Gasperini's Roma fly high as Koné shines; Wesley ruled out of Brazil friendlies

Mario Hermoso expressed pride in Roma's performance after their 2–2 draw against Inter at the Olimpico on 19 September. The defender posted on Instagram, showing satisfaction with what the team delivered and signalling focus on the next fixture ahead. Hermoso shared images from the match against Inter with a brief message that encapsulated his mindset: "Proud of yesterday, ready for tomorrow." The Spanish centre-back's post reflected the mood in the Roma camp following the draw—recognition of the effort shown in the performance and immediate concentration on what lies ahead for the Giallorossi.

Roma and Inter finished level in their recent meeting, and reader Michele from Oman illustrated the match through a cartoon for Romanews, capturing the unusual rhythm of the fixture. Manu Koné put Roma ahead in the opening minutes and doubled the lead around 30 minutes later. Inter's response came in the second half: Lautaro Martinez pulled one back early on, then found the equaliser roughly 30 minutes after that. The cartoon initially takes an optimistic view of the draw before reconstructing the sequence of goals, drawing a pointed conclusion: "They copied us! And whoever copies is short of ideas!" Inter had essentially replicated Roma's first-half scoring pattern during their own second-half comeback.

Manu Koné scored twice against Inter on 20 September 2026, silencing a long-standing criticism that he lacked a cutting edge in the final third. The French midfielder's double, which sent the Stadio Olimpico into raptures and left Inter's defence in disarray, came as a direct result of a tactical adjustment by head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The system—Cristante positioned deep to handle defensive cover while Koné pushed higher—gave the midfielder the freedom to attack continuously and arrive near the opposition area with regularity. By shifting Bryan Cristante into a shadow role on Inter's most advanced players, Gasperini effectively added an attacker to Roma's shape without extra personnel. Cristante's assignment was to track whoever led Inter's charge, whether Jones or Lautaro; his effort freed Koné from defensive duties and allowed the midfielder to climb into dangerous positions. The tactical masterstroke worked precisely as designed. Roma discovered numerical superiority in central areas where Inter least expected it, and Koné was central to that dominance throughout the opening period. His two finishes were clinical insertions into the box, completed with the precision of a player operating without defensive shackles. The plan gradually unravelled after Lautaro's introduction and Koné's departure, dimming the magic that had seized the match early on. Yet the concept—and more importantly, the two goals scored by the French midfielder—remained, proof that Gasperini's study of the opposition and willingness to reshape his midfield balance had yielded tangible dividends at a crucial juncture.