Inter's title credentials took a hit at the Olimpico on Saturday, not because of the 2-2 draw with Roma, but because of how it happened. Cristian Chivu's side went two goals down inside the first half before Lautaro Martínez rescued a point with a second-half double, continuing a pattern that has now defined four consecutive matches. The inability to start games at full intensity is a genuine concern, and it is one Chivu must address before it costs Inter points they cannot afford to drop.

The result leaves Inter second in Serie A, level on 13 points with Roma and Lazio after five games, with the title race already tightening earlier than expected. Gasperini's Roma are proving to be a serious challenger, which makes Inter's defensive lapses in the opening stages of matches all the more damaging.

Off the pitch, the injury situation adds further pressure. Hakan Çalhanoğlu missed the Roma game and his return timeline remains unclear, while Nicolo Zaniolo, Oumar Solet and two players diagnosed with a mild benign arrhythmia are also sidelined. The squad is stretched at a critical early phase of the season.

Lautaro Martínez now faces a different kind of problem. The captain heads into the international break with Argentina, and his involvement in three fixtures before October means he could return fatigued ahead of Inter's next Serie A match against Parma on 10 October, where he may start on the bench.