Candela backs Roma to challenge Inter for the title

Fabio Capello has backed Roma's position at the Serie A summit, saying their place at the top alongside Inter comes as no surprise. Speaking to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello singled out Roma as one of the two strongest teams from the start of the season, pointing to their performance in the direct meeting between the two clubs as evidence of their quality. Inter, he noted, possess players who make a difference but carry defensive vulnerabilities: "Why so many goals conceded? There is something that is not working. You cannot always manage what you have achieved in recent matches, starting with Real Madrid, which you lost against." Gasperini's Roma have the foundation to compete throughout the campaign, Capello assessed. The manager has convinced his squad of his vision from the transfer market onwards, with players willing to buy in to the project. Some have even accepted reduced salaries, a sign Capello read as evidence of collective ambition. "I see desire and awareness," he said. Capello identified full-field pressing as a key lesson Roma can take from Inter's recent comeback: "When attention drops, opponents of a certain level—like Inter are—take advantage. And that was seen. Roma has everything to be competitive in the league and has players of great quality who have in their heads the desire to do very well. Gasperini has succeeded in convincing them from the transfer market onwards: the players and the coach wanted each other greatly and it is proof that this team believes in it."

Roma have earned promotion to the tier of big clubs following their performance against Inter, demonstrating that the gap between the two squads is far from insurmountable. Gian Piero Gasperini's side showed ferocity and clear identity in their approach, with the Inter fixture serving as proof that the tactical framework is working. The crucial shift the Piedmont coach has instilled concerns mentality in direct matches against top Serie A sides—a historical limitation that has undermined Roma's recent past. Roma take the field without deference, fielding three attacking players and maintaining constant control of play. The numbers validate Gasperini's work: four consecutive victories and a spectacular draw with Inter have delivered 13 points from 15 available. This run begins Roma's autumn schedule in earnest, with the fixture list intensifying rapidly. Rotation will become essential for the technical staff in the weeks ahead, bringing second-string players into the action more frequently. The international break will be valuable for Lorenzo Pellegrini's full recovery. Gasperini will continue developing young talent Rodrigo Mora, who arrived in the summer and is ready to claim greater playing time. Roma travel to Como on Sunday, 11 October for a 12:30 kickoff.

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season strongly, scoring freely and proving they can match Serie A's leading sides—but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini sees room to unlock quality in a specific area without returning to the transfer market. The key zone is the left-sided attacking midfield, where two very different players can become important: Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Mora arrived in summer carrying the label of an elite young talent and made an immediate impression at Roma, including scoring against Lecce. The 19-year-old, born in 2007, started brightly but recent weeks have revealed the uneven path young prospects travel. His recent appearances have been less incisive; at Turin he came on in the second half without making a particular mark, and against Inter he remained on the bench for the entire match despite Roma's need for fresh attacking quality, especially in the second half. Gasperini has continued to speak of Mora as a player with great talent but has been clear about the work still required. "He needs to complete himself physically above all, and also tactically," Gasperini said. The club invested heavily in the Portuguese midfielder and nobody at Trigoria sees the present moment as an endpoint. Mora must learn to be decisive when space narrows, tempo increases and time to think diminishes. Pellegrini's summer has been almost the opposite. Rather than fighting immediately for a starting place, he underwent lengthy work to rebuild his body and sort his contract future. After an injury that kept him sidelined in the final stages of last season, Pellegrini renewed his Roma deal through 2027 and has only recently returned to regular availability. Gasperini is not rushing his reintegration: the midfielder has not played an official match in months. The international break presents an opportunity Gasperini is considering carefully—he is evaluating the organisation of friendly matches to allow players remaining at Trigoria to accumulate minutes and match rhythm. For Pellegrini this pause can become a platform for restart. After weeks split between recovery and contract renewal, the goal is to become a genuine solution rather than merely a name on the team sheet. While not the pure attacking winger Gasperini sought in summer, he can offer a different answer to that same need, particularly in matches where Roma require additional passing quality and creativity near Dybala and Malen. Pellegrini, who hoped for a longer contract extension, has only a few months to prove himself worthy of both the manager's and the club's faith. After the break, nine matches arrive in twenty-eight days, and Roma cannot always depend on Dybala, Malen or Soulé to produce the decisive moment.

Former Roma defender Vincent Candela has backed Gian Piero Gasperini's side as genuine Serie A title contenders, naming them as Inter's only realistic threat in the championship race. Speaking on Rai Radio 1's Radio anch'io sport, Candela analysed the direct clash between Roma and Inter, singling out the performances of Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné for particular praise while assessing the wider squad strength at the Stadio Olimpico. Candela said: "Roma and Inter have given us great football, great beauty. They are the two squads playing for the Scudetto. Inter has a broad squad, but with Gasperini they will fight it out to the end. This Roma is a title-winning team; it can give Inter — who are the strongest — problems. Dybala reminds me of the top players from my era. Koné has personality and charisma. I think Roma is the only squad that can battle with Inter. It has a very strong and cohesive group." Candela also turned his attention to the Italian national team, offering a longer-term view of the rebuilding process. He stated: "Italy is a football heritage. I hope it rebuilds its roots, which were lost for a while. Italy has football in its blood. Mancini has the experience. Now it will take some time because we are starting again from the young players."

Roma have begun the 2026-27 season strongly, scoring freely and proving they can match Serie A's leading sides—but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini sees room to unlock quality in a specific area without returning to the transfer market. The key zone is the left-sided attacking midfield, where two very different players can become important: Rodrigo Mora and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Mora arrived in summer carrying the label of an elite young talent and made an immediate impression at Roma, including scoring against Lecce. The 19-year-old, born in 2007, started brightly but recent weeks have revealed the uneven path young prospects travel. His recent appearances have been less incisive; at Turin he came on in the second half without making a particular mark, and against Inter he remained on the bench for the entire match despite Roma's need for fresh attacking quality, especially in the second half. Gasperini has continued to speak of Mora as a player with great talent but has been clear about the work still required. "He needs to complete himself physically above all, and also tactically," Gasperini said. The club invested heavily in the Portuguese midfielder and nobody at Trigoria sees the present moment as an endpoint. Mora must learn to be decisive when space narrows, tempo increases and time to think diminishes. Pellegrini's summer has been almost the opposite. Rather than fighting immediately for a starting place, he underwent lengthy work to rebuild his body and sort his contract future. After an injury that kept him sidelined in the final stages of last season, Pellegrini renewed his Roma deal through 2027 and has only recently returned to regular availability. Gasperini is not rushing his reintegration: the midfielder has not played an official match in months. The international break presents an opportunity Gasperini is considering carefully—he is evaluating the organisation of friendly matches to allow players remaining at Trigoria to accumulate minutes and match rhythm. For Pellegrini this pause can become a platform for restart. After weeks split between recovery and contract renewal, the goal is to become a genuine solution rather than merely a name on the team sheet. While not the pure attacking winger Gasperini sought in summer, he can offer a different answer to that same need, particularly in matches where Roma require additional passing quality and creativity near Dybala and Malen. Pellegrini, who hoped for a longer contract extension, has only a few months to prove himself worthy of both the manager's and the club's faith. After the break, nine matches arrive in twenty-eight days, and Roma cannot always depend on Dybala, Malen or Soulé to produce the decisive moment.

Roma go into the international break as league leaders following a draw with Inter, but with several players nursing injuries that Gasperini will have time to manage. Wesley remained in Rome with a right thigh muscle strain and should need about a week to recover fully before the trip to Como. Bryan Cristante stayed behind as well, sidelined by lower back pain that prevented him from joining Italy's national team camp. Donyell Malen was forced to withdraw from the Netherlands squad due to muscle fatigue, while Manu Koné's condition is being assessed after an demanding performance against Inter. Gasperini has an interesting group available for work at Trigoria during the break. Goalkeepers, Mario Hermoso, Devyne Rensch, Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala will all remain in the capital, excluded from their respective national team duties for various reasons. Pellegrini warrants particular attention: the number 7 has only recently returned from a long layoff and still needs to build match minutes, rhythm and match fitness. Gasperini is reportedly considering organising friendlies during the break to maintain match sharpness for players staying at Trigoria and accelerate recovery for those needing competitive action. The three-week break is crucial preparation for what follows. When the season resumes, Roma face nine matches across twenty-eight days, spanning Serie A fixtures from Como to Sassuolo and Champions League ties against Real Madrid, Slovan Bratislava and Manchester United. The depth of the squad will need to deliver more than theory—rotations, quick recoveries and an expanding pool of players capable of matching the standards of the regulars will be essential. Roma arrive at the break top of the league with renewed confidence, and Gasperini has the time to rebuild before the relentless stretch begins.

Former Roma defender Vincent Candela has backed Gian Piero Gasperini's side as genuine Serie A title contenders, naming them as Inter's only realistic threat in the championship race. Speaking on Rai Radio 1's Radio anch'io sport, Candela analysed the direct clash between Roma and Inter, singling out the performances of Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné for particular praise while assessing the wider squad strength at the Stadio Olimpico. Candela said: "Roma and Inter have given us great football, great beauty. They are the two squads playing for the Scudetto. Inter has a broad squad, but with Gasperini they will fight it out to the end. This Roma is a title-winning team; it can give Inter — who are the strongest — problems. Dybala reminds me of the top players from my era. Koné has personality and charisma. I think Roma is the only squad that can battle with Inter. It has a very strong and cohesive group." Candela also turned his attention to the Italian national team, offering a longer-term view of the rebuilding process. He stated: "Italy is a football heritage. I hope it rebuilds its roots, which were lost for a while. Italy has football in its blood. Mancini has the experience. Now it will take some time because we are starting again from the young players."

Roma have started the 2026–27 season impressively — 14 goals scored, only 3 conceded in Serie A, and 13 points from a possible 15 — but head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has identified a recurring problem that emerges after the interval. Across Serie A and the Champions League, three of the four goals Roma have conceded so far have come in the second half. The pattern repeated against Atalanta (Ederson), Istanbul (Archie Brown), and most recently on Saturday against Inter, when Lautaro Martinez scored almost immediately after the restart to reopen what had been a dominant 2–0 first-half performance by Roma. Gasperini highlighted the issue in his post-match comments, using the word "presunzione" — a kind of presumption or complacency that emerges after first halves played with such superiority that the team unconsciously drops its intensity. The problem is not limited to individual errors; Mancini was involved in the build-up to all three second-half goals, but the weakness is collective. Roma consistently loses tempo, physicality and the fierce pressing that usually suffocates opponents once the interval arrives. There is also an athletic component: Gasperini's football demands enormous expenditure of energy, and maintaining the same intensity for 90 minutes is nearly impossible. The task is not to demand Roma always perform at maximum, but to manage moments of fatigue without immediately giving opponents the chance to get back into matches. Roma eliminated many problems from last season, but must now address what appears to be the first real vice of the new campaign: not leaving the hunger with which they start matches behind in the dressing room at half-time. The positive news is that this flaw is emerging within a squad performing at very high levels overall. Gasperini has three weeks during the international break to work on the issue.

Bryan Cristante has withdrawn from Italy's UEFA Nations League camp at Coverciano due to lower-back pain sustained in Roma's Serie A match against Inter. National team coach Roberto Mancini has called up Samuele Ricci as his replacement for the opening four fixtures. Wesley is also unavailable for Brazil's upcoming matches after suffering a right-thigh muscle complaint and will stay at Roma's training ground during the international break, where the medical staff will monitor his recovery ahead of the league's restart. Vanderson takes his place in the squad. Santiago Castro, who remained on the bench throughout Roma's 90-minute encounter with Inter, has used the recovery day granted by Gasperini to undertake individual conditioning work at home, including weights and athletic exercises. Castro is now set to depart for Argentina's national team alongside Leonardo Balerdi and Matías Soulé for friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin. Radio Radio analyst Stefano Agresti offered his assessment of Roma's performance: "If you win 2–0 in the first half, there's definitely a bitter taste left. Gasperini can be satisfied because Roma played very well, dominated against the best team in Serie A. The Giallorossi were already at their fifth substitution exhausted, because they spent a lot in the first half. There was superficiality on the goal."