Roma went into the break still at the top of the table, but Gian Piero Gasperini’s assessment after the draw with Inter carried both pride and regret. His side had stood up to one of the division’s strongest opponents, created enough to shape the match differently, yet allowed Inter back into the contest after the interval.
Gasperini described a meeting in which neither team had been second best for long. Roma did not retreat after Inter’s response and, in his view, the performance should strengthen the squad for the demanding run that follows the pause.
Roma find reasons for confidence despite comeback
“We competed on equal terms and it was a game that either side could have won,” Gasperini said. “The goal we conceded early in the second half gave them a huge lift. We were too complacent in that moment, but we never stopped playing. This match must give us belief and energy.”
The coach felt Roma had progressed since their previous meeting with Inter. He argued that the quality of the performance, rather than merely the willingness to work, offered the most encouraging sign for a team which remains in first place.
“We have improved since the last time we played Inter,” he said. “There is room for improvement for everyone, including Inter. We need to be pleased with the level of our football, not only with our desire. There is a lot of positive energy in this group and we are on the right path.”
Missed chances and a warning at the back
Roma generated important openings before half-time, although Lautaro Martinez’s first goal created anxiety for the home side. Gasperini highlighted Malen’s close-range opportunity soon afterwards, when the forward struck the goalkeeper squarely in the face, as a moment that could have made the score 3-1.
Inter also had their chances, and Gasperini accepted that reality. Roma’s frustration centred on another goal conceded after the restart, the third time in as many matches that the team have allowed an opponent back into the game.
“It is not a coincidence,” he said. “We were handling the game well, but we cannot be arrogant in those situations. Both teams had opportunities. We were facing the strongest team, also in physical terms.”
Gasperini reshuffled his entire defensive unit during the second half, something he had not previously done. He said he had seen signs that his players were suffering under Inter’s pressure, while adding that Balerdi’s substitution was required for separate reasons.
“It was a shame because of how Balerdi was playing,” Gasperini said. “We always felt the game was still open, even though we had to withstand their pressure.”
A deeper squad needed after the break
Rather than present the draw as a statement to the rest of Serie A, Gasperini placed the emphasis on Roma’s own development. He believes the side have shown they can be dangerous both athletically and physically, but stressed that their early-season level must now be sustained.
“I am not interested in sending messages to the league,” he said. “We look at ourselves. We know that we are a dangerous team, including physically. We are at a high level now, but consistency is what matters.”
The coach expects a crowded schedule once the break ends and sees the coming weeks as a test of the whole group rather than only the established starters. Paulo Dybala and Malen, he said, had both given everything against Inter.
