Seven years of absence and the return to the Champions League makes you half smile. Roma stopped at a draw in Istanbul: with Fenerbahçe it ended 1-1 and with a bit of suffering for the Giallorossi who, having started with a lot of intensity and immediately taken the lead thanks to di Cristante's beautiful goal, were caught by the Turkish team at the start of the second half scoring with Brown.
Strengthened by the hat-trick in the championship, the group forged in the image and likeness of Gian Piero Gasperini has returned to breathe the air of Europe that counts after having gone through a profound transformation in recent years. Coaches, managers and owners have changed and now this Roma team, after qualifying with third place last season, aims to show off on the European stage too. And in the difficult Istanbul stadium, with the crowd cheering on the hosts, Gasperini's Roma started off on the right foot: an intense match, not beautiful, but with several opportunities on both sides. In the end Roma took a risk and had to thank Svilar who protected the Giallorossi goal from the Turks' incursions. At the start, amidst the deafening noise of the stadium, Roma tried to play the game, even if the first dangerous shot fell to the home team with Greenwood - one of Fenerbahçe's most incisive players - which Svilar did not hesitate to dive into. In the 21st minute, Roma tried to make the most of their offensive actions: Koné recovered a ball on the edge of the area and verticalized it for Dybala who kicked with his right, but the goalkeeper was not caught unprepared. The Giallorossi pressed hard and in the 39th minute the opening goal arrived, the return to goals in the Champions League after seven years: it all started with a personal action by Malen who diverted from the left towards the center to try the shot from the edge of the area. He doesn't find space and widens for Cristante who displaces Ederson with a right foot. We go to half-time with the Giallorossi ahead: the second half, however, is dominated by Fenerbahce who, after three minutes, bring the match back to a draw. The direction is still by Greenwood, long courted by Roma during the summer transfer market and appreciated by Gasperini himself who in fact goes to hug the player at the end of the match. The Englishman forges the equalizer by serving Archie Brown, who all alone in the area with a nice touch goes past Svilar on the exit. Fenerbahçe now increases the pressure and Roma must resist: in the 21st minute Kanté triggers Greenwood, who in turn finds Akturkoglu on the left of the pitch. But the Giallorossi goalkeeper intervenes safely on the left from the edge.
A turn of the hands and Malen tries but shoots high. A foul on Dybala causes the referee to point to the spot, but it is not a penalty because the action occurred before the line: a free kick for Roma which however they are unable to materialise. In the 27th minute it's the great ex's moment: Lukaku enters and immediately shows off. Low cross into the middle. The Giallorossi Rensch is clearly ahead of the new arrival Aydin, but makes a mistake by letting himself get ahead of him. Svilar is still very ready to save the result. More chances, Fenerbahçe also hit the crossbar late on. Roma suffers, but manages to keep the draw. A point and indications for how to move also on European fields. Gasperini is satisfied in the end: "Good match, it wasn't easy in this environment and against a team that, despite being at home, was very closed off and was trying to restart from a throw-in with very fast players - the coach's words -. We played an excellent match, at times we are a bit vulnerable, the result was a draw but these are also needed to achieve the objectives". Roma will return to play in a month, after the national break: former Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid arrive at the Olimpico.
