Inter the benchmark in Serie A according to Radja Nainggolan
Radja Nainggolan has no doubts about who sets the standard in Serie A right now. For him, the title still runs through Inter.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Roma’s showdown with the champions at the Stadio Olimpico, the former Inter and Roma midfielder painted a clear picture: Cristian Chivu’s side are the benchmark, both in depth and in big‑match experience.
“Inter today are a well-built team, they have reached two Champions League finals and have important reserves,” Nainggolan said. “The Scudetto that Napoli won two seasons ago was lost by Inter, in my opinion. Today they have no rivals, but respecting your opponent does not mean not attacking.”
That respect, he stressed, must not turn into fear. For Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, he sees this clash as something more than a glamour fixture. It is the exam they cannot avoid.
The ultimate litmus test.
Inter the machine, Roma the project
Nainggolan underlined what makes Inter so intimidating: a squad stacked with options and hardened by European finals. Chivu can rotate without weakening the side; Roma cannot say the same yet.
Even so, the Belgian views this as a pivotal moment in Roma’s evolution under Gasperini. Beat Inter, or even go toe-to-toe with them over 90 minutes, and the perception of Roma’s ceiling changes.
The margins, he argued, will be thin. And they start at the back.
Svilar steady, Martinez under the spotlight
Nainggolan circled one area where Roma might find an edge: in goal.
“Svilar did very well last year and is confirming it, while Martinez is in his first year as a starter and you feel the pressure,” he noted.
Mile Svilar’s calm, consistent form has quietly become one of Roma’s anchors. On the other side, Josep Martinez walks into the Olimpico with the weight of recent errors and the scrutiny that comes with being a first-year starter for the champions. One mistake in a game like this can tilt everything.
Dybala as the difference-maker
Up front, Nainggolan didn’t hesitate when asked who could decide it for Roma.
“Dybala can make the difference in these games, he is a fantastic player.”
Paulo Dybala, in his eyes, remains the one Roma player capable of bending a game of this magnitude to his will. When the tempo drops or the match tightens, one flash from the Argentine might be Roma’s best route past Inter’s structure.
How to handle Lautaro
Nainggolan’s tactical focus zeroed in on one duel: whoever marks Lautaro Martinez.
For him, this is not the night to experiment.
“Ndicka or Balerdi? All of Roma's defenders are performing, but for a game like this and against such a strong opponent, playing Balerdi can be risky,” he explained. “I would play with those who are most stable.”
Defensive stability over potential. Reliability over upside. Against the Inter captain, he wants Gasperini to trust the defenders with the fewest fluctuations, not the boldest profile.
He also welcomed Roma’s tactical evolution, pointing to Gianluca Mancini’s aggressive forward runs as a key weapon that can disrupt Inter’s shape and give Roma an extra body in advanced areas.
Old scars, lasting bond
Beneath the analysis, Nainggolan admitted this fixture still hits differently for him.
His bond with Roma runs deep, and the midfielder, now at Patro Eisden, hasn’t forgotten how his time in the capital ended. He recalled how lies from club officials pushed him toward Inter in 2018, even after he had turned down offers from Chelsea and China to stay at Roma.
That sense of unfinished business colours how he watches them now. He looks at Gasperini’s attacking approach and sees a style he would have thrived in, especially alongside a forward like Donyell Malen. The thought lingers: what might that partnership have looked like in this Roma?
Instead, he will watch from afar as Roma try to smash through a ceiling he once bumped against himself.
Inter arrive as the team to beat. Roma arrive with something to prove. If Gasperini’s side can finally crack the champions, the title race – and Roma’s own ambitions – might suddenly look very different.
