Hermoso: proud of yesterday, ready for tomorrow

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.

Roma left the Olimpico with some regret after a dominant first-half display against Inter and a two-goal lead. Although disappointment existed in the dressing room yesterday following the match's evolution, Gasperini lifted the mood. The Giallorossi's performance remained of high quality, driven above all by Manu Koné in outstanding form. Koné's brace was a landmark display, giving Roma hope for at least 75 minutes before Lautaro Martinez equalised. Koné had long faced criticism for lacking incisiveness in the penalty area—a significant weakness for a complete midfielder who can do everything except often the most important thing: the decisive action in the final metres. Against Inter, Manu answered in the most eloquent way possible. Two goals. Two brilliant finishes that sent the Olimpico into raptures, caught Inter off guard, and left even those watching from the stands speechless. As Matías Soulé admitted, there was disappointment in the room yesterday, but Gasperini's response refocused the squad on what had been an impressive overall showing.

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.

Roma have earned 7.5 points in their opening five matches of the 2026-27 season, establishing themselves as serious contenders. Victories over Fiorentina and Atalanta—sides representing the upper-middle tier of Serie A—plus wins against Lecce and Torino, combined with a competitive draw against Inter, paint an encouraging picture despite some regrets about how the Inter result unfolded. Mile Svilar continues as Serie A's strongest goalkeeper, providing constant assurance without being called upon for spectacular saves. Gianluca Mancini has suffered minor technical injuries against Atalanta and Inter but remains too valuable for his leadership and interpretation of the coach's attacking defensive phase, particularly evident in his display during the Torino victory. Evan N'Dicka maintains a regular standard, though he now faces genuine competition for his place. Mario Hermoso has emerged as perhaps Gasperini's most indispensable centre-back, despite occasional lapses; defenders in this system are calculated risk-takers. Leonardo Balerdi has made an instant impression with a handful of interventions, earning fans' affection with his spirit of a great South American defender and securing his status as a regular starter. Konstantinos Koulierakis is gradually introducing himself to the pitch, while Daniele Ghilardi continues his development curve. Emanuele Lulli offers freshness on the flanks, a year after failing to be a regular starter in the Primavera. Wesley, returning from injury and a difficult pre-season, has struggled to regain match sharpness after missing nearly a year; he will return to his previous standards. Bryan Cristante stands as a monument to consistency, never missing a match despite the rotation around him. Manu Koné produced a display in the first half against Inter worthy of his quality, reaching peaks never achieved before, though he lacks Cristante's reliability. Niccolò Pisilli missed much of pre-season and it shows, yet his timing in transitions remains sharp, with two goals from part-time playing. Marten de Roon has seen limited action—unsurprising given Gasperini's habit of recalling him at the last moment when tactical changes demand it. Paulo Dybala lacks goals and the signature shots that made him special, though his assists and unrecognizable fitness levels mean Gasperini receives no questions about his rest requirements. Matías Soulé, who appeared destined for departure and began on the bench, decided the clash with Atalanta and now competes as a more regular starter. Rodrigo Mora started explosively with quality, as the coach highlighted, and will reward patience. Donyell Malen has scored six goals in six matches, giving Roma a one-goal advantage on average; alongside Lautaro, he represents the tournament's finest striker. Santiago Castro, small like Malen, brings unrelenting intensity when introduced and lives for goals—once he finds that breakthrough, added serenity will carry him far.

Roma close the opening phase of the 2026-27 season unbeaten after their 2-2 draw with Inter, maintaining four wins and two draws across the opening block of fixtures. Manu Koné scored twice in that Inter match and heads the player ratings across Italian media with an average of 7.9, rewarded for his dominant display. Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala both averaged 6.7, Nahuel Molina 6.6 and Leonardo Balerdi 6.5, while Gianluca Mancini registered the lowest average at 5.3 after an error that led to Lautaro Martinez's opening goal; among substitutes, Daniele Ghilardi struggled with 5.5. The international break presents a significant challenge to Gasperini's plans. Roma will have only seven players available during the roughly 20-day break: Mile Svilar, Pierluigi Gollini, Mario Hermoso, Molina, Devyne Rensch, Marten de Roon and Dybala. Even Dybala will leave for several days to attend Lionel Messi's farewell international match. With numbers so thin at the training ground, Roma will have to draw on Primavera players and schedule a couple of friendly matches. Training resumes on Monday afternoon after most of the squad departs to join their respective national teams over the weekend. Roma were 2-0 ahead at half-time against Inter before conceding twice in the second half to settle for the draw.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico in a top-of-the-table clash between the two in-form sides of the season. The major Italian sports newspapers published their player ratings following the final whistle, with a clear consensus emerging on the standout performances. Manu Koné drew the highest marks across all outlets, consistently rated 8 out of 10 for his midfield display. Paulo Dybala and Bryan Cristante also earned strong praise, with most papers rating them 7. The principal criticism fell on Gianluca Mancini, who received 5 or 5.5 across the board—the lowest mark given to any Roma starter. Gian Piero Gasperini, the head coach, was rated between 6 and 7 by the papers. Mile Svilar in goal, Leonardo Balerdi in defence, and Matías Soulé in attack all received ratings in the 6–7 range. Evan N'Dicka, who came on as a replacement after Mancini's 60th-minute departure, was rated 5.5 to 6.5 depending on the outlet. Devyne Rensch, who entered at the same juncture at left-back, received 5.5 to 6. Mario Hermoso drew ratings of 5 to 6 before being substituted in the 81st minute. Wesley earned marks of 5 to 6.5 at right-back, while Donyell Malen completed the attacking line with ratings of 5 to 6.5.