Thuram poses a threat: Gasperini plots a tactical switch to contain the Inter forward's pace

Mario Hermoso has returned to full training with Roma's squad after working separately on 16 September due to a slight ankle contusion. The defender completed the entire session without problems and will be available for Saturday's match against Inter at the Stadio Olimpico, which kicks off at 18:00. Roma continue preparations for the fixture with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini providing an injury update on 17 September at Trigoria. Hermoso's return to availability is a boost for the big match, with the defender having missed only the previous day's session as a precaution.

Roma are monitoring opportunities in the free-agent market to strengthen their squad, with a particular focus on defence and a former Inter player. According to reports, the club are interested in Matteo Darmian, who left Inter at the end of his contract and is currently without a club. In recent weeks there have been contacts between Roma and the 1989-born defender, who is willing to accept an annual contract on modest terms. For Roma, Darmian could represent an opportunity to complete the squad and provide head coach Gian Piero Gasperini with a player of considerable experience, reliability and tactical versatility.

Roma have opened contact with Matteo Darmian, the 1989-born defender who left Inter at the end of his contract on 30 June. According to Tuttomercatoweb.com, discussions between the club and the player have taken place in recent weeks, with Darmian receptive to a one-year deal on modest financial terms. For head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the move would add experience and reliability to the squad during a season in which Roma compete on multiple fronts. Darmian's versatility across the defence and flanks would provide an additional alternative to the existing defensive options. A low-cost acquisition of this kind would allow Gasperini to strengthen his options without significant expenditure. No agreement has yet been finalised. The player is expected to make a decision on his future in the coming days, with proposals from Dubai also on the table. Roma are waiting to see which path Darmian chooses, but the free-agent option remains on the club's radar as a potential addition of proven quality to the defensive ranks.

Gianluca Mancini will face Inter on Saturday at the Olimpico, but the encounter carries extra weight after the Nerazzurri attempted to lure him away during the summer. With his contract set to expire in 2027, Mancini found himself at a crossroads with several clubs ready to move for him. Inter were among them, prepared to offer him significantly higher wages. Instead, Mancini chose to renew his Roma deal through 2029, forgoing the chance to earn more elsewhere. His agent Giuseppe Riso did not hide his preference for exploring other options. "I would have wanted to take him away with even more important offers," Riso said. But Mancini refused to budge. Riso added: "He rejected everything for Roma," even joking with his client that "he is crazy." When asked directly about Inter's interest, Mancini did not deny it—"a club is known"—but made clear his mind was made up. He explained his thinking with a telling phrase: "I am not crazy, but you cannot command the heart." Mancini stressed that his will was already clear: to continue at Roma under Gasperini and remain part of a group he now considers family. Since arriving at the club in 2019, Mancini has become one of Roma's most recognisable figures and a leader in the dressing room. What started as a professional move has evolved into something far deeper. The calendar has now orchestrated an almost perfect twist: Inter, who could have taken him from Roma, arrive at the Olimpico as joint leaders alongside the Giallorossi. Mancini will be there wearing the shirt he chose even at the cost of greater money, and on Saturday he will attempt to shut the door on their advances one more time.

Gianluca Mancini rejected Inter's advances this summer and signed a contract renewal with Roma despite being offered more lucrative terms elsewhere. The defender's agent Giuseppe Riso, as Corriere dello Sport reported, actively pushed for a move to Milan, where Chivu was prepared to welcome him, but Mancini showed no hesitation about remaining in the capital despite childhood admiration for Inter's side under Materazzi. Mancini chose to extend his deal on reduced financial terms. His fixed salary fell from €2.5 million in the previous season, and he accepted a structure built around performance bonuses and seasonal objectives shared with Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante. The decision reinforces Roma's commitment to players willing to align compensation with team success. The 1996-born defender now aims to increase his goal tally against Inter, where he has already scored four times. Three of those goals came in a Roma shirt, though only one has so far yielded points for his side.

Gianluca Mancini turned down Inter's advances this summer despite the Milan club offering him higher wages, choosing instead to sign a contract renewal with Roma on revised terms. His agent Giuseppe Riso pushed for the move to Inter, where Chivu was ready to welcome him, but Mancini had no doubts about staying at the capital club despite childhood fondness for Materazzi's Inter. Mancini agreed fresh terms at lower figures than his previous salary. His fixed wage dropped from €2.5 million a season ago. The new deal follows the structure accepted by Dybala, Pellegrini and Cristante: players receive a base salary plus performance bonuses tied to appearances and the squad's seasonal objectives. The renewal underscores Roma's commitment to retaining a cornerstone defender while adapting to the club's financial framework. The 1996-born defender has now set his sights on increasing his goal tally against Inter. He already has four goals to his name, three wearing Roma's shirt but only one that delivered points so far.

Mario Hermoso has returned to full training with Roma's squad after working separately on 16 September due to a slight ankle contusion. The defender completed the entire session without problems and will be available for Saturday's match against Inter at the Stadio Olimpico, which kicks off at 18:00. Roma continue preparations for the fixture with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini providing an injury update on 17 September at Trigoria. Hermoso's return to availability is a boost for the big match, with the defender having missed only the previous day's session as a precaution.

Mario Hermoso will be available for Roma's match against Inter on Saturday after recovering from a minor ankle injury. The defender trained with the full squad in today's session, allaying concerns for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of the big fixture. Hermoso has become a cornerstone of Roma's defence this season. Gasperini will be able to count on the Spanish defender's leadership and experience for the Inter encounter, with Hermoso now pencilled in for a place in the back three. The former Atlético Madrid player brings both defensive solidity and attacking contribution to the team, making him integral to Gasperini's plans.

Roma legend Aldair has praised Gasperini's squad, singling out Donyell Malen as the strongest player in the team. "They are right to say he is the strongest; I would have struggled against him too," Aldair said. On the title race, he added: "Roma can compete all the way with Inter." He also highlighted the defence, saying: "N'Dicka is making the difference, but Mancini and Hermoso always hold firm. And Balerdi — have you seen him?" Meanwhile, police have issued 16 Daspo (stadium bans) to Curva Sud supporters who were recorded performing a Roman salute during the Roma–Atalanta match on 5 September. The bans will last between one and five years and will prevent these supporters from attending Roma matches both in Rome and abroad. Four of those supporters have also been issued additional restrictions requiring them to report to police stations on match days when Roma play at home. Gasperini has brought a new defensive solidity to Roma. In the 2025–26 season, his team conceded just 0.82 goals per match—the best average of his managerial career. This trend began at Atalanta, where the side finished the 2024–25 campaign with 37 goals conceded. Gasperini now aims to improve that record further.

Roma legend Aldair has praised Gasperini's squad, singling out Donyell Malen as the strongest player in the team. "They are right to say he is the strongest; I would have struggled against him too," Aldair said. On the title race, he added: "Roma can compete all the way with Inter." He also highlighted the defence, saying: "N'Dicka is making the difference, but Mancini and Hermoso always hold firm. And Balerdi — have you seen him?" Meanwhile, police have issued 16 Daspo (stadium bans) to Curva Sud supporters who were recorded performing a Roman salute during the Roma–Atalanta match on 5 September. The bans will last between one and five years and will prevent these supporters from attending Roma matches both in Rome and abroad. Four of those supporters have also been issued additional restrictions requiring them to report to police stations on match days when Roma play at home. Gasperini has brought a new defensive solidity to Roma. In the 2025–26 season, his team conceded just 0.82 goals per match—the best average of his managerial career. This trend began at Atalanta, where the side finished the 2024–25 campaign with 37 goals conceded. Gasperini now aims to improve that record further.

Roma travel to the Olimpico on Saturday with a perfect record—twelve points from four matches plus a draw in Istanbul—but face one of the season's sternest examinations against Inter and Chivu, a side that has historically troubled Gasperini. The head coach has the full squad available and must resolve three significant lineup decisions. At centre-back, Evan N'Dicka has returned to full fitness but Leonardo Balerdi is in outstanding form; the Ivorian holds a slight edge. On the right flank, Emanuele Lulli and Nahuel Molina are competing for one spot, with Lulli's superior defensive cover making him the favourite alongside Wesley on the left. In attack, Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen are guaranteed starts. Matías Soulé leads Rodrigo Mora for the third forward slot, though a surprise could emerge through the possible advancement of either Niccolò Pisilli or Bryan Cristante to bolster midfield cover.

Radio pundits debated Roma's transfer window and their readiness for the upcoming Inter match in a roundtable discussion on Roman radio stations. Piero Torri predicted that Evan N'Dicka will start, citing the value of familiarity as potentially decisive. He suggested Leonardo Balerdi would enter as a substitute, and if Mario Hermoso cannot recover, Balerdi would play centre-back with Hermoso moved to left-back. Torri assessed the fixture cautiously: "For me also a point can go well. Roma will take to the field to win, but Inter are heavily favoured. For Roma it is a very important match—Inter have been there for 5–6 years. The Giallorossi are the novelty." Other commentators praised Roma's summer market activity. One panellist noted that Roma expanded their squad to close the gap on Inter and prepare for Champions League football, while another highlighted Donyell Malen—signed in January—as a player making a difference, and called Emanuele Lulli's recent performances "staggering". Gian Piero Gasperini was credited with feeding rather than dampening the club's enthusiasm, creating positive energy at the Stadio Olimpico. The consensus was that both Roma and Inter operated well in the market by signing key players, though Inter's approach differed from Roma's broader squad-building. Torri added that Roma possess many strong players and suggested the outcome could have been dramatically different had additional targets arrived: "If Greenwood and Moreira had arrived, we would have been by far the favourites for the scudetto." He reiterated that Inter currently lead the championship and hold the edge heading into the clash, though Roma represent a fresh challenger after years of Inter dominance.