That is the headline number, and it is a serious one. Inter have dropped only two league points so far, with the only blemish a 2-2 draw away to Roma. After seven matches, the table gives Cristian Chivu’s side exactly what title contenders want: a margin for confidence.
The catch is in how often they have had to retrieve matches. Bologna became the fourth Serie A opponent in seven games to put Inter behind first. Inter still won, through goals from Marcus Thuram, Carlos Augusto and Ange-Yoan Bonny, and Football Italia reports they have already recovered 10 points from losing positions this season, more than any other side in Europe’s top divisions.
Resilience is a strength until it starts looking like a routine.
Inter can reasonably enjoy a start like this. Nineteen points from 21 is not a statistical accident, and a team that repeatedly turns bad situations around has nerve and attacking depth. But there is a difference between a side that can rescue games and one that keeps needing rescue. Over seven matches, those comebacks feel dramatic. Over a season, they can become a tax.
That is why the “worrying omen” attached to this start lands at least partly on football logic rather than superstition. Football Italia says Inter have hit this 19-point mark after seven Serie A matches on three previous occasions and did not go on to win the title in any of them, with Juventus finishing above them each time. That does not predict anything by itself, but it does fit the broader unease around a team collecting elite results without much calm.
The league form remains excellent. The pattern inside it is less serene. At Bologna, Inter won again, and won well enough on the scoreboard. They also fell behind again.
Isla Camilleri 
Ryan C