Inter meet Roma in Serie A on Sunday with both sides under scrutiny, yet Cristian Chivu and Gian Piero Gasperini stay calm. Inter’s lead at the top has shrunk to six points, while Roma chase Champions League qualification and cannot afford many more slips during the run-in.
Recent form suggests a tight contest, but data still tilts towards the leaders. The Opta model gives Inter a 56.3% chance of victory, with a draw rated at 23.4% and Roma at 20.3%. Pundits also list the match prediction as INTER WIN, despite Inter’s winless streak.
Inter enter this clash after three straight Serie A matches without a victory, which has reopened the title discussion. A derby defeat against AC Milan, currently second, was followed by 1-1 draws against Atalanta
and Fiorentina before the international break halted domestic action.
The struggles were not limited to the league. Inter were eliminated from the Champions League in February by Bodo/Glimt and later failed to break down Como, drawing 0-0 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. The sequence has raised questions, yet Chivu keeps faith in the squad’s mentality.
"I'm dealing with great champions from a human point of view," said Chivu. "They showed it to me this year and in past seasons, where they always bounced back and fought back. They learned that being part of a team sometimes you fall and you don't reach your goal, but what counts is your reaction and your character, and what they show for their teammates and the respect for the club they represent, as well as the love of the fans. Disappointments are part of the game and we have to accept that. I'm not worried. They've shown themselves to be men with values and quality since I arrived here. "
Le parole di Chivu alla vigilia di #InterRoma https://t.co/X4JE3UyVzEInter (@Inter) April 4, 2026
Roma face their own pressure, having collected only one win in the last four league fixtures, with one draw and two defeats. Bologna also knocked Roma out of the Europa League, leaving domestic performance as the primary route back to the Champions League positions.
The Giallorossi sit three points short of the top four, which sharpens focus on every remaining game. Gasperini feels performances have often been better than the results. "The team did play well in the last few games, with good fitness levels and mentality, but they didn't always lead to victories," said Gasperini. "The two Europa League games with Bologna were not exactly lucky for us. The fact remains, we are in the final sprint, so let's tighten up the straps and get pedalling hard. We're at a stage now where there's less and less margin for error. "
Inter vs Roma history and key statistics
This meeting will be the 186th between Inter and Roma in Serie A, equalling the record for most top-flight clashes between any two clubs, a mark Inter already share with Juventus. Their head-to-head is also the highest scoring fixture in Serie A history, producing 533 goals from 185 games.
Inter have scored 300 of those goals, Roma 233, giving an average of 2.9 goals per match. Roma are the opponent Inter have beaten most often in Serie A, with 80 wins from 185 encounters, alongside 54 draws and 51 defeats. After six successive league draws between the clubs, none of the last 10 Serie A clashes ended level, with eight victories for Inter and two for Roma.
Inter vs Roma players to watch
Inter’s attacking focus may fall on Francesco Pio Esposito, who is 20 years and 281 days old on Sunday. Esposito could become only the second Inter player under 21 in the last 35 years to score in a Serie A match between these sides, after Mario Balotelli’s brace against Roma at 18 years and 201 days in March 2009.
Roma’s main danger is Donyell Malen, who arrived in mid-January and has since scored seven Serie A goals, the most in the league during that span. Only three Roma players scored more goals solely in the second half of a single top-flight campaign: Vincenzo Montella with 13 in 2001-02, Lorenzo Bettini with nine in 1953-54, and Stephan El Shaarawy with eight in 2015-16.
Inter’s slight mathematical edge, historical dominance and home advantage contrast with current form, which shows a recent dip and the possibility of four straight league matches without a win for the first time since March to April 2023 under Simone Inzaghi. Roma arrive inconsistent but motivated, leaving this long-running rivalry finely balanced despite the prediction of an INTER WIN.
