Radja Nainggolan on Roma vs Inter: A Reality Check in Serie A
Radja Nainggolan has no doubts about who sets the standard in Serie A right now. For him, Roma’s clash with Inter Milan is not just a big game. It’s a reality check.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Inter and Roma midfielder painted a clear picture: Inter arrive in the capital as the benchmark, the side everyone else is chasing in the title race. He pointed to the depth of Cristian Chivu’s squad and their recent experience on the biggest European stages as the elements that separate them.
“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.”
For Nainggolan, that’s where Roma come in. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team, reshaped and still growing, now face what he calls the ultimate test of their progress. Beat Inter, or at least go toe-to-toe with them, and the conversation around Roma changes.
Goalkeepers under the spotlight
Nainggolan zoomed in on an area that often decides tight, high-stakes matches: the men in goal.
He praised Mile Svilar’s calm and continuity between the posts for Roma, arguing that the Serbian has quietly become one of the team’s most reliable performers.
“Svilar did very well last year and is confirming it,” he noted, underlining the keeper’s steady rise.
On the other side, he sees a very different kind of pressure building. Inter’s Josep Martinez, in his first season as a full-time starter, carries the weight of expectation at a club that demands perfection, especially after recent mistakes.
“Martinez is in his first year as a starter and you feel the pressure,” Nainggolan warned, hinting that any hesitation from the Inter keeper could tilt the match.
Dybala as Roma’s trump card
Amid all the tactical detail, one name stands out for Nainggolan as the potential game-breaker in Roma’s favour: Paulo Dybala.
“Dybala can make the difference in these games, he is a fantastic player,” he said, identifying the Argentine as the player most capable of unlocking Inter’s defence in a moment of inspiration.
For Nainggolan, matches like this often hinge on a single flash of quality. In his eyes, Dybala is the one most likely to provide it for the hosts.
How to handle Lautaro
Nainggolan also turned his attention to the duel that could define Roma’s defensive night: who marks Inter captain Lautaro Martinez.
He urged Gasperini to think first about stability, not experiments, when choosing his central defenders. With options like Evan Ndicka and Leonardo Balerdi in the frame, Nainggolan issued a clear warning about taking unnecessary risks in a fixture of this magnitude.
“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.”
He also highlighted Roma’s tactical evolution, pointing to Gianluca Mancini’s aggressive forward runs as a key part of their attacking armoury. That balance between adventure and control, he suggested, will be critical against a side as ruthless as Inter.
Old wounds, lasting bond
Beneath the tactical talk, Nainggolan’s bond with Roma still runs deep. The Patro Eisden midfielder admitted these matches stir something different in him.
He recalled how, in 2018, he felt pushed out of the club by what he described as lies from officials, a rupture that sent him to Inter despite having previously turned down lucrative offers from Chelsea and China to stay in Rome.
That history hasn’t dulled his affection for the Giallorossi. If anything, it sharpens his view of what this team can become.
He spoke with admiration about Gasperini’s attacking approach and admitted he would have enjoyed playing in this version of Roma, particularly alongside forward Donyell Malen in such an aggressive, front-foot system.
Now, as Roma prepare to face the league leaders at the Stadio Olimpico, Nainggolan sees a club standing at a familiar crossroads: either break through their old limits, or be reminded again of the gap to the very top.
