Roma started their Champions League campaign with a point after a 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahçe. The Reds played a controlled first half and took the lead in the 39th minute when Bryan Cristante scored with a beautiful shot from outside the area, after Malen's assist.

Fenerbahçe responded immediately after the break and equalized in the 48th minute through Archie Brown, who beat Svilar with a cross. The home team also had chances to turn the game around, but the Roma goalkeeper was decisive on several occasions, maintaining the balance until the end. Thus, both teams share one point each, after a fiery 90 minutes in Istanbul:

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini positively assessed the team's performance.

"We played a good match. It wasn't easy, because of the opponent and the atmosphere in the stadium. They closed down a lot and were dangerous on the counterattack. However, we played a good match and this draw serves our objectives," said Gasperini.

But after the match, Fenerbahçe's unusual situation caught the eye. Coach İsmail Kartal unexpectedly announced his resignation at a press conference, saying the decision was made to help the club and the players.

However, Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yildirim stated that the club was not aware of the decision and that Kartal remains the team's coach. He also explained that the coach was shocked after being hit with a bottle from the stands during the match.

The Turkish club later confirmed that the person responsible had been identified and a ban on him from participating in sporting activities had been imposed. For the time being, despite the resignation statement, İsmail Kartal is still considered Fenerbahçe's coach.