Roma Is Ready to Support a Charity in Istanbul
Roma is preparing to return to the Champions League after seven years, but will do so without its main sponsor on the jersey. In fact, for tomorrow’s match in Istanbul against Fenerbahçe, the Giallorossi will not be able to display the Eurobet.live logo. The reason is related to current Turkish regulations, which prohibit the presence on uniforms of text or logos associated with the world of gambling and betting. The team coached by Gian Piero Gasperini will therefore take the field in a special jersey featuring the logo of a charitable initiative.
This situation is very similar to the one faced by Inter in Spain. The Nerazzurri, during their season-opening Champions League match at Real Madrid (a 2-1 win for José Mourinho’s team—Mourinho previously managed both Inter and Roma), were in fact forced to forgo their main sponsor, Betsson.sport, due to restrictions imposed by Spanish law.
That sponsorless Nerazzurri jersey worn at the Santiago Bernabéu has already caught the attention of collectors. It is an unusual version of the Inter kit, destined—precisely because of its uniqueness—to become a sought-after item on the soccer memorabilia market. For so-called “match-worn” — jerseys actually worn on the field — estimates suggest prices starting at around 300 euros and exceeding 1,000 euros, with the combination of the Champions League, the Bernabéu, and the absence of a sponsor making each piece immediately identifiable as from that specific match. The decisive factor, however, remains authenticity: without reliable documentation or recognized certification, attributing the value of an authentic Real Madrid-Inter memorabilia item to a jersey becomes much more difficult.
On the sporting front, Mourinho commented on the victory over the Nerazzurri with enthusiasm but also with his usual irony: “I liked the result—three points in our opener against a very strong team. It was a spectacular match for those at home and at the stadium—but not for me and Chivu. It could have been 5–0 for us, 5–5, 6–5, 7–5… They’re good, with that midfield anchoring their deep defensive block, but we could have scored on every counterattack.” The Portuguese coach also spoke excitedly about the Blancos’ next European match, which will see them face Roma: “It’ll be my first time back in Rome. Excited? Like today—before and after, but not during.”
As for television coverage, tomorrow’s match between Fenerbahçe and Roma—like all Italian teams’ games in this edition of the Champions League—will not be broadcast on free-to-air TV. Inter, Napoli, Roma, and Como are, in fact, reserved for pay-per-view channels, with Sky Sport and Amazon Prime Video splitting the rights. TV8 will broadcast one free-to-air match per matchday of the group stage, but it will feature only foreign teams.
