situations in which he can move towards the penalty area from the right. If Fiorentina narrow their defensive line too much, Roma will try to exploit the width through the wide players. If the visitors spread out, the space between midfield and defence becomes even more interesting for Dybala.
Gasperini's teams traditionally look to regain space aggressively after losing the ball. Against Fiorentina, the reaction after their own attacks will be especially important, because Kean offers the possibility of quickly breaking towards the last line.
Fiorentina under Grosso already have a competitive victory
Unlike Roma, Fiorentina have already played a competitive match before the first league round. Fabio Grosso's team beat Benevento 4-1 in Coppa Italia, giving them a very useful test immediately before the trip to Rome.
Albert Guðmundsson, Moise Kean, Luca Ranieri and Cher Ndour scored. It is particularly interesting that the goals came from several lines of the team: from a striker, a midfielder and a defender.
Their final friendly matches were not without positive signs either. Fiorentina came back from two goals down against Real Madrid to finish the match 2-2, and then drew 1-1 with Deportivo A Coruña. Ndour scored against Deportivo, while he also found the net again against Benevento.
Grosso took over the team during the summer and was given a new coaching staff around him. In the final pre-season matches, he used a back four, which provides a different starting point from Gasperini's Roma.
David de Gea remains one of the most experienced names in the team. In front of him, Grosso can use players such as Radu Drăgușin and Luca Ranieri, while João Mário and the other full-backs are important for progressing forward. In midfield, the combination of Nicolò Fagioli, Marco Brescianini, Cher Ndour and Arthur Atta offers several options for controlling possession.
Kean remains the most direct threat
Moise Kean represents the clearest focal point of Fiorentina's attack. He scored one of the four goals against Benevento and also found the net against Real Madrid during pre-season.
For Roma's defence, controlling the space behind the first line of pressure will be especially important. If Fiorentina can quickly find Fagioli or another midfielder after winning the ball, Kean can immediately attack the space in behind. Guðmundsson brings a different threat because he can move between the lines, drift inside and combine with the striker.
Against Deportivo A Coruña, Fiorentina showed that they want to have the ball and build attacks through midfield. Against Roma, such an approach will be significantly riskier because the home side aggressively press the player receiving the ball with his back to the opposition goal.
A tactical battle that could decide the match
One of the main details will be the question of who controls the central area of the pitch.
With three defenders, Roma can push their wide players high and effectively create a line of five players in the final attacking line. Dybala and Soulé then have the freedom to move into the half-spaces, while one of the midfielders can remain deeper as cover.
Fiorentina, with four defenders, must decide how high they will step out towards those players. If a full-back moves forward, Roma can attack the space behind him. If he stays deep, the home side get more time to combine around the penalty area.
On the other hand, Gasperini's system also leaves a certain amount of risk. When Roma's wide players push high, Fiorentina can look for Kean with a quick vertical pass or switch the ball to the opposite side before the home defence reorganises.
Set pieces will also be important. Cristante scored with a header against Borussia Dortmund after Dybala's corner, while Fiorentina also got a goal from defender Ranieri against Benevento. That means every corner and free kick in a crossing position will carry additional importance.
Recent head-to-head meetings favour Roma
Roma have had a very good run against Fiorentina recently. The most recent meeting played at the Olimpico ended in a convincing 4-0 victory for Roma, and the home side also won the previous two league meetings between the teams.
The last five head-to-head results:
- Roma 4-0 Fiorentina - May 2026.
- Fiorentina 1-2 Roma - October 2025.
- Roma 1-0 Fiorentina - May 2025.
- Fiorentina 5-1 Roma - October 2024.
- Fiorentina 2-2 Roma - March 2024.
The 4-0 result from the most recent meeting is particularly interesting. Roma took the lead through Mancini, before Wesley, Mario Hermoso and Niccolò Pisilli also scored.
The longer-term record in Rome also favours the home side. Before their meeting in May 2026, the two teams had played 100 competitive matches against each other in Rome, with 49 Roma wins, 32 draws and 19 Fiorentina victories.
However, the start of a new season changes the context. Fiorentina are now coached by Grosso, the squad has changed, and last season's result brings no points into the new campaign.
Stadio Olimpico and the opening-round evening
Stadio Olimpico is located in the Foro Italico complex on the northern side of Rome and is one of the largest football stadiums in Italy, with room for more than 70,000 spectators depending on the event configuration and available sections.
International visitors should bear in mind that the stadium is not located directly next to the main railway station or a metro exit. The final part of the journey most often involves a bus, tram or walking.
The evening kick-off at 20:45 provides enough time to arrive during the day, but the final few kilometres around Foro Italico can be slower because of the large number of people. It is therefore wiser to arrive earlier rather than plan to enter immediately before kick-off.
Seats in the stands disappear quickly when interest in the match increases, and a league opener against a recognisable opponent is one of the matches for which it is worth organising the trip in advance.
How to get to Stadio Olimpico
AS Roma lists several main public-transport combinations for getting to the stadium. Visitors coming to the stadium for the first time should allow enough time to walk from the final stop to their entrance.
- Metro line A to Ottaviano, then bus 32 towards the Piazzale della Farnesina area.
- Metro line A to Flaminio, then tram 2 to Piazza Mancini, after which the journey to the stadium continues on foot.
- From the Roma Termini area, it is possible to transfer to line A and continue towards Ottaviano or Flaminio.
- For arrival by taxi, a practical drop-off point can be Piazza Gentile da Fabriano, approximately 500 metres from the stadium via Ponte della Musica.
- Parking areas immediately next to the stadium are limited and largely reserved for vehicles with the appropriate permits, so public transport is simpler for most visitors.
For drivers arriving in Rome by car, Stadio Olimpico is connected to the city's Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road via the Flaminia direction. However, the final part of the journey on matchday may include traffic restrictions, congestion and additional walking from where the car is left.
When to head towards the entrance
The exact opening time of the gates for Roma - Fiorentina had not yet been announced in the verified information available before the match. Roma generally publish details about stadium access closer to matchday.
At previous home matches, the club recommended that supporters arrive at least 90 minutes before kick-off. For a match starting at 20:45, that is a reasonable safety margin because of ticket checks, finding the correct section and the large number of people around the stadium.
Visitors should also check the information shown on their own ticket because entrances differ depending on the stand and section.
What to watch from the first minute
The match could very quickly show what direction both teams want to take in the new season. Against Borussia Dortmund, Roma scored two goals within the first nine minutes, showing how dangerous they can be when Dybala gets space for the final pass or a set piece.
Fiorentina took the lead almost immediately against Benevento and also showed that they can seize the initiative early. For that reason, the opening 15 to 20 minutes could be particularly interesting: both teams come into the match after games in which they started well.
For spectators at the stadium, several individual duels will be worth particular attention:
- Dybala and Soulé against Fiorentina's midfielders in the space in front of the defence.
- Kean against Mancini, Ndicka and Roma's other centre-backs in races into space.
- Fagioli and Ndour against Cristante and Koné in the battle for control of midfield.
- Roma's wide players against Fiorentina's defence when Gasperini's team stretches the attack.
- Set pieces at both ends, especially because of players capable of attacking high balls in the penalty area.
For Roma, victory is an opportunity to immediately continue where they left off last season. For Fiorentina, a positive result at the Olimpico would be a very clear signal that the team under Grosso no longer wants to think about a scenario similar to last season's battle in the lower part of the table.
Tickets for this match are in demand among supporters. For visitors travelling from outside Rome, it makes particular sense to arrange transport towards Foro Italico in advance and leave enough time to access the stadium.
Sources:
- Lega Serie A - date and venue of the Roma - Fiorentina match, the table at the start of the season, the final standings from the previous season and the latest head-to-head results.
- Lega Serie A - statistical overview of the 2025/2026 season and information on Roma's third-place finish and Donyell Malen's performance.
- AS Roma - squad for the final pre-season match against Borussia Dortmund, Gasperini's squad and information on travelling to Stadio Olimpico.
- Sky Sport - result and course of the Borussia Dortmund - Roma 2-2 pre-season match.
- ACF Fiorentina - coaching staff for the 2026/2027 season, player list, pre-season match against Deportivo A Coruña and the 4-1 victory over Benevento.