Roma's attacking firepower faces Inter test as Malen and Dybala take on Lautaro and Thuram

Davide Massa of Imperia will referee Saturday's Serie A encounter between Roma and Inter at the Stadio Olimpico on 19 September at 18:00, the fifth round of fixtures. The supporting officials are Meli and Berti, with Maresca as fourth official. Mazzoleni will handle VAR duties and Di Paolo will be the assistant VAR. Roma's record with Massa is unfavourable: 34 matches yielding 10 victories, 12 draws and 12 defeats. His most recent appointment in charge of the Giallorossi came in the 2025–26 season, a 2–1 loss to Como at the Sinigaglia Stadium where Wesley was sent off for a second yellow card. Roma have failed to score in 10 matches under Massa's control. Their last win with him as referee dates to the 2022–23 season: Inter 1–2 Roma at San Siro, with goals from Dybala and Smalling. Inter enjoy a contrasting record. In 33 matches officiated by Massa, they have won 23, drawn 5 and lost 5. Their most recent fixture under him came in matchday 32 of the 2025–26 campaign, a 3–4 victory over Como at the Sinigaglia. Massa also directed matchday 7 of that same season, when Roma lost 0–1 to Inter.

Roma and Inter lead Serie A after four matches, both on 12 points with a perfect record. The two sides meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday at 18:00 in a direct contest between the league's two unbeaten teams. Inter have scored more (13 to Roma's 12), while Roma have conceded fewer goals (1 to Inter's 6). Roma hold top spot on goal difference alone: +11 to Inter's +7. Alongside Lazio and Como, both Roma and Inter stand out as the season's most in-form sides, distinguished as the only two teams to have beaten every opponent they have faced in Serie A—whether by comeback (Inter against Udinese, Roma against Atalanta), narrow margins (Torino against Roma), or heavy scorelines (Roma against Fiorentina and Inter against Monza). Roma remain unbeaten across all competitions this season; Inter have suffered one defeat. Both Gasperini and Chivu deploy a three-man defence but differ from midfield onwards. Inter favour a 3-5-2 with a regista and two box-to-box players; Roma prefer an extra attacking player to link the lines and feed forward Malen. Both sides build from the flanks and press high up the pitch. Roma's attacking pair of Dybala and Malen will face Inter's Thuram and Lautaro, while both squads benefit from strong domestic cores and versatile substitutes capable of winning matches from the bench.

Davide Massa of Imperia has been appointed to referee Roma's match against Inter on Saturday 19 September at 18:00 at the Olimpico, a key fixture at the top of Serie A. Massa will be assisted by Meli and Berti on the touchline, with Maresca as fourth official. Gianluca Mazzoleni will oversee VAR operations, supported by Di Paolo as AVAR. Massa brings extensive experience in handling Roma. He has now refereed the Giallorossi on 34 occasions—more than all but two clubs he has controlled across his career. Only Juventus and Lazio, each with 35 meetings, have faced him more frequently. Roma's record under Massa stands balanced: 10 victories, 12 draws and 12 defeats across those encounters. Saturday's fixture will mark the 35th time Massa takes charge of Roma, arriving at a moment when the opening weeks of Serie A have produced competitive racing between the two sides.

Luciano Moggi and Gian Piero Gasperini were photographed together at a bar in Turin on 15 September, prompting speculation among Roma supporters about the encounter between the club's current head coach and a figure long associated with Juventus and the Calciopoli scandal. Moggi, speaking to Radio Radio, clarified that the two have known each other for years from their time working together at Juventus, when Gasperini coached the youth academy and Moggi held a director's role. Moggi stressed that Gasperini requires no advice, saying: "Abbiamo parlato della partita, del più e del meno. La squadra è quella che è, è prima in classifica ma a prescindere da quello che sta dimostrando ha un'ossatura importante, un gioco importante. Davanti ha chi fa gol" ("We talked about the match and other things. The squad is what it is—they're top of the table, and regardless of what they're showing, they have an important structure, important football. Up front they have goalscorers"). Moggi also addressed Roma's comparison with Juventus, stating that Roma are superior across defence, midfield and attack, with particular praise for midfielder Manu Koné, noting that Juventus would be a different proposition if they had a player of his calibre. On Roma's title prospects, Moggi said: "La Roma si può giocare lo scudetto" ("Roma can compete for the Scudetto"). He highlighted Donyell Malen as a crucial acquisition, describing him as "Un affare per il rapporto economico-sportivo" ("A deal in economic and sporting terms"), crediting Malen with energizing teammates and improving Paulo Dybala's consistency. Moggi noted that Malen had been a reserve elsewhere, but that Italy's league offers such players a platform to emerge as starters. He concluded that if Roma maintain continuity with Malen, they can challenge Inter, with Gasperini described as "super" and the squad possessing quality across all departments. Roma face Inter on Saturday at 18:00.

Paulo Dybala is performing at a level unseen during his time at Roma, and Gasperini has been deliberate in building that consistency. Ahead of the Torino match, the coach insisted: "I cannot put him to sleep." While Dybala did not shine as brightly as in earlier appearances, he made an impact, providing an assist for Donyell Malen—the decisive play that unlocked the match—and collecting another three points. His physical condition and continuity of play represent a marked departure from his recent history in the capital. Gasperini's approach centres on trust and uninterrupted playing time. The coach deploys Dybala without calculation or excessive rotation when the opportunity arises, signalling his importance to the team and the system. This continuity builds confidence; as the article frames it, "playing helps you play." Dybala has undergone a crucial mental shift, no longer hesitant to shoot, attack or engage fully in matches. He has stopped thinking about what might go wrong and focused instead on performing. The transformation stems from multiple elements—a pre-season structured to Gasperini's specifications, faith from the manager, and above all a psychological reset that has allowed his talent to function at full capacity once more.

Andrea Stramaccioni, a former coach of both Roma's and Inter's youth academies and a former Inter first-team manager, has offered his analysis ahead of Saturday 19 September's match between Roma and Inter at the Olimpico. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Stramaccioni drew on decades of experience with both clubs to assess the upcoming fixture and its significance. Stramaccioni recalled his first encounter with Gasperini in the summer of 2003 at Crotone in Serie C1, where Gasperini was already implementing his 3–4–3 system as a mantra. He described Gasperini as "a fury, in field and out", recounting how Gasperini once persuaded the club president to abandon coach travel in favour of flying to away matches to change the team's mentality. That season, Gasperini won the playoff against Viterbese and secured promotion to Serie B. Stramaccioni also praised Leonardo Balerdi and Paulo Dybala for their form this season, and singled out Donyell Malen as having elite striker's pace. On Inter, he noted that while Lautaro Martínez made errors, "mistakes are part of the journey. Inter backed him, we're only at five matches. Chivu will defend him to the death." On the tactical battle ahead, Stramaccioni identified the key contests: Roma will invert their attacking shape to control Piotr Zielinski and prevent Inter's fullbacks from building play, while watching the flanks closely, with an unusual duel between Wesley and Youssouf Diouf. For Inter, he highlighted how movements from the strikers in combination with Barella can disrupt Roma's man-to-man marking. Crucially, Stramaccioni noted that Gasperini's philosophy struggles against the 3–5–2 system—since January 2010, against coaches using this formation (Conte, Simone Inzaghi, and Chivu himself), Gasperini has lost ten times and drawn four. He assessed that "whoever wins will give the first blow to the rival, putting morale in the bank," calling it an early title statement. Both squads have strengthened, he said, but "Gasperini has closed the gap considerably." Stramaccioni expressed concern that Malen, now a "special focus" for opposition, will battle Lautaro for the scoring title, and that Dybala's assists will prove decisive for Roma's chances in the match.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has named three AS Roma players in his latest national squad selection. Leonardo Balerdi, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro have been called up, though notable absences include Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina, who will remain at Trigoria. The squad announcement came via the Argentina Football Association's official social media channels. Dybala and Molina's omission marks a surprise, as both are among Roma's more established international players. Both will stay at the club during the international break while their teammates fulfil their national team duties.

Roma will host Inter at the Olimpico looking to move top of the Serie A table outright, with the match billed as a showcase of attacking prowess from both sides. The Giallorossi faithful are expected to fill the stadium to drive their team toward a result that could send a strong early message to the title race. Although Inter are favoured, a single match can produce anything, and Roma's ambitions rest on the longer campaign ahead. Roma have improved in mentality and squad quality this season, and manager Gasperini has equipped the attacking units to be at least comparable. Dybala is positioned as the deciding factor, ready to go head-to-head with fellow Argentine and friend Lautaro. Alongside him, Malen and Castro offer attacking options, with Castro featuring in all four league matches so far. Matías Soulé splits his role with Mora, a young talent with eye-catching play but a slight frame. Inter possess their own firepower. Pio Esposito has scored twice—in the opening league match and the most recent round against Friuli—while Thuram has shown he has shed the rust from post-World Cup. Bonny offers another goal threat, having scored once thus far. The attacking duel between the two sides promises to define the contest.

Roma travel to face Inter on Saturday with a perfect Serie A record of 12 points from 12, heading into what the Italian press calls their first genuine direct championship confrontation of the season. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini's squad have maintained their standards despite key absences: without N'Dicka, Wesley and with Koné initially on the bench against Turin, Roma sustained their pressing, intensity, quality and solidity. Leonardo Balerdi exemplified the depth available, delivering a commanding full debut performance at centre-back against Torino after convincing cameos against Atalanta and Fenerbahce, displaying anticipation, speed and physical strength in duels. Marten de Roon, brought on in the second half, immediately conveyed full understanding of Gasperini's midfielder demands. Nahuel Molina continues to develop, Santiago Castro offers encouraging signs, and Rodrigo Mora has already shown flashes of talent. The "Dybalen" partnership of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen has become the team's attacking heart: in nine matches started together from the opening whistle, Roma have never lost—eight victories and one draw. Gasperini considers them complementary, and the pitch has repeatedly validated his assessment. Roma won all four opening league matches, a feat not achieved since 2014–15, and arrive at the Inter clash level on points with the Nerazzurri. Inter remain the league's benchmark for quality, depth and big-match experience, but also represent a genuine curse: they have not lost at the Olimpico to Roma since 2016 and have won their last five meetings in the capital. Gasperini himself has not beaten Inter in seventeen matches, with ten consecutive defeats. However, Roma now possess the tools to potentially rewrite that history. The article notes that Saturday will not settle the title race or hand down final verdicts, but it will offer the first genuine chance to measure how high Roma's ceiling truly sits this season. Roma do not start as favourites, but for the first time in considerable time can approach such a fixture with a conviction beyond mere resistance—the belief they can play as equals and aim to win.

Andrea Stramaccioni, a former coach of both Roma's and Inter's youth academies and a former Inter first-team manager, has offered his analysis ahead of Saturday 19 September's match between Roma and Inter at the Olimpico. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Stramaccioni drew on decades of experience with both clubs to assess the upcoming fixture and its significance. Stramaccioni recalled his first encounter with Gasperini in the summer of 2003 at Crotone in Serie C1, where Gasperini was already implementing his 3–4–3 system as a mantra. He described Gasperini as "a fury, in field and out", recounting how Gasperini once persuaded the club president to abandon coach travel in favour of flying to away matches to change the team's mentality. That season, Gasperini won the playoff against Viterbese and secured promotion to Serie B. Stramaccioni also praised Leonardo Balerdi and Paulo Dybala for their form this season, and singled out Donyell Malen as having elite striker's pace. On Inter, he noted that while Lautaro Martínez made errors, "mistakes are part of the journey. Inter backed him, we're only at five matches. Chivu will defend him to the death." On the tactical battle ahead, Stramaccioni identified the key contests: Roma will invert their attacking shape to control Piotr Zielinski and prevent Inter's fullbacks from building play, while watching the flanks closely, with an unusual duel between Wesley and Youssouf Diouf. For Inter, he highlighted how movements from the strikers in combination with Barella can disrupt Roma's man-to-man marking. Crucially, Stramaccioni noted that Gasperini's philosophy struggles against the 3–5–2 system—since January 2010, against coaches using this formation (Conte, Simone Inzaghi, and Chivu himself), Gasperini has lost ten times and drawn four. He assessed that "whoever wins will give the first blow to the rival, putting morale in the bank," calling it an early title statement. Both squads have strengthened, he said, but "Gasperini has closed the gap considerably." Stramaccioni expressed concern that Malen, now a "special focus" for opposition, will battle Lautaro for the scoring title, and that Dybala's assists will prove decisive for Roma's chances in the match.

Andrea Stramaccioni, a DAZN pundit who has managed both Roma and Inter's youth academies and Inter's first team, has analysed Saturday's top-of-the-table encounter between Roma and Inter at the Olimpico. Stramaccioni traced his relationship with Gasperini back to the summer of 2003, when both worked at Crotone in Serie C. Gasperini was already employing his 3-4-3 blueprint, famously persuading the club's president Raffaele Vrenna to replace the team bus with flights for away matches. "That year he won the playoffs against Viterbese and went up to Serie B," Stramaccioni recalled. On the fixture itself, Stramaccioni described it as a title-decider in miniature. "It's early, but whoever wins will deliver the first blow to their rival, putting morale in the bank. Especially with the long break, analyses echo longer, either way," he said. He identified Wesley's duel with Diouf as the unusual key battleground, with Roma's defensive shape built to occupy Zielinski and prevent Inter's centre-backs from building play. Roma will also guard the flanks carefully. For Inter, Stramaccioni highlighted the combination play between Barella and the attacking forwards, which could trouble Roma's man-marking approach. Stramaccioni highlighted a structural weakness in Gasperini's philosophy when facing the 3-5-2 formation. "It is undeniable that the 'Gasperinian' creed suffers from certain aspects of the 3-5-2. Since January 2010, against coaches using this system — see Conte, Simone Inzaghi and Chivu himself — Gasp has lost ten times and drawn four," he explained. On individual players, he singled out Zielinski, Balerdi and Dybala for praise: "I'm happy to see him in such good form." On Malen's goalscoring prospects, Stramaccioni noted the forward has now become a marked man, with Dybala's assists crucial to his success. "Both squads have strengthened themselves. Inter are deeper, but Gasperini has narrowed the gap considerably," he concluded.

Niccolò Pisilli has impressed in Roma's opening matches after overcoming a difficult summer, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is weighing how to use him in the coming fixture against Inter. Gasperini has long admired the 21-year-old midfielder, who will turn 22 in a week. Last season the coach praised Pisilli's development repeatedly and made his commitment to the club explicit in January, saying he would "stay here". Pisilli has repaid that faith on the pitch, delivering the kind of outside-the-box shots that few other midfielders in the Roma squad possess. Before the Torino match, Gasperini was direct about his midfield depth: "In midfield we have four players, all four are essential and important." The numbers back him up. Pisilli has already scored 10 goals in 82 Roma appearances (across 5 assists)—a tally De Rossi reached in 105 matches. Remarkably, 7 of his 10 goals came after the 80th minute and 3 beyond the 90th, a striking pattern that underscores his impact as a substitute. Against Inter, he could start again, though potentially in a different role. With Koné expected to return to midfield alongside Cristante and de Roon ready to come off the bench, Gasperini may deploy Pisilli as a trequartista behind Dybala and Malen. This positioning would allow him to support the midfield—more so than Soulé or Mora—while leveraging his ability to strike from distance and find space between the lines to create attacking threats.