Roma concede three in seven games, but three to Real in seven minutes

Roma arrive at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday 24 October, kick-off 18:00 CET (17:00 UK, 12:00 ET), third in the table with 17 points from seven games. Inter and Lazio share top spot on 19, two points ahead.

Napoli are ninth on 10 points, seven behind them. For a side that sees Roma as a direct rival, that gap already matters in October.

Gasperini's Roma

The head coach is Gian Piero Gasperini, chosen by the Friedkins, Roma's owners. Against Slovan Bratislava his side scored through four different players: Hermoso, Molina, Pisilli and Malen, the last from the penalty spot.

That win made up for the home defeat to Real Madrid, which had threatened to complicate their European campaign. Roma now have 4 points in the league phase. In Serie A they score regularly and give away very little. That is what keeps them on the leaders' heels.

Seven minutes against Real

The Real Madrid game shows both sides of this team best. With seven minutes left Roma led 3-1. In those seven minutes Espì, Endrick and Rüdiger turned the result around.

All three goals came from corners, as the Roma players visibly tired. A team that has conceded three goals in seven league games let in the same number from set pieces at the end of a single match.

That points to the first lesson for Saturday: set pieces and the last 15 minutes. Roma played on Tuesday night, as Napoli did, so neither side has an extra day of rest. Against Real, Roma faded late and at corners. Napoli need to prepare for both carefully, because in a tight game those moments can decide more than any piece of individual skill.

Already looking at January

Meanwhile Roma are planning for the January window. Their main attacking target is still Nusa, the Leipzig and Norway winger born in 2005. To persuade the German club, Roma are reportedly ready to offer €45m plus 20% of any future sale, while sporting director D'Amico is also weighing up other names.

A club ready to spend that much to complete its attack has clear ambitions. Napoli supporters expect the same from their own board.

Napoli's form

Napoli come into the game after a 4-3 win over Bodø/Glimt, in which they let the opponents come back twice, and a 1-0 defeat at Venezia in their last league game.

Against one of the sides Napoli's season will be measured against, at the Maradona, a decent showing is not enough. A draw does not close a seven-point gap on a team above them. If there is one game where this team needs to show it will not settle, it is this one.