Roma Return to Serie A Summit Ahead of Crucial Inter Clash
Roma moved back to the top of Serie A after Donyell Malen and Niccolò Pisilli struck in the second half of Monday’s 2-0 win over Torino, setting up a significant home meeting with Inter at the Stadio Olimpico next weekend.
Key takeaways
- Roma remain first in Serie A on goal difference following their fourth league match.
- Malen scored his sixth goal of the campaign against Torino.
- The Dutch forward is the third Roma player to exceed five goals in the first four Serie A rounds.
- Pedro Manfredini in 1960-61 and Francesco Totti in 2001-02 are the only other Roma players to reach that early scoring mark.
- Inter visit the Italian capital for matchday five, with both sides in strong form.
Roma carry momentum into Inter test
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side produced a controlled display against Torino before finding the breakthrough after half-time. Malen put Roma ahead and Pisilli added the second, securing three points that kept the Giallorossi ahead of their rivals on goal difference.
The result gives Roma a chance to make an early statement in the Scudetto contest when Inter arrive in Rome. Gasperini said his players would have several days to prepare for a side he considers the standard-setters in the division.
He reflected on the distance between the clubs last season, particularly after Roma suffered a heavy defeat in the reverse fixture. However, he believes that match became a turning point, prompting an improvement in results, attitude and mentality.
Gasperini described Inter as the team widely viewed as Italy’s strongest, while also noting Como’s growing level. For Roma, he sees the upcoming fixture as a valuable chance to assess themselves against the league’s leading reference point and improve on recent performances.
Malen reaches another Roma landmark
Malen’s goal against Torino continued an exceptional beginning to the season. His six goals in four Serie A appearances place him alongside Manfredini and Totti in Roma’s record books, with no other players in the club’s history having scored more than five times across the opening four league games.
The 2026 signing has quickly become central to Roma’s attacking play. The club paid €25 million to make his move from Aston Villa permanent in May 2026, after he had scored 15 goals in 20 matches during his loan spell.
Roma enter the Inter match with encouraging results in both domestic and European competition behind them. Victory at the Olimpico would strengthen their early title credentials, while Inter travel south aiming to end the hosts’ run and take first place for themselves.
