Wesley sidelined with ankle injury; Bah undergoes knee scan

Inter's head coach Chivu is facing a mounting injury crisis ahead of Saturday's match against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on 19 September at 18:30. Both Hakan Çalhanoğlu and John Stones have been ruled out of the fixture after undergoing medical assessments on 17 September. Çalhanoğlu was unavailable for Inter's 5–3 Serie A victory over Udinese in the fourth round of fixtures, having suffered muscular fatigue in the right adductor. Stones, making his first league start for Inter, requested to be substituted after approximately one hour of that same match due to a muscle issue. The injuries carry significant weight for Inter's plans in the Rome fixture. Inter's official statement on Çalhanoğlu read: "Hakan Çalhanoğlu underwent instrumental examinations this morning at Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Rozzano. The examinations revealed muscular fatigue in the right adductor of the thigh. His condition will be evaluated in the coming days." On Stones, the club confirmed: "John Stones underwent clinical and instrumental examinations this morning at Istituto Humanitas in Rozzano. The examinations revealed muscular fatigue in the left hamstring flexors. His condition will be reassessed in the coming days." Both players' participation in the big match against Roma on Saturday 19 September at 18:30 at the Stadio Olimpico remains in serious doubt.

Niccolò Pisilli is putting together a strong start to the season and could make another appearance in Roma's upcoming match against Inter, potentially in a different role. The midfielder has impressed with his work rate, physical commitment and attacking participation—precisely what Gasperini demands from a player capable of executing both phases with intelligence and decisiveness. In midfield, Koné is expected to return to the starting lineup alongside Cristante, with de Roon ready to come off the bench. However, to counter Inter's 3-5-2 formation under Chivu, Gasperini may deploy Pisilli as a trequartista behind Dybala and Malen. At Trigoria today the squad was complete in training, with one notable exception: Mario Hermoso. The Spanish defender is sidelined by a mild ankle contusion but the injury is not considered serious, and he is expected to recover without significant issues. Wesley and Evan N'Dicka both returned positive updates from the session, signalling they are available for selection.

Evan N'Dicka and Wesley have returned to full squad training at Trigoria as Roma prepare for their match against Inter at the Olimpico in three days. Both players are now available for selection after recovering from injury, giving head coach Gian Piero Gasperini a double boost ahead of the fixture. Mario Hermoso, however, has stepped back into differentiated training due to a minor ankle contusion. His condition will be monitored over the coming days, though no particular alarm has been raised. Gasperini will use the next training sessions to finalise his team selection and assess Hermoso's full recovery before the Inter match.

Pierluigi Massa has been appointed to referee Roma's upcoming match against Inter, a decision that has drawn scrutiny from former referee Graziano Cesari. Roma have failed to win in ten matches in which Massa has officiated, a record that has fuelled concern among supporters. The frustration stems partly from the recent Como–Roma fixture, where Wesley was sent off in a controversial decision. Cesari, now a commentator, spoke to Sportmediaset about the appointment, calling it a "conservative" choice by Giancarlo Orsato, who made the designation. "I expected one of either Massa or Marco Guida," Cesari said. "He is an arbitrator of great experience, with excellent knowledge of the players and their characteristics. If the match becomes more intense at an agonistic level, he could face difficulty in managing it. Experience, character and clarity can certainly help him, but that too is an aspect to keep in mind."

Fulvio Collovati, a former defender who played for both Roma and Inter, has previewed Saturday's 18:00 kickoff at the Olimpico between the two clubs. Speaking to Il Giorno, Collovati highlighted Roma's transformation under head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, singling out the team's improved defensive record and attacking threat. "A totally different squad," Collovati said of Roma. "It has the league's top scorer in Malen and concedes fewer goals. It plays one-on-one pressing, attacks you aggressively and certainly doesn't give up attacking. In defence the hierarchy looks well-defined, but then against Torino Balerdi played and did very well. Perhaps the Baresi comparison Gasperini made was a bit exaggerated, though I don't know the player so well." Roma currently have the best defence in Serie A. Collovati identified the flanks as crucial to the contest, noting: "I see a very interesting battle on the wings: Dimarco and Diouf on one side, Wesley and Molina or the young Lulli, who is very interesting, on the other. Inter especially relies heavily on the wing corridors, also having Bastoni." Collovati recalled that Roma-Inter matches have historically been high-scoring affairs. When asked if Roma's position at the top is a surprise, he replied: "Perhaps for those who don't know Gasperini. He took Atalanta to win the Europa League. The squad is back in the Champions League and for me this year it is destined to do more. Already the third place achieved in his first year with this manager was an exceptional achievement."

Fulvio Collovati, who played for both Roma and Inter, has analysed the sides' meeting on Saturday at 18:00 at the Olimpico. Speaking to Il Giorno, the former defender praised Roma's defensive solidity this season while highlighting the tactical battle likely to unfold on the wings. Collovati noted Roma's transformation under Gasperini, pointing to Malen as the league's top scorer and the team's improved defensive record. He observed that "the squad is totally different. It has the league's leading goalscorer, Malen, and concedes fewer goals. It plays one-on-one pressing, it harries you and certainly does not give up attacking. The defensive hierarchies also seem well defined, though Balerdi played against Torino and did very well. Perhaps the comparison Gasperini made with Baresi was a bit exaggerated, although I don't know the player that well." On the match's key battle, Collovati identified the flanks as decisive: "I see a very interesting clash on the wings: Dimarco and Diouf on one side, Wesley and Molina or the young Lulli, who is very interesting, on the other. Above all, Inter rely heavily on the flanks, also having Bastoni. Generally, in my two years at Roma, I noticed that matches against Inter were often characterised by many goals, and in subsequent years it seemed the same happened." Collovati added that Gasperini's pedigree—leading Atalanta to win the Europa League—dispels any surprise at Roma's league position, describing third place in the coach's first season as "an exceptional achievement."