The Japan Times - Table-toppers Roma face Napoli and Serie A title test

Last crowned kings of Italy back in 2001, Roma are two points ahead of the current champions and AC Milan in a crowded early Scudetto tussle.

Roma seem like unlikely title challengers. They haven't even qualified for the Champions League since 2018 while success-starved fans have seen their team win one trophy in the last 17 seasons.

But Roma have been Serie A's best team over the course of 2025, collecting 76 points from 32 matches -- 10 more than Napoli -- in which they have conceded just 17 goals, the lowest in the division over that period.

And last weekend's win at Cremonese suggested that Roma's problem with scoring goals might be over, with clinical finishing putting the capital club top of the table.

Gasperini will have to watch from the stands after being sent off at the Stadio Giovanni Zini, where he was seen going berserk with joy on his own when Evan Ferguson ended a year-long scoring duck shortly after being dismissed.

But his influence is already being seen on the team and the fans, who have a deserved reputation for being both impatient when things don't go well and easily carried way when they do.

Supporters produced a work of graffiti in the city depicting Gasperini as a wizard concocting a potion for success based on grit, heart and sweat.

"Those are the things that we need, and we can add a little spice and salt," joked Gasperini on Sunday.

Roma ended Midtjylland's perfect start to the Europa League on Thursday, and Gasperini has proved himself versatile, with injuries to attackers Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala not hampering their progress.

Napoli are back on track however, with Tuesday's 2-0 win over Qarabag putting Antonio Conte's side in a better position in the Champions League after soundly beating Atalanta last weekend.

Conte seemed like a different person to the one who said he wouldn't "accompany the dead" after an awful defeat at Bologna before the international break.

He still has a raft of injuries to deal with but, with Romelu Lukaku still out of action, will have Rasmus Hojlund available after the Denmark forward started against Qarabag.

Also lurking are Bologna, unbeaten in two months and just three points behind Roma in fifth place ahead of the visit of Cremonese, and ambitious Como.

A 5-1 hammering of Torino on Monday has Como in a European place above Juventus, and a win on Friday against Sassuolo would put Cesc Fabregas's team temporarily level on 24 points with Bologna and Inter Milan.

Player to watch: Matias Soule

Dybala's continued physical fragility has had much less of an impact on Roma this season thanks to the progression of fellow Argentina Soule, another player who is enjoying life under Gasperini.

His fizzing opening goal at Cremonese was the forward's fifth in all competitions this season and the 22-year-old will provide invention alongside Rome-born Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Soule has already equalled his goal tally for last season and he will be key to Roma's bid to beat Napoli and keep hold of top spot.

Key stats

3 - The number of points that separate the top five teams in Serie A.

24 - Roma haven't won the Serie A title since 2001, nearly a quarter of a century ago.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Como v Sassuolo (1945)

Saturday

Genoa v Verona, Parma v Udinese (1400), Juventus v Cagliari (1700), AC Milan v Lazio (1945)

Sunday

Lecce v Torino (1130), Pisa v Inter Milan (1400), Atalanta v Fiorentina (1700), Roma v Napoli (1945)

Monday

Bologna v Cremonese (1945)

Y.Watanabe--JT