Capello: Why Roma can challenge Inter for the Serie A title

Fabio Capello feels Roma can pose a strong challenge to Inter for the 2026-27 Serie A title: ‘When you have quality players in the final third, anything can happen.’

Inter and Roma are the only two Serie A clubs with nine points in the opening three matches, and Gazzetta asked former Giallorossi coach Capello whether Gian Piero Gasperini’s men can aim for the Scudetto.

The 80-year-old certainly believes so, for many reasons.

MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 20: Fabio Capello attends the Sporting Mixed Zone ahead of Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2025 at Palacio De Cibeles on April 20, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Laureus) “Roma play one-on-one, all-out, and above all, have this proactive style in which everyone helps each other,” he said.

“When you have four or five quality players in the final third who know how to communicate in tight spaces, sooner or later something happens. And against Atalanta, the winning goal finally came.

“Gasp wanted two starters in each role, and he was right. You could see the results at the Olimpico on Saturday, with the second-half substitutions.

LECCE, ITALY – AUGUST 31: Head coach of AS Roma Gian Piero Gasperini during the Serie A match between US Lecce and AS Roma at Stadio Via del Mare on August 31, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images) “They all play with the same desire to win because they understand they are competitive,” Capello continued.

“I haven’t seen a single Roma player who has come on so far with the attitude of someone who feels offended by being a substitute during the match.”

Capello was the last coach to win the Scudetto at Roma in the 2000-01 campaign. Does he see any similarity with Gasperini?

“I’m always convinced that it takes players to win,” he said.

“But in Rome it is true that we easily go from exaltation to depression: balance is always necessary, a little composure: perhaps someone recognises these characteristics in Gasp and me.”

The Giallorossi recovered from one goal down against Atalanta on Saturday night, securing a 2-1 win with late goals from Mario Hermoso and Matias Soulé , while Paulo Dybala played the full 90 minutes.

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Matias Soule of Roma celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on September 05, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) “You can’t give up Dybala when he’s okay. And Mora is proving to have class and also concreteness,” Capello said.

“But I also want to highlight Soulé’s importance: even after playing 20 minutes in the second half, he can make the difference, as he did against Atalanta.”

Roma will make their 2026-27 Champions League debut on Thursday, visiting Turkish side Fenerbahce.

“These first three league games were refereed well by the match officials, in my opinion, with few interruptions that could have compromised the game’s continuity. I think Roma will maintain the same trend in Istanbul too,” Capello concluded.

After the Fenerbahce game, Roma will visit Torino in Serie A on Monday, September 14.