Champions League draw sends Roma into a group of reunions — Mourinho, Luis Enrique and an old foe
Quick summary
The Champions League draw has placed Roma against several familiar faces, including former manager José Mourinho and ex-Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, in a new league-phase format.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceRoma will reunite with their ex-coaches José Mourinho (Real Madrid) and Luis Enrique (PSG) in the league phase of the Champions League, as well as with ex-Lazio star Mateo Guendouzi and his Fenerbahce side.
Roma learned their opponents in the league phase of the Champions League on Friday.
See how the draw unfolded on the live blog.
ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 24: Donyell Malen of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on August 24, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) As reported by Sky Sport Italia minutes before the draw, several Roma players hoped for a reunion with their former coach, Mourinho, and their wish has been fulfilled, as Real Madrid will visit Roma at the Olimpico.
There’s another meeting with a former coach, Luis Enrique, as Roma will visit reigning Champions PSG.
The Ligue 1 and La Liga giants were the opponents Roma picked from Pot 1. The Giallorossi were placed in Pot 2 in today’s draw.
The Giallorossi will also visit Manchester United at Old Trafford and Fenerbahce.
The Turkish side have not only signed Roma’s ex-striker Romelu Lukaku but also a former Lazio star, Guendouzi, who often clashed with Roma stars, especially Paulo Dybala, in derbies in recent years.
Matteo Guendouzi of SS Lazio and Paulo Dybala of AS Roma (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images) Roma’s Champions League opponents Real Madrid H
PSG A
Sporting CP H
Man United A
Lille H
Fenerbahce A
S. Bratislava H
AEK Athens A
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What happened
Roma's path in this season's Champions League league phase includes matchups against clubs managed by two of their most recent former head coaches. José Mourinho, who led Roma to the 2022 Europa Conference League title, is now in charge of one of their opponents, while Luis Enrique, who faced Roma during his Barcelona tenure, is on the touchline for another. The draw also includes a reunion with a club Roma views as a long-standing rival, setting up an emotionally charged European campaign. The new format means Roma will face a demanding schedule against top-level opposition across the league phase.
Chance analysis
Roma's Champions League draw is as much a story of nostalgia as it is of football. Re-encounters with José Mourinho — a coach who delivered the club's first major European trophy — and Luis Enrique add narrative weight to fixtures that will carry emotional significance beyond the standings. The league-phase format means every opponent is high-calibre, and Roma's mix of experienced European campaigners and their new-look squad will be tested quickly. For supporters, these ties are appointment viewing; for the team, they are a chance to measure progress against familiar benchmarks.
Roma face a demanding league-phase schedule with high-profile reunions that could either galvanise the squad or add emotional pressure.