Soulé: Roma can compete with anyone after Inter draw

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico, leaving the club joint leaders of Serie A alongside Inter and Lazio after four wins and a draw from five matches. The giallorossi led 2–0 at half-time through a Manu Koné double — first a right-footed finish inside the box, then a left-footed effort under the crossbar from close range — after what the article describes as probably the best 45 minutes of Gasperini's tenure. Lautaro Martinez pulled one back early in the second half from a Gianluca Mancini error on the opposition midfield, and the intensity drained from Roma's display as Inter found their rhythm. Donyell Malen had a chance to make it 3–1 when he turned sharply in the box and shot, but Martinez blocked the effort with his face. Martinez then equalised with another clinical finish typical of a top-class striker. The performance carried a message beyond the final scoreline. Roma's first-half intensity, aggression and quality suggested the club can genuinely compete with the Serie A champions — something that would not have been obvious at the start of the season. The article notes that Roma today is markedly stronger, deeper and more self-aware than last season. When Gasperini has all players fit, the squad contains match-winners: Malen has demonstrated that in recent weeks, Koné delivered it tonight, and Paulo Dybala continues to do so through his play and creativity. Dybala was again Roma's attacking brain, with every pass often creating danger through assists, openings and through-balls that turn routine moves into dangerous situations. He was one of the evening's most influential players but continues to lack goals at crucial moments — he had a couple of chances where his left foot could have settled the match definitively. The article states that for a player of his talent, the absence of goals is now the only real blemish in an otherwise extraordinary period. Leonardo Balerdi was among the best performers but was forced off with cramp. During the second half, Mancini and Mario Hermoso also departed, forcing Roma to change the entire defensive unit — a wholesale revolution that consumed substitutions that might have been deployed elsewhere to restore freshness and unpredictability to midfield and attack. Gasperini says results and objectives will take time to evaluate properly. Yet Roma have already answered one question: they can play on level terms with sides that have lived at the top for years. Three weeks follow before the next cycle begins, with Como, managed by Fabregas, arriving next — a team that has also impressed in this opening stretch of the season alongside Roma and Inter.

Manu Koné scored twice in the first half as Roma faced Inter, a display that ranks among the club's finest individual performances. The French midfielder's brace against Serie A opposition matches an achievement previously managed by only four Roma legends: Francesco Totti (2013), Abel Balbo (1995), Ciccio Graziani (1986), and Roberto Pruzzo (1980). The quality of the opposition made the feat more striking—Inter had shown interest in Koné as far back as summer 2025. Despite the brilliance of his first-half showing, Koné was left frustrated by Roma's collapse after the interval, with the opposition mounting a comeback that spoiled what had been a commanding display. Koné's performance underscores his growing importance to Roma's project. The 2001-born midfielder has moved beyond the transfer speculation that linked him to London, Manchester, Madrid and Saudi Arabia—his future now belongs to the club and the Stadio Olimpico. He combines satisfaction at the team's first-half performance with regret over the second-half reversal, yet remains confident he has recaptured the clarity and killer instinct needed in front of goal. The one area requiring work is his physical durability across a full 90 minutes, following the toll of recent World Cup commitments where he featured as a regular starter. The upcoming international break will provide an opportunity to recover and rebuild his physical condition, essential for maintaining intensity in tackles and attacking runs throughout entire matches.

Roma drew 2–2 with Inter at the Olimpico on a night that kept them level with the Serie A leaders. Manu Koné scored twice in his first 45 minutes on the pitch—his first career double—but it was not enough to take all three points. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini said: "We played on equal terms." Koné's goals came from two midfield insertions. The first arrived after six minutes when Inter lost possession; Paulo Dybala crossed, Nahuel Molina returned it, and Koné finished first-time past Martinez. In the closing stages of the first half, Dybala played another pass, Gianluca Mancini touched it on, and Koné struck under the bar—initially ruled out before VAR confirmed it. The goals showcased the attacking run Gasperini has long asked Koné to add to his game of strength, pace, dribbling and spatial dominance. Inter have pursued Koné intensely over the past two transfer windows. In August 2025, their interest was concrete: they sought midfield power and dynamism and saw him as the ideal profile, tabling a significant proposal. Roma removed him from the market. Sommer and Thuram, former teammates of Koné in Germany, reportedly tried to persuade him to join them.