Dani Malen has scored six Serie A goals in five appearances, and Roma’s ruthless start to the season is the backdrop as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side head to the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on October 11. Roma sit second in Serie A with 13 points from five games, three points behind Inter and level with Lazio, making every result feel weighty in a tightly bunched top four. Cesc Fabregas, meanwhile, has Como sitting seventh with 10 points, a result that looks modest on paper but masks some genuinely impressive performances this early in the campaign.
What’s at stake
Roma’s position in the Champions League qualification places is not yet secure. Four of the top nine finishers earn European football at the highest level, and with Cagliari (12 points), Milan (11 points), Juventus (10 points) and Como (10 points) all within striking distance, dropping points on the road could open the door for rivals behind them. Gasperini’s side have conceded just three league goals all season and scored 14, a goal difference that stands as arguably the best in the division after six matchdays.
For Como, a win would pull them level on points with Roma and credibly into the conversation for a top-four finish at this still-early stage. A defeat keeps them anchored in the middle of the table and shifts the focus toward simply maintaining their comfortable buffer above the bottom three. Fabregas has already shown his side can score freely, and a home performance against a fellow top-half side would carry genuine weight.
How they got here
Como’s last five fixtures show a team capable of real quality but with the odd slip. They beat Napoli away 2-1 and Genoa away 4-1, then hammered RB Leipzig 4-1 at home in the Champions League, before beating Parma 2-1 at home in Serie A. Their only blemish was a 2-0 loss at Frosinone on September 20. Roma’s recent run tells a cleaner story: four wins on the bounce in Serie A before drawing 2-2 with Inter at home on September 19, with wins over Lecce (4-0 away), Atalanta (2-1 at home) and Torino (2-0 away) demonstrating genuine depth across the squad.
Roma are second in Serie A on 13 points from five games. Como are seventh on 10 points from five. The three-point gap is tight, but Roma’s superior goal difference and their unbeaten league record give them a slight psychological edge heading into this fixture. Inter lead the division on 16 points, leaving Roma needing consistent results to close that gap.
Key battle to watch
Malen against Como’s defensive line is the duel that will likely determine the outcome. The Roma forward has six Serie A goals already this season, leading the division’s scoring charts. Fabregas will need his center-backs to be aggressive and organized, limiting space in behind where Malen is most dangerous. If Como can keep him quiet and counter through the likes of Nicolas Paz and Assane Diao in transition, they have a real path to three points. If Malen gets room to run, Roma’s attacking fluency makes them very difficult to contain.
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Our Prediction
Roma have the better defensive record and a striker in the kind of form that changes games on their own, which makes them slight favorites here. That said, Como have beaten Napoli and Genoa away from home this season and are not a side that Gasperini’s team can approach casually. The most likely outcome is a competitive match where Roma’s efficiency in front of goal proves the difference, though a share of the points would not be a surprise.