An unstoppable force will meet an immovable object when Serie A's best defense meets the best attack, as Roma host Inter Milan at Stadio Olimpico in the highlight fixture of Round 7.
The first few rounds of Serie A set the bar high and brought back memories of Calcio's glory days. Five teams are in the fight for first place, with Roma finally looking like a team that can compete with the big boys again.
It is true that goals are still in short supply for the Wolves, but their almost flawless defense is the reason Roma have the same number of points as Napoli at the top of the table. Roma have conceded only two goals in the first six rounds, which is several times less than most other teams, including Inter Milan, who have already conceded eight.
However, if Roma want to continue on the same winning trajectory, they will have to activate their scoring abilities, because the Nerazzurri are the highest-scoring team in the league with 17 goals in six games. But it is precisely their defensive uncertainties that could be the key to Roma's success.
How the bookies view it: They underestimate Roma
Although Roma are in excellent home form, bookmakers believe that Inter have a better probability of success in the upcoming clash. Therefore, you can pick Roma as the underdog at 23/10, while Inter are available at 5/4. On a separatе note, the draw is priced at 11/5.
Recent head-to-head: Inter won 8 of the last 10 H2Hs
This will be the 219th edition of this fixture across all competitions and it has historically been one of the most competitive rivalries. Nevertheless, Inter Milan lead the all-time record with 98 wins to Roma’s 63, while 57 matches ended level. And on the short-term side, the Nerazzurri won eight of the last 10 H2Hs.
Players to watch: Martinez is back
After a slow 2024/25 season, Lautaro Martinez seems to finally be finding his form, and with Marcus Thuram injured, we can’t see another logical option but to back the Argentinian. Not only did he score in Inter’s last three matches, but he was also active during the international break, providing an assist for the winning goal against Venezuela and then scoring a brace against Puerto Rico.
Probable line-ups
Roma: Svilar, Celik, Mancini, Ndicka, Tsimikas, Kone, Cristante, Baldanzi, Wesley, Dovbyk, Soule
Inter Milan: Sommer, Vrij, Akanji, Bastoni, Dimarco, Mkhitaryan, Frattesi, Barella, Dumfries, Martinez, Bonny
Anything else catch the eye?
While this is the highest-scoring Serie A rivalry of all time with 532 goals, Roma’s new playstyle and their exceptional defensive form make it difficult for us to back the usual goal markets. Bookmakers also believe that this game will not produce more than two goals, with Over 2.5 being priced at 11/10.
They do, however, expect both teams to score, which would suggest we see a 1-1 draw. This is interesting because the last 10 H2Hs produced a winner and we haven’t seen a draw between them since 2021. But we believe the time has come, as it is a common scenario in clashes between teams with opposite styles. Either we see a 1-1 draw or one of the teams will clutch a 1-0 win through blood, sweat, and tears.
GambleAware