Serie A:Roma seek Totti boost for Inter visit

godtabh

Preview

MILAN, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Struggling AS Roma hope talismanic captain Francesco Totti can help them rediscover last season's sparkling form for Sunday's visit of Serie A champions Inter Milan (1830 GMT).

Roma, runners-up last term, have lost three of their opening six league games and are not in the best shape to face joint leaders Inter.

Central defenders Philippe Mexes and Christian Panucci are suspended while Totti is still feeling his way back after knee surgery last season.

However, the international break has given the forward more time to boost his fitness and he should at least make the bench.

"Francesco is better. The work he has done this week is encouraging in view of the Inter game," Roma boss Luciano Spalletti told the club's television channel.

"We will assess him day-by-day but it seems he is at a good point.

Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani will be feeling confident after scoring twice in Italy's 2-1 win over Montenegro in Wednesday's World Cup qualifying Group Eight match in Lecce.

Club team mate Mirko Vucinic was also impressive in scoring Montenegro's goal.

Inter have a slight worry over Patrick Vieira after he missed France's 2-2 weekend draw in Romania with a calf injury.

Winger Mancini, who moved to Inter from Roma in the close season, can expect a less than warm welcome back at the Stadio Olimpico with former Roma defender Cristian Chivu also possibly back for the visitors.

Juventus, like Roma, are going through a sticky patch and Saturday's (1830) trip to Napoli's intimidating San Paolo stadium is hardly the ideal match to help them improve, especially with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and winger Mauro Camoranesi injured.

AC Milan, who host winless Sampdoria on Sunday (1300), lost 2-1 in a friendly in Tirana on Tuesday. Filippo Inzaghi picked up a knock but injury-prone defender Alessandro Nesta returned to action.

Saturday, October 18, 2008
Time Home Away VENUE
17:00 UK Fiorentina v Reggina Artemio Franchi
19:30 UK Napoli v Juventus Stadio San Paolo
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Time Home Away VENUE
14:00 UK Bologna v Lazio Stadio Renato Della`Ara
14:00 UK Catania Calcio v Palermo Stadio Angelo Massimino
14:00 UK Chievo Verona v Atalanta Stadio Marc`Antonio Bentegodi
14:00 UK Genoa v Siena Comunale Luigi Ferraris
14:00 UK Lecce v Udinese Stadio Via del Mare
14:00 UK AC Milan v Sampdoria Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
14:00 UK Torino v Cagliari Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
19:30 UK Roma v Inter Milan Stadio Olimpico

Dont know whats happened to Roma this season. A lot of stuff in the paper about the players and manager and that they had a falling out.

I reckon that the Roma players will lift themselfs for this game and it could be a good game. Hoepfully it will be a repeat of last years game!

Mr. Presentable

I suspect Totti will lift them if he returns.

Juventus injury list for the trip to Napoli is a bit grim for Ranieri

Cristiano Zanetti, Jonathan Zebina, David Trezeguet, Nicola Legrottaglie, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Olof Mellberg, Mauro Camoranesi and Gianluigi Buffon.

godtabh

nipplenuts wrote: »

Cristiano Zanetti, Jonathan Zebina, David Trezeguet, Nicola Legrottaglie, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Olof Mellberg, Mauro Camoranesi and Gianluigi Buffon.

I like Ranieri but what the **** do you do with an injury team like that?

Who plays in goals for Juve these days? its been awhile!

Trippie

alex manninger

Mr. Presentable

Juventus lost 1 - 2 v Napoli last night. With Real Madrid in midweek and the Turin derby at the weekend, and with a long injury list, Ranieri is facing the precipice. The papers today are calling for his head and that of Secco, the GM citing not only daft substitutions, but also an appalling transfer market during the summer.

Xavi6

2 goals for Ronny

godtabh

Inter 3-0 up

4 nil up now.

Looks like it will be a repeat of last year

delija_sever029

Inter is definitly out of concurrence in Calcio,Roma is really bad so far in this season

godtabh

ROME, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace as champions Inter Milan thrashed struggling AS Roma 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday to move two points clear at the top of Serie A.

The Sweden striker was on target at the start of both halves before Dejan Stankovic and Victor Obinna completed the rout with powerful shots from the edge of the area in the 54th and 56th minute.

Three teams are tied in second place with 14 points - Catania, who beat Sicilian rivals Palermo 2-0, Udinese, who drew 2-2 at Lecce, and Napoli, 2-1 victors over Juventus on Saturday.

AC Milan are a point further back after Ronaldinho struck twice and Filippo Inzaghi scored a late goal to secure a 3-0 win over Sampdoria, who had Stefano Lucchini sent off for handling the ball that gifted the Brazilian his opener from the spot.

Last year's runners-up Roma fell to their fourth defeat in seven games despite the return of captain Francesco Totti, who made his first start in the league this season after knee surgery, and are nine points off the pace.

Possibly a one horse race this season?

Mr. Presentable

kearnsr wrote: »

Possibly a one horse race this season?

Looks that way. Zlatan is a class act, and seems to have reigned in his on-field indiscipline. I wonder if he'll overcome his European stage fright this year.

On another night Roma might have got two, and restricted Inter to two.

godtabh

nipplenuts wrote: »

Looks that way. Zlatan is a class act, and seems to have reigned in his on-field indiscipline. I wonder if he'll overcome his European stage fright this year.

I was reading an interview with him and he was saying that Jose has changed him. He admitted that more or less he was a git but Jose has focused him more and helped him alot. He had a dig at Roberto and blamed him on his up and down form last year