Cardiff City: Confidence growing after an immediate return to the Championship

Cardiff City enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, securing an instant promotion back to the Championship after finishing second in League One. Brian Barry-Murphy's side ended the season well clear of the chasing pack, finishing 14 points ahead of third-placed Bolton, while their home performances were among the strongest in the division.

The Bluebirds also carried strong momentum into the summer, losing only once in their final eight league fixtures. Although preseason began with a heavy 6-0 defeat to Midtjylland, Cardiff quickly responded by thrashing Cork City 6-1 before following it up with another commanding 5-1 victory over Forest Green.

Chris Willock has been one of the standout performers, scoring a first-half hat-trick in the latest friendly. Up front, Yousef Saleh is expected to spearhead the attack after finishing last season with 14 League One goals.

Roma: Plenty of attacking quality, but still searching for rhythm

Roma exceeded expectations in Gian Piero Gasperini's first season, finishing third in Serie A and returning to Italy's top four for the first time in eight years. The Giallorossi closed the domestic campaign in excellent form, winning their final five league matches while scoring 13 goals and conceding only two.

Preseason, however, has started less smoothly. Roma appeared to be cruising after establishing a 3-0 lead against Cannes, only for a red card shown to Wesley to change the complexion of the contest as the French side fought back to earn a 3-3 draw.

Despite the disappointing result, Roma's attack continues to impress. Paulo Dybala scored twice, Donyell Malen also found the net, and the pair are expected to remain key figures going forward. Meanwhile, Artem Dovbyk's future remains uncertain, with reports linking him to a potential transfer involving Bologna striker Santiago Castro.

Match facts

Cardiff City have scored 11 goals across their last two preseason matches.

Roma finished the previous Serie A season with five consecutive victories.

The Italian side let a 3-0 lead slip in their opening summer friendly, drawing 3-3 with Cannes.