Serie A’s Saturday night clash promises to be a thrilling one as second-placed Roma welcome an in-form Inter Milan, who are chasing their sixth consecutive victory.
A full Stadio Olimpico will set the stage for a classic encounter between the league’s strongest defence and its most dangerous attack, with Roma hoping to claim their first home win over Inter since 2016.
Roma have enjoyed an excellent start to the season, winning five of their six Serie A games so far. Their standout moment came in the Derby della Capitale, where they triumphed over Lazio, leaving them joint-top of the table on 15 points alongside defending champions Napoli.
Their rise has been built on defensive solidity, with just two goals conceded so far. Only a stunning strike from Moise Kean has managed to beat goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who has already earned a reputation for keeping clean sheets.
Before the international break, Roma fought back from a goal down to beat Fiorentina 2-1 at the Stadio Franchi, thanks to goals from Matias Soule and Bryan Cristante. Under new coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the Giallorossi have achieved the best points total and defensive record from the first six games of a Serie A campaign in his managerial career.
However, there have been a few setbacks. Roma recently lost to Lille in the Europa League, and Gasperini now faces a familiar challenge against Inter, a club that has historically caused him problems. His heaviest defeat as a manager came against them in March 2017, when his Atalanta side were beaten 7-1. His brief time as Inter coach was also unsuccessful, much like Claudio Ranieri’s short stint before him.
Although Soule scored the decisive goal the last time these two sides met in Milan, Roma have not beaten Inter at home in nine years, losing five of their last eight meetings in the capital.
Inter arrive in Rome in outstanding form. They have won all four of their most recent visits to the Olimpico and scored in 11 straight away matches against Roma, averaging more than two goals per game. Their latest league outing saw them crush Cremonese 4-1, extending their winning streak to five matches across all competitions, including both of their opening Champions League games.
Under Cristian Chivu, Inter have been a relentless attacking force, scoring 17 goals in Serie A so far — more than any other team. Nine different players have found the net, highlighting their attacking depth and unpredictability.
Currently sitting fifth in the table, Inter could move above Roma with another victory. Yet, one area remains a concern for Chivu: his team tends to lose focus late in games, with half of the goals they’ve conceded this season coming in the final 15 minutes. The coach will be eager to tighten things up defensively against his former club to keep their impressive run going.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Although Roma have been solid defensively, their attack has yet to fully click, so Gian Piero Gasperini will be pleased to have Leon Bailey available for the first time since joining on loan from Aston Villa.
The Jamaican winger missed international duty but has returned to full training and could feature from the bench, while left wing-back Angelino is also in line for a comeback.
Evan Ferguson, whose last club goal came nearly a year ago, has been in fine form for the Republic of Ireland, scoring three times in his last four international matches. He is expected to compete with Artem Dovbyk for a place in the starting lineup after the Ukrainian opened his Serie A account recently.
Matias Soule, who struck the winner the last time Roma met Inter, has already scored three league goals this season and is likely to face off against his Argentine compatriot Lautaro Martinez. The Inter skipper has been in red-hot form, netting four goals in his last three appearances for the club, though Cristian Chivu has several other attacking options to choose from.
Ange-Yoan Bonny, who scored against Cremonese, continues to make an impact since joining from Parma, while Francesco Pio Esposito has recently celebrated both his first Serie A and senior international goals.
However, Marcus Thuram remains sidelined with a hamstring issue, joining Matteo Darmian, who is out with a calf injury.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Wesley, Cristante, Kone, Tsimikas; Soule, Pellegrini; Dovbyk
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Bonny, Martinez
EXPERT PREDICTION
AS Roma 1-2 Inter Milan
