Inter Milan host Rome at the San Siro on Sunday night as Week 12 of Serie A concludes on Sunday.
The Giallorossi didn’t have the finances to sustain such success, and new boss Claudio Ranieri would simply be content to end the campaign in a Champions League place. Even that looks a tall order though given the Lupi’s recent form.
Last weekend’s win over Bologna provided a little respite after three consecutive defeats, but they urgently require points to manoeuvre upwards from 14th position.
In contrast the Serpenti are in characteristically dominant form. Already they’re seven points clear at the top of the table, having responded to their only loss of the campaign at Sampdoria in Week 6 with five consecutive wins.
This fixture has all the makings of an explosive one, as firstly, Roma have been aggrieved by refereeing decisions on their last two visits to face Inter. Stand in captain Daniele De Rossi will be especially fired up given his outburst after the 3-3 draw between the teams in March, an amazing match in which Inter fought back from being 3-1 down.
Lastly there’s the amount of players lining up against their former teammates. Inter’s Cristian Chivu, Amantino Mancini and Walter Samuel are all ex-Giallorossi, while Roma’s Nicolas Burdisso, David Pizarro and Marco Andreolli are former Nerazzurri stars.
Thiago Motta, Sulley Muntari and Wesley Sneijder all need to prove their fitness for the home side.
Talisman Francesco Totti remains absent for the visitors, as does the injured Juan and the suspended Rodrigo Taddei.
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