AS Roma vs Inter Predicted Lineups: Team News for Serie A Clash

Top spot in Serie A is on the line at Stadio Olimpico as league leaders AS Roma host second-placed Inter in Round 5 of the 2026 regular season. Both sides come into this clash with perfect records: Roma have 12 points from 4 games with a +11 goal difference, while Inter also sit on 12 points from 4 matches, boasting a +7 differential. With only goals separating them, this is an early-season six-pointer in the title race.

Roma’s form has been ruthless: four wins from four, 12 goals scored and just 1 conceded, with a flawless “WWWW” league form string. Inter match that “WWWW” sequence, but with a more open profile – 13 goals scored and 6 conceded. Recent head-to-heads have favoured Inter, especially at the Olimpico, adding extra intrigue to the predicted lineups and tactical balance.

With no official starting lineup available yet, this pre-match analysis focuses on predicted lineups built from squad lists, current absences, and key performance stats such as top scorers and top assists. Both teams are expected to field strong XIs despite a few notable injuries, and the matchup looks finely poised given the win probabilities and market odds.

AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Roma arrive in outstanding league form, sitting 1st with 12 points, 12 goals for and just 1 against. Their form string “WWWW” underlines a side that has combined attacking fluency with defensive solidity. However, there are a couple of important absences to factor into the expected lineup: M. Bah is ruled out with a knee injury, and E. Ndicka is missing due to illness. Both are officially listed as “Missing Fixture” for this match.

Even with those setbacks, Roma’s core remains intact. The expected tactical approach is an aggressive, front-foot style, underpinned by a compact defensive block that has conceded only once in four games. The manager is likely to lean heavily on in-form attackers D. Malen and P. Dybala, plus creative support from M. Soulé, to stretch an Inter side that has been prolific but not watertight at the back.

AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Svilar
DF: Hermoso, G. Mancini, L. Balerdi, D. Rensch
MF: B. Cristante, M. Koné, L. Pellegrini, N. Molina
FW: P. Dybala, D. Malen, M. Soulé

This predicted lineup puts Roma’s star attackers at the centre of the game plan. D. Malen has been one of the standout performers in Serie A so far, with 6 goals from 4 appearances and an excellent attacking rating. His 14 shots with 9 on target and strong duel numbers suggest he will be the primary goal threat, constantly looking to exploit space behind Inter’s back line.

P. Dybala, the league’s leading assist provider with 4 assists in 4 games, is expected to operate between the lines, feeding Malen and combining with M. Soulé. Dybala’s 17 key passes underline how central he is to Roma’s chance creation. M. Soulé adds a dual threat: 2 goals and 1 assist already, plus 11 shots and 7 on target, make him a key secondary scorer and creator. Behind them, Hermoso anchors the defence and has contributed at both ends, including 1 goal and strong defensive metrics, though his disciplinary profile (multiple cards across yellow and red rankings) means Roma will need controlled aggression at the back.

Inter Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Inter travel to Rome in equally perfect league form: 4 wins from 4, 13 goals scored and 6 conceded, with a “WWWW” form string. Their attacking numbers are slightly superior to Roma’s, but they have been more vulnerable defensively, especially at home where they have conceded 6 goals in 3 matches. For this trip, they must cope without key midfielder H. Çalhanoğlu, out with a muscle injury, and defender D. Spence, sidelined by injury. Both are listed as “Missing Fixture”.

There are also two question marks in the lineups today: F. Stante and J. Stones are both flagged as “Questionable” with injuries. Given their uncertain status, they are not included in the predicted starting XI. Even so, Inter can still field a powerful side, with attacking depth featuring Lautaro Martínez, M. Thuram and F. Esposito, plus creative midfield influence from A. Diouf, who has been one of the league’s top assist providers so far.

Inter Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: Josep Martínez
DF: B. Pavard, M. Akanji, A. Bastoni, F. Dimarco
MF: N. Barella, A. Diouf, P. Zieliński, Carlos Augusto
FW: Lautaro Martínez, F. Esposito, M. Thuram

Inter have consistently used an attacking-minded shape this season, and the predicted lineup reflects that trend. Up front, Lautaro Martínez brings 2 goals from 3 appearances and a high work rate, while also featuring prominently in disciplinary rankings, which hints at his combative style. Alongside him, F. Esposito has 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 starts, with 9 shots and 5 on target, making him a dangerous finisher and link player. M. Thuram adds another 2 goals and 1 assist, plus an excellent rating and strong duel success, giving Inter a versatile, physically imposing front line.

In midfield, A. Diouf has been a standout creator with 3 assists in 3 games and 13 key passes, indicating he is likely to be the main playmaker in Çalhanoğlu’s absence. N. Barella and P. Zieliński provide energy and control, while Carlos Augusto and F. Dimarco offer width and delivery from deeper positions. At the back, Pavard, Akanji and Bastoni form a strong but occasionally exposed unit, which will be tested severely by Roma’s in-form attack.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

Absences on both sides could subtly reshape the match dynamic, especially in midfield and defence. Roma lose depth in central defence and midfield, while Inter are without a key playmaker and a defensive option on the flank, plus have two players listed as doubtful.

AS Roma Absences:

M. Bah — Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
E. Ndicka — Illness (Missing Fixture)

Inter Absences:

H. Çalhanoğlu — Muscle Injury (Missing Fixture)
D. Spence — Injury (Missing Fixture)
F. Stante — Injury (Questionable)
J. Stones — Injury (Questionable)

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

The predicted lineups set up a fascinating clash between Roma’s balanced, high-efficiency side and Inter’s more explosive but open unit. Roma’s defensive record is exceptional: just 1 goal conceded in 4 league games, with three clean sheets and strong defensive indices. Anchored by Hermoso and G. Mancini, and shielded by B. Cristante and M. Koné, Roma are likely to form a compact block that looks to spring quickly into attack through Dybala and Soulé. Their goals are well distributed across the 90 minutes, but they have been especially dangerous late on, with a significant share of goals in the final quarter of matches.

Inter, by contrast, have leaned into high-tempo attacking football, averaging 3.3 goals per game but conceding 1.5 on average. Their goals often arrive in the middle of each half, particularly between minutes 46–60, where they have been especially prolific. The predicted front three of Lautaro Martínez, Esposito and Thuram offers movement, physicality and finishing, which will challenge Roma’s back line in the air and on the break. However, without Çalhanoğlu, Inter lose a key set-piece and long-range threat, placing more creative responsibility on A. Diouf and the wing-backs.

Key battles will likely emerge between Roma’s creative trio (Dybala, Malen, Soulé) and Inter’s defensive core (Pavard, Akanji, Bastoni), as well as in midfield where Barella and Diouf will try to dictate tempo against Cristante and Pellegrini. Roma’s superior defensive index and Inter’s stronger attacking index suggest a game where Inter may create more chances but face a more efficient, clinical Roma side in both boxes. Disciplinary trends for Hermoso and Lautaro Martínez also hint at a potentially intense, physical contest where set pieces and duels could be decisive.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Win-probability models give Inter a narrow edge despite Roma’s perfect defensive record. The outcome probabilities are approximately 10% for a Roma win, 45% for a draw, and 45% for an Inter victory. Comparison indices also lean slightly towards Inter overall, with a marginal advantage in attack and total index, while Roma hold the clear edge in defensive metrics. Head-to-head data further tilts towards Inter, who have won the majority of recent meetings, particularly at the Olimpico.

Pre-match odds across major bookmakers frame this as an almost perfectly balanced encounter. Implied probabilities for a Roma win range roughly from about 36% to 43%, while Inter’s implied range sits around 37% to 40%, and the draw around 28% to 32%, depending on the bookmaker. That aligns closely with the prediction model’s 45–45 split between draw and away win. With predicted goals fields not specifying an exact scoreline, the most data-consistent verdict is a tight match where Inter avoid defeat, and a draw or narrow away win is the likeliest outcome.

Predicted Outcome: AS Roma 1–1 Inter
Given the double-chance advice of “draw or Inter” and the near-equal win indices, a 1–1 draw best reflects Roma’s strong defence, Inter’s potent attack, and the balance of probabilities.

How to Watch AS Roma vs Inter Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

Spain: Local pay-TV sports channel / major streaming platform
UK: Premium sports broadcaster or official league streaming service
USA / North America: Regional soccer network or subscription streaming platform
South America: Leading sports cable channel and associated streaming app
MENA: Regional satellite sports network and digital streaming service