Following the death of Pope Francis earlier this week, Serie A was compelled to reschedule nearly all of its matches on short notice. For Inter Milan, this means the league-leading Nerazzurri must navigate a challenging schedule of four matches in ten days. They face Roma tomorrow, and just three days later, they will need to shift their focus to Barcelona for a Champions League match. However, this delay may benefit Roma, as it gives coach Claudio Ranieri an extra day to strategize for an upset at the San Siro.

By now, you’re well aware of the task facing Ranieri and the Giallorossi. Thanks to a torrid 2025 in which the club hasn’t lost a single Serie A match, Roma thrust itself back into the Champions League conversation. But make no mistake, it was never meant to be an easy conversation. With only a pair of “gimme” matches (Verona, Torino) sprinkled in between a slate of six-pointers, Ranieri and Roma have little margin for error in their quest to end the club’s Champions League drought.

And while Roma still hasn’t erred in 2025, by drawing Juventus and Lazio—two of their chief competitors in this case— they have let several precious points slip through their fingers, making an already difficult task feel impossible. However, thanks to a plucky performance from Parma midweek, which upset Juventus 1-0 on Wednesday, Roma’s Champions League hopes remain alive and well.

With a three-point gap between themselves and fourth-place Bologna, Roma can potentially pull even with Vincenzo Italiano’s side. All that stands in the way is an away fixture against first-place Inter Milan, who will be fighting tooth and nail to stay ahead of second-place Napoli. But with only one win in their last six trips to the San Siro, Roma has their work cut out for them.

With that in mind, let’s look at a few of the key storylines in Sunday’s massive, potentially season-defining six-pointer.

Keep An Eye On

Marcus Thuram

With double-digit league goals in his last three seasons—one with Gladbach and two with Inter—Thuram is beginning to carve out his own legacy, distinct from being the son of the legendary Lilian Thuram. This season, he has scored 14 league goals, ranking him third in Serie A, behind Matteo Retegui (23) and Moise Kean (17). Alongside Lautaro Martinez, he has formed one of the most formidable scoring duos in the league.

However, with a nagging muscular injury slowing him down lately, Roma may catch a break on Sunday. And good thing—he’s scored two goals in the past three contests between these two bitter rivals. If he makes the start on Sunday, Evan Ndicka and Gianluca Mancini will face the unenviable task of slowing down the 27-year-old French forward.

Hey, speaking of forwards…

Who Starts: Shomurodov or Dovbyk?

While Eldor Shomurodov wasn’t necessarily an expensive purchase, coming in at just shy of €20 million, he still cost Roma a pretty penny when he joined from Genoa in 2021. And up until two months ago, he was considered a sunk cost. However, after carving out a role as Roma’s 12th man, so to speak, Shomurodov has found new life in the Eternal City. And what’s more, with two match-winning or deciding goals in his past three appearances, the 29-year-old Uzbekistani forward has been more than just a curiosity for Ranieri—he’s an essential piece of the puzzle now.

But he’s not Artem Dovbyk. Coming in at a healthy €30 million, Dovbyk, who claimed La Liga’s scoring title last season with Girona, was meant to transform Roma’s attack. And while he hasn’t taken the league by storm, Dovbyk has 16 goals in all competitions to his credit thus far. While that’s a respectable tally, he’s done enough (or not done enough, I suppose) to keep the door open for Shomurodov.

Tomorrow’s match isn’t likely to be a barnburner, but Roma won’t stand a chance without a significant contribution from their forwards. But who will lead the line? Or could Ranieri start both?

Going along with that…

Can Roma Score More Than One Goal?

While Roma’s 2025 run has been one for the ages, in some respects, it’s been a house of cards. Taking nothing away from the club’s suffocating defense, Ranieri’s attack has run aground in recent weeks, scoring only one goal or fewer in nine of their last eleven league fixtures. And against a side as stingy as Inter Milan, who have conceded the fourth fewest goals in the league, it could be a recipe for disaster.

Making matters worse, over the past six weeks, Inter has scored 12 goals, tying AC Milan for the best mark in the league. While Roma has scored only six goals during that same stretch, they have conceded just two goals in their past six matches. Clearly, something has to give on Sunday, but whose resolve will break first?

Under normal circumstances, escaping the San Siro with their dignity (and a point) intact is considered a job well done. But not this weekend. Roma must win this match.

Match Details

Date: April 27th

Kickoff: 15:00 CET/9:00 EDT

Venue: San Siro, Milano

Referee: Michael Fabbri

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