Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised Lautaro Martinez after the Inter captain’s brace salvaged a 2-2 draw for the Nerazzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Lautaro scored both Inter goals to cancel out a Roma lead that had looked commanding at half-time, as detailed in SempreInter’s coverage of the draw.

Roma went into the break 2-0 up thanks to a Manu Kone double, only for Lautaro to strike 51 seconds into the second half and then equalise with 11 minutes of normal time remaining. Inter also came close through Alessandro Bastoni, who rattled the woodwork, while Marcus Thuram’s backheel drifted narrowly wide. The result ended both sides’ perfect starts to the season and left Roma and Inter level heading into the extended international break.

Gasperini’s Admiration For Lautaro

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Gasperini and Lautaro shared a brief embrace on the pitch after the final whistle. Gasperini later told reporters he had joked with the Inter captain that he always seems to score against him, before acknowledging that in truth Lautaro scores against everyone. He went on to describe the Argentine as an incredible player, one respected by every opponent despite the damage he regularly inflicts, a sentiment that echoes recent analysis of Lautaro’s status as a complete forward published ahead of the fixture.

The numbers behind that respect are considerable. Per the same Gazzetta report, Lautaro has now faced Gasperini-coached sides 17 times, winning 12 and drawing five while scoring 11 goals. His tally at the Stadio Olimpico has climbed to seven league goals overall, split four against Lazio and three against Roma.

Roma’s Silver Lining

Speaking to DAZN Italia, as carried by FotMob, Gasperini argued the contest had been played on level terms and insisted the performance should give Roma confidence moving forward. He noted his side should be pleased with its overall progress and quality, even while conceding that the manner of the two goals lost was too casual. Roma remain unbeaten in their opening five league matches for the first time since 2014-15 and have now scored at least twice in ten consecutive Serie A fixtures, with Lautaro’s continued influence likely to be a recurring theme whenever the two sides next meet.