Roma entered the October international break in a unique position for the past decade of the club’s history—they were tied for first in Serie A. While nobody’s planning a Scudetto parade just yet, and
Gian Piero Gasperini clearly still needs to kick the Giallorossi into high gear, so far Romanisti have gotten about as good results as one could expect under a new manager.
Yet while the Giallorossi have only lost once in Serie A, their strength of schedule hasn’t exactly given them a gauntlet to get to the top of of the table to date. That all changes tomorrow, with the Giallorossi facing Cristian Chivu’s Inter Milan. Inter may be three points behind Roma in the standings, but they are without a doubt still a Scudetto contender and Roma’s strongest competition to date in Serie A.
Match Details
Date: October 18th
Kickoff: 20:45 CET/2:45 EDT
Venue: Stadio Olimpico
Referee: Davide Massa
They’ve also taken an opposite tack to getting to the top four of Serie A so far this season—a tack that one might actually expect from a Gasperini side. Where Roma have reached the top of Serie A thanks to the stingiest defense in Italy, Inter has scored a lot and conceded a lot. Still, even if they’ve conceded more than Roma has scored, their +9 goal differential tells the story. Tomorrow’s match will be a battle between a world-class defense and an offense that scores for fun. A great match for neutrals, a terrifying one for Romanisti. Buckle up.
What to Watch For
The Return of Paulo Dybala
If tomorrow’s showdown at the Olimpico had a subplot, it might well be this: can Paulo Dybala get back on the pitch and rediscover his spark under Gasperini, just in time to influence the biggest test of Roma’s season so far?
After missing four Serie A matches with a hamstring issue, Dybala made a substitute appearance before the international break in the 2-1 win over Fiorentina. Reports now suggest he’s fully recovered and pushing for a start against Inter. In his pre-match press conference, Gasperini confirmed that the Argentine has had “two good weeks” of training and is in contention, though he reiterated that Dybala would only be used up front “in emergency” situations.
Dybala’s return will hopefully add an additional creative dimension to Roma’s attack—something that’s been missing in a campaign so far defined by defensive strength rather than offensive fluidity. His tendency to drop between the lines, link play, and unlock tight defenses could be precisely what Roma need against Inter, who will surely look to blitz them in transition.
If Dybala does start, it will likely be as part of a two-behind formation where he operates more as a second forward/creator than the main striker. That’s something Gasperini has hinted at in comments about his role limitations, and to be fair to Dybala, it’s probably best to ease him back in to a key role in side while avoiding any potential chance for Matías Soulé‘s role to be diminished. From a psychological standpoint, Dybala’s return would make it clear that the Giallorossi are at full strength for their harshest test yet. Inter should take heed: if Dybala gets on the pitch fully sharp, he could be the small margin that tips this match.
Will We Finally See Leon Bailey?
When Leon Bailey arrived in Rome late this summer, the buzz was palpable, and understandable. Bailey had been linked with Roma countless times before, and even if he was not at the apex of his career, he is still a Premier League-tested winger with explosive pace, flair, and a left foot that can tear a match open. Given the hiring of Gian Piero Gasperini, he looked like the kind of addition that could give a new Roma the attacking dimension it needs. But for all the excitement, Giallorossi fans have yet to see him play a single competitive minute.
Bailey’s debut was derailed almost instantly. The Jamaican international picked up an injury during his very first training session at Trigoria, sidelining him for what was initially expected to be four weeks. That timeline has since stretched, with reports suggesting the club is being deliberately cautious to avoid aggravating the issue. As of Gasperini’s latest press conference, Bailey has not yet returned to full training and remains a serious doubt for the Inter clash.
That’s a shame, because a match like this is exactly where Bailey could make a difference. His speed on the counter and ability to attack space behind defenders would be tailor-made for a side like Inter, who press high and often leave gaps in transition. Roma’s attack has been defined by discipline and structure so far, and if Bailey can come bakc, he might be able to provide some unpredictability to stretch defenses and open space for Dybala or Soulé between the lines.
If tomorrow’s match does come too soon for a first Bailey appearance, his name will linger in the back of every Romanista’s mind throughout the full ninety. If Roma ends up drawing or losing, it’ll be hard to forget that his speed, energy, and chaos could have turned zero or one points into three. For a side that needs offensive firepower to match their stingy defense, Bailey’s eventual additiona might turn a team that is slowly but surely grinding out results into La Maggica.
