The Calcio Comment: Pulling apart Serie A leaders Napoli and Roma

Roma and Napoli are level on points in the Serie A table, both sitting on 21 points after nine matches, with seven wins and two defeats each. Despite their identical records, the two sides find themselves in very different situations, guided by coaches at contrasting stages of their respective projects.

Roma are searching for stability and are only at the beginning of what is expected to be at least a three-year journey under Gian Piero Gasperini, who is instilling his signature tactical ideas, one experiment after another. Napoli, meanwhile, led by Antonio Conte, are dreaming of another Scudetto, another unforgettable season under a coach as brilliant on the pitch as he is controversial off it.

Both teams have collected six points since last weekend. Roma defeated Sassuolo and Parma, two matches they were expected to win, while Napoli overcame Inter and Lecce. The clash against the Nerazzurri was a true tactical masterpiece by Conte: a resounding 3-1 victory that showcased Napoli’s intensity and organization, while exposing Inter’s weaknesses. Conte once again proved his ability to influence the emotional rhythm of a match, raising the tension to unsettle his opponents and knock them off their stride.

Putting Inter in their place

Kevin De Bruyne was at the centre of attention, both for good and bad reasons. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot but injured himself in the process, an unfortunate blow that will sideline him for three to five months. It’s a serious setback for Conte, who had been developing new positional and tactical ideas around the Belgian star. Nevertheless, Scott McTominay and Franck Anguissa sealed the win, rendering Hakan Calhanoglu’s goal meaningless.

Inter’s Turkish midfielder remains their most influential player at the moment, but his efforts weren’t enough to salvage the game. The aftermath saw heated exchanges between Conte and Beppe Marotta, but the league table speaks clearly: Napoli now sit three points ahead of Inter, helped by their somewhat fortunate midweek win over Lecce, again thanks to Anguissa, who returned to central midfield immediately after De Bruyne’s injury.

Next weekend, Napoli is going to face Cesc Fàbregas’ impressive Como side, a crucial test that could allow them to make another big leap forward, especially since Roma, level on points with Napoli, will be up against Max Allegri’s Milan. The Rossoneri, tied on 18 points with Inter, are dealing with several injury problems, making this a golden opportunity for Roma.

Gasperini progress

Under Gasperini, the Giallorossi are evolving steadily. The coach has experimented with various attacking shapes, notably a setup featuring two attacking midfielders (Matias Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini) behind a striker, often Artem Dovbyk. Recently, he’s also tried Paulo Dybala as a falso nueve, capitalizing on Bryan Cristante’s forward runs, a role reminiscent of Gasperini’s Atalanta days, in which he actually did very well.

Against Sassuolo, Roma took all three points thanks to a goal from la Joya, who was asked to spend more time in the box rather than drifting into midfield. Against Parma, Gasperini initially opted for the Soulé-Dybala-Evan Ferguson trio, but after Ferguson’s injury, he reverted to the falso-nueve system, introducing Leon Bailey, who failed to impress and only lasted one half. In the second half, Neil El Aynaoui came on to strengthen midfield, allowing Cristante to push higher up again, this time with mixed results.

The change partially worked: in fact it was Dovbyk, once introduced, who sealed the victory with a brilliant goal, proving once again his worth despite frequent criticism. Gasperini should play him with two wingers or trequartisti ready to assist him: that's the only way to exploit his skills.

On Sunday, Roma will take on Milan, a team limited by injuries and absences, in a game that could reshape the trajectory of their season. A victory wouldn’t just be a statement; it would mean truly entering the conversation for major honors. Roma and Napoli, then, continue their parallel journeys with the same ambition. Their direct showdown later in the season promises to be one of the defining moments of the campaign.