The stage is primed for an unforgettable European night as AS Roma heads to the Mediterranean to take on OGC Nice in their UEFA Europa League opener on September 24, 2025. This isn’t just another group game—think of it as a kick-off to a fresh quest, with both clubs determined to announce themselves. Roma arrives with a new maestro at the helm: Gian Piero Gasperini, known for fearless tactics and a prowling forward line. On the other bench, Franck Haise is eager to show Nice can battle with Italy’s heavyweight sides.
Match Context & Date
While fans gear up for this high-stakes showdown, the excitement doesn’t stop when the whistle blows. Many supporters look for ways to extend the matchday atmosphere—whether it’s chatting tactics over coffee, enjoying local nightlife, or even trying their luck with popular games like Plinko at licensed online casinos. These platforms have become a form of light entertainment for football followers during breaks between matches, offering a touch of fun that keeps the competitive spirit alive until the next big kick-off.
AS Roma kicks off its UEFA Europa League league-phase season with an away match against OGC Nice at the Allianz Riviera. The game is set for Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 21:00 CEST. This is Matchday 1 under UEFA’s new league-phase format, which now replaces the traditional group stage. Both clubs, as well as UEFA, have confirmed the fixture in their official schedules.
History Between the Clubs
Roma and Nice square off for the first time in a UEFA competition. The teams tangled briefly in a July 2022 friendly in Lisbon, where they ended 1–1. That result barely registers, and no pitched European rivalry exists, so we turn to tactical fingerprints and playing philosophies instead of vendettas.
For fans, the lack of historic rivalry only heightens the curiosity—every tactical detail feels fresh and unpredictable. Away from the pitch, many supporters keep the adrenaline flowing through lighthearted diversions, whether discussing lineups with friends or exploring online platforms such as Casino Betika. These entertainment options provide a way to stay engaged during the pauses between matches, blending the thrill of strategy with the fun of chance, much like the chess game unfolding between Roma and Nice on the field.
The Coaches
Roma have a fresh boss at the helm: Gian Piero Gasperini, named manager on June 6, 2025. He’s famous for his daring three-at-the-back system that brought fireworks to Atalanta. Nice, meanwhile, welcomes Franck Haise for Season Two on the Côte d’Azur; he just inked a 2029 extension that proves the club’s faith. Put the popcorn ready—this will be a tactical chess match. Both managers adore wing-backs, crave direct play, and mark pressing triggers with military precision.
Roma’s Tactical Blueprint
Gasperini teams have trademarked a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2 system built on three core elements: a back three that rarely deviates, man-oriented pressing that refuses to switch off, and quick rotations in wide areas. The blueprint: choke space by engaging nearest opponents, then unleash wing-backs and late-arriving runners into half-spaces, crafting overloads that lead into lethal cut-backs.
Re-projecting those ideas to Roma, you’ll notice an uncanny resemblance—wing-backs starting near the halfway line, midfielders overlapping the bearer, and a front three that relentlessly pins opposing centre-backs, creating perpetual decisions and inviting gaps to exploit.
Roma’s Squad Options
UEFA’s squad list highlights coach Gasperini’s strategic options:
- Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé will operate as dual playmakers between the lines.
- Artem Dovbyk and newcomer Evan Ferguson fit distinct centre-forward profiles.
- Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante blend midfield control with ball-winning.
- Width will come from Angeliño or Kostas Tsimikas on the left and either Zeki Çelik or Devyne Rensch on the right.
- The back three centres on Gianluca Mancini with either Evan N’Dicka or Mario Hermoso as partners.
Together, these pieces let Roma alternate between Dovbyk’s hold-up play and Ferguson’s running in behind, all the while letting Dybala and Soulé stay in their preferred half-spaces.
Nice’s Tactical Identity
Haise usually sets his teams up in a 3-4-2-1 or sometimes 3-5-2. You’ll see fast switches from defense to attack, wing-backs stretching the pitch, and players cleverly filling those tricky half-spaces.
Over at Nice, the players fit that system like a glove: Terem Moffi holds up the attack at nine, Jérémie Boga and Sofiane Diop are the guys who carry the ball and love to combine, Hicham Boudaoui and Morgan Sanson offer the nonstop work rate and smart forward passes, Melvin Bard or Jonathan Clauss whip in the crosses from the flanks, and of course, Dante, the ever-reliable leader, marshals the back three. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nice invite Roma to press, then zip balls into the channels behind those high wing-backs.
Key Matchups
- Wings vs. wings: Gasperini loves to overload the wide areas with numbers, while Haise gets La Liga to load crossing to his wing-backs—wild supply for Moffi. If Fazio or Mancini step out too far from their outside centre-backs, a sharp diagonal to Clauss or Boga leaves Moffi chomping toward the box within two touches. If Nice’s wing-backs drop, the inverse happens, and Roma kick the early cut-back button: wide overlaps by Karsdorp or Celik, with Dybala and El Shaarawy already arriving.
- Man-oriented press vs. rotations: Rival teams must keep an eye on Roma’s tendency to channel play through key wide men—perfect setups for Haise’s favourite trick: the third-man run. Observe how Diop or Sanson often drops deep to pull their defenders away. That split-second vacated space is then occupied by a late-runner racing into the channel. The move arrives quickly, and the markers adjust, usually a heartbeat too late. Defences that aren’t alert will quickly concede the extra man. Roma don’t see off the ball.
- Set-pieces: With Mancini, N’Dicka, Dovbyk on one side and Dante, Moffi on the other, dead-ball phases could be decisive.
Roma’s Likely Plan
Out of Possession: When defending, we drop into a high 3-2 rest shape. The two center-backs step into midfield based on specific triggers, while Cristante tracks the runs of Moffi to block his lay-off. The main goal is to funnel the ball to the sidelines and compress the space so we can set a trap.
In Possession: We naturally shift to a 3-2 build. Cristante and Pellegrini pivot to organize; then we release either Angeliño or Tsimikas onto advanced wide lanes. Dybala and Soulé cut into the inside-right and inside-left spaces. Dovbyk plays the wall pass; Ferguson can push verticality or add late-game intensity to the counter-press should Gasperini need it.
Nice’s Pathway
Out of possession: Deploy a mid-block with wing-backs primed to burst forward while holding the half-spaces. Resist the urge to press Roma’s back three, protecting the central corridor instead.
In transition: Look for fast, vertical passes to Moffi or the opposite wing-back. Once the ball switches, let Boga or Diop exploit the channel left by Roma’s advancing outside centre-back.
In settled play: Let Clauss or Bard deliver balls into the box while Diop slides into pockets for quick link-ups. Haise’s sides built a reputation on this pattern, so anticipate Lens delivering the same tactical style.
Bottom Line
Nice-Roma will be determined by wide control and transition defence as both wing-back-based systems and risk-taking football coaches espouse risk-reward football. When the press of Roma sticks Haise in a shop, Gasperini cuts back and half-space shots must run; when Nice bypasses the man-marks and breaks through early diagonals, Moffi and Boga can switch the order in a few seconds. Strap in, Matchday 1 is full of the ingredients of a high-tactical duel.
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