Inter sees the light again, Rome is tinged with yellow and red. Here are the main headlines of a Sunday of championship rich in ideas, also enriched by the victories of Atalanta and Como on the fields of Turin (0-3) and Fiorentina (1-2) and from the draw between Cremonese and Parma (0-0). The 2-1 on Sassuolo It certainly won't go down in history, but it represents a first step toward a return to normalcy, with Inter battling for the top spot. The most significant win, however, was Roma's in the derby, scored by the resurgent Pellegrini: Gasperini's surprise move proved to be a winning one, while Sarri has no choice but to pick up the pieces and try to get back on track as quickly as possible, in an increasingly complex environment, including from an environmental perspective.
Inter – Sassuolo 2-1: Chivu returns to winning ways in the league thanks to Dimarco and Carlos Augusto.
Inter returned to winning ways against Sassuolo (2-1), ending their two-game losing streak in the league and giving themselves a boost in the standings. The Nerazzurri took control of the match from the start, pushing hard from the start and breaking the deadlock in the 14th minute through Dimarco, who was quick to respond to Sucic's pass after yet another run down the left. Chivu's team continued to cram the ball, creating numerous chances through Thuram, Esposito, and Carlos Augusto, but they found themselves faced with a Muric who was having a great night, making at least three crucial saves that kept Sassuolo clinging to the lead. The second half continued, with Inter maintaining control and doubling their lead in the 79th minute: Carlos Augusto's shot was blocked by Muharemovic, who once again fooled the Kosovar goalkeeper, who had been the man of the match for his team. When the game seemed over, the home side relaxed, and Cheddira capitalized on the only real defensive lapse to close the gap, forcing the Nerazzurri to struggle late on. There was even a thrill when Frattesi's goal was ruled out by VAR for a narrow offside, but in the end, Inter held firm and took home three crucial points to get back on track. Grosso's Sassuolo were able to take consolation from a strong late response and a superb Muric, but the standings remain stuck at three points.
Chivu: "The most important thing was to win, but this Inter team can do even better."
"The positive note is the win because we were behind on this aspect," Chivu emphasized. "We could have sealed it earlier, but we found a goalkeeper who was having a great day, then we struggled towards the end. We believed in it and played our game, but the most important thing was to win. This Inter team can do better, but we had character, desire, and determination; our attitude was right, even in the final moments. Pio Esposito? He responded on the pitch, he integrated immediately, he handles the pressure, the physical contact, I'm happy with what he's doing for the team. With Thuram, they complement each other, the same goes for Bonny, who can do a bit of everything and integrates well with the other three. Martinez? I kept my promise. I have good goalkeepers, who complement each other and help each other, I'm happy with his performance. The goal is to give Pepo playing time; I wouldn't want something to happen in the future that leaves us without solutions. Sommer remains our first choice, but we shouldn't wait until the Coppa Italia to play the other."
Lazio – Roma 0-1: Gasp takes the derby with Pellegrini, Sarri increasingly down
Roma took the derby della Capitale with a victory that weighed heavily. The 1-0 victory over Lazio was scored by Lorenzo Pellegrini, who returned to the field after 140 days and became a Sunday hero after a summer spent with his bags packed. The goal came in the 38th minute when Tavares lost a dangerous ball in the box, Rensch intercepted it and fed Soulé, who in turn passed it to Pellegrini: a powerful, unstoppable right-footer that sent the Curva Sud into a frenzy. It was a Giallorossi fairytale, with the former captain unable to hold back the tears after scoring the winner that decided the derby. Lazio, despite having had their chances, failed to capitalize on them: first with Dia, who squandered a golden opportunity one-on-one with Svilar in the 54th minute after a gift from Mancini, then in stoppage time with Cataldi, who grazed the post with a curling right-footer. As often happens in these situations, nerves flared towards the end: Belahyane was shown a straight red card for a brutal foul on Koné, and Guendouzi was also sent off after the final whistle. Gasperini now sits on nine points and can smile, knowing the derby win will boost his standing with the fans. Sarri, on the other hand, is reeling with his third defeat in four games and just three points in the standings.
Gasperini: "I never had any doubts about Pellegrini, we need the whole squad."
"I've been able to watch the training sessions, so I had no doubts about fielding Pellegrini, because he's a talented player," Gasperini explained. "This is well known, but he can also be a valuable athlete. He's a technical player, I'm happy for him and for the entire team, the club, and the fans, who are thrilled. The team is doing well. We had some difficulties against Torino because we weren't able to play at a good pace, but we were coming off a difficult week. We hadn't prepared very well for the match, partly because we didn't have time, and partly because perhaps we took certain things for granted. The team is growing, but it can have its ups and downs. We need to expand the squad and develop some players to become a stronger team. But I'm satisfied with this; I've always said this about how players train. It's clear that if you win matches, it makes it even easier to work."
Sarri: "We lost because of a huge mistake, now we're in a bad way."
"I feel the usual post-derby defeat anger and sadness," Sarri sighed. "We had chances to equalize, but unfortunately we lost due to a terrible mistake. It's a shame for our fans who supported us and for the team who played a game they didn't deserve to lose. There's great disappointment, but losing these games due to the same mistakes is starting to weigh on us. It's a shame to come away from a derby like this without taking anything home. I'm sorry for the team because they gave everything, I'm sorry for the fans because they supported us until the end. When you don't bring satisfaction to your fans, it's always hard, and now we're in a bad way. This team must stop being superficial and anarchic in its way of thinking. We can't lose games over trivialities and go to Genoa with four out of five midfielders out. That ultimately costs us points; the mentality has to change."
Napoli vs. Pisa (8:45 p.m., Dazn and Sky)
Juventus's slight misstep against Verona gives Napoli the chance to extend their lead and take sole possession of the top spot in the table, an initial mini-breakaway that would send a strong signal to the entire competition. To achieve this, however, they'll need to overcome Pisa, who are still winless under Gilardino but have shown they don't want to be a mere bystander. Conte, coming off a bad night in Manchester and seventy minutes of playing with ten men following Di Lorenzo's dismissal, is returning his focus to the league, his favorite arena, and is relying on numbers that show Napoli unbeaten in fifteen games, even all of 2025 if we consider home games alone: their last defeat at the Maradona stadium dates back to last December against Lazio. The coach, forced to rotate, is considering a 4-3-3 formation with Meret back in goal, Juan Jesus and Olivera to relieve Buongiorno and Spinazzola, Gilmour replacing Lobotka, and the possibility of starting Elmas and Neres. With De Bruyne retained after his substitution at the Etihad, the debate between Lucca and Hojlund remains open in attack. For Napoli, it's a chance to reaffirm their strength, while for Pisa, it's a chance to break free in a truly prestigious setting. Gilardino's team knows the mission is nearly impossible, but will try to capitalize on the newly promoted side's enthusiasm (although dampened by two defeats against Roma and Udinese) and the pressure weighing on the reigning champions. The two teams haven't met in Serie A since 1991, when Napoli won both of their matches, and the overall record sees the Neapolitans ahead with 10 wins, 4 draws, and 4 Tuscan victories.
