Aquilani backs Roma for the title: Gasperini is a master

Radio pundits across Rome's major stations offered contrasting views on Roma's immediate prospects and Serie A title race as Gian Piero Gasperini's side prepares for a difficult run of fixtures. The central debate centred on Roma's chances against Como in the coming days and their broader credentials this season, with several voices backing the team to succeed despite midfield concerns. Lorenzo Pes argued that Roma has the tools to win both the Como match and later the Real Madrid fixture, though he cautioned against rushing Lorenzo Pellegrini back too soon. "I don't really expect Pellegrini to start, even though the Como match calls more for a trequartista," Pes said. "But putting a player who hasn't played since mid-April into a match that will be very intense doesn't seem wise." Mario Corsi framed Gasperini's anxiety around injury prevention as evidence of the manager's belief in the squad's potential. "Gasperini has a terror of losing players to injury," Corsi explained, "because he is convinced that this Roma with all its full complement can do something frightening. The injury to Cristante is not a tragedy; the tragedies would be injuries to Malen, Dybala or Svilar." Other contributors highlighted the volatility of post-international-break football. Fabio Petruzzi noted that both Como and Roma had individual duels to determine the outcome: "Where is the mismatch? Perhaps the head, how you prepare psychologically. I see Gasperini calm. He is a pain in the neck, in the good sense of the term, but he transmits tranquility to me; he seems like someone who knows he has something important in his hands." Alessio Nardo recalled Roma's poor record returning from breaks, citing defeats to Torino (0–1 in September), Inter (0–1 in October) and a 5–2 loss at San Siro in March of the previous season. On the title race, Roberto Pruzzo held firm to the view that Inter held a structural advantage despite a compressed table. "Despite the league being very tight at the moment, I still think Inter has 10 points of advantage over the others, but then it must put those points together and that isn't easy." Nando Orsi disagreed sharply, countering that Roma had nearly closed the gap and positioning the two teams as the likeliest contenders for the championship, with Como as a dark horse.

Roberto Pruzzo told Radio Radio that despite a tightly packed league table, Inter start with a 10-point psychological advantage over their rivals—one they must turn into actual points. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino 104.5, the former Roma striker said: "Notwithstanding the table being tight, I think Inter have 10 points of advantage over the others, but they must put them together and it's not as simple as doing an addition. It seems to me there are 4–5 teams that can stay competitive for a certain period, but we must wait to verify the impact of European competition on the group chasing Inter. The others are in their wake, but I'm not able to say who will play through to the end." His view contrasted with fellow Radio Radio panelists Nando Orsi and Mario Mattioli, who both downplayed Inter's dominance. Orsi argued that Roma have almost entirely closed the gap and suggested the title race will be a three-way fight with Como as "a troublesome third party". Mattioli questioned whether Inter's recent English signings would deliver value, and noted the squad has been rebuilt in a way inconsistent with Inter's usual approach. From a Roma perspective, Piero Torri and Simone Valdarchi offered context on the Giallorossi's position. Torri noted that Roma sit only at matchday six and face a punishing early calendar: "In the first nine matches you'll already have faced Inter, Como, Atalanta and Napoli." He said a victory on the coming Sunday would send a strong signal. Valdarchi observed that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has consistently refused to frame the season as a title race against Inter, instead measuring Roma against last season's squad and noting that winning title contention would require closing a gap of just a few points against the league's biggest sides.

Como-Roma ranks among the most anticipated fixtures of Serie A's sixth round, resuming after the international break. Rafa Benitez, the former Napoli and Inter manager, has framed the encounter between Como's Cesc Fabregas and Roma's Gian Piero Gasperini as a potential statement match. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Benitez said: "I imagine it spectacular, fought over, rich in tactical solutions and inventions." Benitez believes the match will offer crucial readings on the league's pecking order without being decisive in itself. "It won't certainly be a knockout match, but an anti-Inter contender can in some way emerge. They are the two most credible teams to sit alongside the Italian champions," he explained. He highlighted Roma's expression of Gasperini's tactical vision: full-court football, high pressing, and immediate vertical passes. The former coach also noted the stylistic similarities between the two sides—strong squads united in the pursuit of spectacle and guided by tactically aligned managers despite their age difference. Benitez singled out Roma's attacking threat. "An attacker like Malen, exalted by the schemes and devastating; Dybala who has returned to his levels; Koné in midfield who demolishes and pushes; Rodrigo Mora who comes in and breaks things. When they are well, you struggle to hold them," he said. He equally praised Como's young talent under Fabregas, citing Nico Paz, Baturina, Ramon—described as defending with the naturalness of a thirty-year-old despite being only 21—and Da Cunha as standouts.