By Petar Todorovski
Shaky Roma will be guest to shaky Inter on Guiseppe Meazza on Sunday derby of Serie A. Lupi missed to reduce the gap behind leaders Milan and promote themselves in real threat to other rivals, but they managed to loose two points in a game that was expected to be easy to win – against relegation strugglers Brescia.
Romans took the lead after tough battle, without many serious chances to score. However, the game ended draw, as Rondinelle equalized minutes after. Unlike them, Inter slowly start to remind on the team the won the treble last year. Nerrazzuri were struggling to find the way to the net, with Samuel Eto’o as the only attacker in good form, and Diego Milito and Goran Pandev who both don’t remember what scoring goals was. Now they strengthened the squad with an amazing striker. Giampaolo Pazzini is exactly what the team needed. He began to show his talents already and will certainly be very dangerous to Julio Sergio’goal.
Roma will have to cope with the great rival without the long term injured Matteo Brighi, Adriano and David Pizzaro. Nevertheless, they play without them for a long time and they won’t feel their absence at all. The missing of suspended Phillipe Mexes will be bigger problem. Lupi conceded on three of the last five Serie A matches, so playing without him against side like Inter won’t be easy. Nerrazzuri have scored incredible sixteen goals in last five Serie A matches, a record for respect even if they play with Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Inter will also play without few important players. First option centre backs Lucio and Walter Samuel are both out due to injuries. However, the champions don’t feel their absence too much, as new acquisition Andrea Ranocchia does fantastic job since his arriving. Dejan Stankovic, MacDonald Mariga and Luca Castelazzi will also miss.
It is expected for Inter to start with three strikers as usual. Samuel Eto’o and Giampaolo Pazzini will start for sure, while the third one will be either Diego Milito or Goran Pandev. Wesley Sneijder will be back in the first team as well and marco Materazzi will cover, or at least will try to cover, the number o absences in Inter denfesive line.
Roma will deploy three strikers on the field. Marco Borriello and Mirko Vucinic will be the attacking duo up front, while creative super force Jeremy Menez will try to break Nerrazzuri defense from behind. Talisman Francesco Totti will start from the bench.
We can expect tough game from the actors of both sides. Roma will probably try to defend for a while and wait for a chance as they did against Milan. Despite Mexes’ absence, Claudio Ranieri still knows how to prepare his players to defend well. They will struggle to create any serious chance, as on most of the away matches. Unlike them, Leonardo’s men are favorites on home ground and will keep attacking all of the time. Sixteen goals in five games is an impressive record and I think they will keep it after this game. All in all, Inter are great favorites for victory.
