Roma's perfect start to the 2026–27 season—four wins from four matches, twelve points from twelve—mirrors an uncanny parallel from twelve years ago. The club's last identical opening came in 2014–15 under Rudi Garcia, who was also in his second season at the helm after guiding Roma back to the Champions League. Like Garcia then, Gian Piero Gasperini opened his second campaign as Roma boss with a home win against Fiorentina. The 2014 scoreline was 2–0 with goals from Nainggolan and Gervinho; this time Roma won 4–0, with Donyell Malen scoring a hat-trick and Niccolò Pisilli adding the fourth. Garcia's Roma went on to win their first five league matches, scoring nine goals and conceding just one. Gasperini's side has already registered twelve goals scored and one conceded after four games, continuing a streak of commanding physical form that allows Roma to sustain an exceptionally high tempo.
The parallel deepens with Saturday's fixture against Inter at the Olimpico. Both Roma and Inter arrive unbeaten with twelve points from twelve—a scenario that echoes the Juventus-Roma clash of 5 October 2014, when both teams came to Turin on identical records. Gasperini has described Inter as "the reference team of our league". The 2014 encounter left a profound mark. Radja Nainggolan recalled: "That defeat took our energy and caused us a psychological setback. That evening we understood that we would never be able to win the Scudetto". Roma lost that match 3–2 in controversial circumstances involving referee Gianluca Rocchi.
Gasperini is acutely aware of the history. He has won only five of his 36 career meetings with Inter, alongside nine draws and 22 defeats. More pressingly, he has not beaten them in 17 consecutive matches; his last victory came on 11 November 2018 when his Atalanta side won 4–1. Roma's own record at the Olimpico against Inter offers no comfort—their last home victory against the Nerazzurri dates to 2 October 2016. Gasperini told reporters: "Last year there was a difference: on the return we took a heavy defeat, but from there the real Roma was born. There was an escalation, not just in results but also in attitudes, behaviour and mentality. It is also an opportunity for us to measure ourselves and do better than in recent matches."
Saturday's encounter will not decide the season, but it represents Roma's first genuine test against a team of a superior tier. The Olimpico is expected to be a cauldron of noise. Gasperini wants to understand how much his Roma have closed the gap to the Nerazzurri since last season's return fixture, when Inter inflicted a heavy defeat on the Giallorossi.
Testo Originale / Source Text
“"Chi non ricorda il passato è condannato a ripeterlo". E allora, in vista di sabato, vale la pena voltarsi indietro. Perché l'inizio di campionato della Roma ha scatenato un entusiasmo che nella Capitale non si respirava da tempo: quattro partite, quattro vittorie, dodici punti su dodici. Una…”
Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.
