Roma is off to an absolutely blistering start, sitting undefeated after four Serie A matches with an eye-watering +11 goal differential that has sent shockwaves through the league. This kind of early season dominance, fueled by world-class performances from Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala, has them sitting pretty atop the Serie A table, and the media is already buzzing, calling them the “anti-Inter.”
The Hype Is Real, But History Whispers
Yeah, the “anti-Inter” talk is starting to get loud, with some even calling Roma the one club that can truly challenge last year’s Scudetto champions. Do I buy it? Not yet. Look, what I see right now is Roma playing seriously entertaining football and winning, and that’s awesome. But I’ve been burned before. The ten-match unbeaten streak under Rudi Garcia is still burned into my brain. We were good, sure, but we didn’t win any titles, just firmly stuck in second behind Juventus. It wasn’t a true Scudetto run. So, while I’m trying to stay calm and see that the door is wide open for a million possibilities, I’m with Lawrence of Arabia on this: nothing is written, for better or for worse.
Inter Is Coming: This Is The Real Test
Tomorrow’s match against Inter at Stadio Olimpico, kicking off at 18:00 CET/12:00 EDT with Davide Massa as referee, is the biggest test yet. On paper, it’s a massive statement game. A win, and the “Scudetto contenders” tag gets slapped on us. A loss, and suddenly we’re “bums again.” But neither of those narratives is fair, is it? This is just match five out of thirty-eight. What this game *will* tell us is how this team handles a real challenge against a title contender. Whether they *are* a title contender, that’s a question for March. I’m taking a page from those Rudi Garcia years: enjoy the ride, but hold tight on the big conclusions.
Emanuele Lulli’s Rise and What It Means
Keep an eye on Emanuele Lulli tomorrow. This 19-year-old wingback has been incredible, looking like an experienced star, and his rise has perfectly mirrored Roma’s surge. Both Lulli and Roma have consistently impressed early on, and both have capitalized on Paulo Dybala’s resurgence to find this early success. They’ve announced themselves as long-term Serie A fixtures. But just like the team, Lulli needs to prove himself against a true giant of the league before that hype train can truly leave the station. Tomorrow against Inter is that proving ground. Can he, and can Roma, rise to the occasion? This is what we’ve been waiting for.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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