Roma return to Champions League after seven years following Verona victory

Roma have entered the title race in earnest, according to Opta's season simulator, which ranks them as the second-most likely Serie A champions with a 21.74% probability of winning the league. After five matchdays and 13 points from a possible 15, the giallorossi sit level with Inter and Lazio at the top of the table, prompting serious questions among supporters about whether the squad can genuinely compete for the Scudetto. Gasperini continues to preach caution, but the numbers are beginning to place Roma in the thick of the title fight. Inter remain the algorithm's primary favourite with a 44.67% chance of winning the championship, a substantial lead ahead of Roma. The gap between Roma and the chasing pack is already significant: Como are given 10.28%, Juventus 8.91%, and Milan 5.46%. Beyond the title race, Opta's projections suggest Roma have a 73.92% probability of finishing in Champions League qualification positions. These figures represent merely a snapshot after just five rounds of play and will shift materially as the season develops, but they underscore how crucial Roma's opening spell has been under Gasperini. Four consecutive victories had brought Roma to a perfect record before the Inter clash at the Olimpico. The 2–2 draw, despite frustration over surrendering a two-goal advantage with goals from Manu Koné in the first half, offered perhaps the most telling signal: Roma proved capable of matching the side the algorithm still regards as the primary title favourite in direct competition. Gasperini's team demonstrated they belong in a fight previously considered beyond their reach at this stage of the campaign.

Antonio Carlos Zago, a defender in Roma's 2001 Serie A championship team, has said Roma can harbour serious ambitions of winning the title this season under Gian Piero Gasperini. Speaking to Il Messaggero, Zago highlighted the strong start the side has made and identified Inter as their only real rival, while ruling out direct comparison with the 2001 squad because of the different era and the strength of Italian football then, when Juventus, Milan, Parma, Lazio and Inter were all formidable forces. On Roma's defensive options, Zago singled out Gianluca Mancini as the player most similar to himself. "Balerdi arrived with a bit of scepticism and is proving to be an excellent player," he said. "Roma has a very good back line." Wesley drew particular praise: "For me he is one of the strongest full-backs in the world—Real Madrid and Manchester City wanted him too. It's not easy to arrive from Brazil and perform at this level. He is playing well on both the right and left. Perhaps he is scoring less but that doesn't mean he is struggling." On the attacking threat, Zago highlighted Paulo Dybala's form and noted that Donyell Malen has already reached six goals, saying "They can play it out to the end." When asked to compare Leonardo Balerdi to the Argentine defender Walter Samuel, Zago cautioned against the comparison: "It is complicated to compare him to Walter at this moment—he arrived not long ago while Walter was already a pillar of the Argentine national team. I hope he can build his career. Obviously if he becomes like Walter it would mean winning the title at the end of the year. It takes a bit of time, but if you are strong you adapt quickly, and when you have champions around you, you adapt easily to the coach's demands." On Gasperini, Zago was emphatic: "If he is not the strongest of the last ten years, he is certainly in the top three. He did great work at Atalanta, taking a mid-table team to play Champions League football and win the Europa League. In Serie A he is the best. The squad must follow him and can aim for great results."

Roma head into the three-week international break in first place after four victories in five matches this season. Head coach Gasperini's side showed solidity against Inter and produced a solid return to Champions League football with a draw at Fenerbahce. During the pause, Gasperini will work with the squad members who remain at Trigoria, including Wesley, Malen and Cristante, who are managing physical knocks, plus players not selected by their national teams. Two friendly matches are scheduled to maintain match rhythm and provide opportunities for young players. Francesco Totti has revealed in his new book *Oltre* that he received playing offers from both Como and Genoa at age 48, with the prospect serious enough to prompt him to train intensively. Ultimately, however, a fundamental conviction prevailed. "Can you play for a team that isn't Roma?" Totti wrote, explaining his decision to turn down the moves. The book also chronicles other chapters from his life since retirement: his gradual rapprochement with Luciano Spalletti after years of silence, facilitated by work together on advertising campaigns; the beginning of his relationship with Noemi Bocchi, from their first meeting to their first kiss near Piazza del Popolo; and the death of his father Enzo, "the Sheriff", which Totti describes as the moment "the world collapsed". On disciplinary matters, the sporting judge issued no suspensions for the fifth round of Serie A but handed down multiple fines for fan misconduct. Roma were fined €3,000, matching Inter's sanction. Juventus received the heaviest penalty at €10,000 for failing to observe a minute's silence dedicated to Sandro Mazzola. Defender Leonardo Balerdi has regained Argentina's confidence following his strong start at Roma. Now at an Albiceleste training camp, Balerdi said: "I had huge hunger to return. Coming back here is a new challenge and I must face it the right way." His rapid integration into Gasperini's defensive system and return to regular football have restored him to Scaloni's squad after missing the World Cup.