AS Roma vs. Inter Milan [P+R]

[Adi]

AS Roma vs. Inter Milan

Big game in Italy this Sunday. 

Any news or predictions?

[moby]

well i think roma can get the win.


























bullshit FORZA INTER

3-1 roma haven't been in good form and inter will want revenge from the lose to AC

[Tito]

Serie A Preview: Roma - Inter
What: Serie A - Matchday 7
Who: Roma (14th, 7 points) vs Inter (1st, 13 points)
When: Sunday 19 October 2008, 20:30 CET
Where: Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Last season Roma received numerous plaudits for the way they kept the Serie A title race against Inter alive until the final matchday, nearly overcoming a seemingly unbridgeable 11-point gap. Everyone praised their style of football, some even suggesting that no team in Europe played better than Roma last season.

They were virtual champions for about an hour on the final matchday, before Zlatan Ibrahimovic rewrote the history books with two late goals to claim Inter’s 16th league title in the match against Parma. Despite the final disappointment, this was easily Roma’s best season of the post-Fabio Capello era, as coach Luciano Spalletti managed to give the team a clear identity and a style of football that was at times dazzling. Only a few too many points lost against the smaller teams prevented them from snatching the Scudetto from Inter’s millionaire squad.

Going into this season, expectations were understandably high, although some expressed skepticism about the club’s transfer campaign, and considered Inter, Milan, and Juventus to be of a higher level. It turns out that this was justified, as so far the Giallorossi have looked a shadow of the team we saw last season.

A warning sign came in the Italian Supercup match against Inter, in which they were very lucky to take the match to extra time as they were outplayed for large sections of the match (they ultimately lost on penalties following a 2-2 draw in normal time). They have since gone on to make a stuttering start both domestically and in the Champions League, where they lost their first home game 2-1 against virtually unknown Romanian side Cluj. In Serie A, following defeats to Palermo, Genoa, and Siena (all away from home), they are 6 points adrift of the top after just six games.

Many have attributed these disappointing results to various injuries, in particular that of captain Francesco Totti, but obviously a team that depends on a single player cannot claim to be a serious Scudetto contender. Also, last season Roma frequently played just as well without Totti as with him, so it’s hard to explain why Spalletti’s team have started so poorly.

Could it be that the Scudetto race of last season, where they came so close to completing a historic comeback, has left them feeling like they couldn’t possibly do better this time? Frequently the players have looked unmotivated and nervous, which has resulted in a number of key red cards. In their most recent match at Siena, both Philippe Mexes and Christian Panucci saw red, which means both of them will be unavailable for this crucial match against the Serie A leaders.

Roma simply cannot afford a defeat in this match, even though the season is of course still very long. In fact, to really get their season going, they probably need a victory, which would be their first at home against Inter since 2004 (considering only Serie A encounters). If they can do that, they will be just three points below Inter, but any other result would keep Jose Mourinho’s side firmly in the driving seat.

Inter Hoping For Another Memorable Rome Night

It’s interesting that this fixture took place in the early stages of the last two seasons as well, and both times it was Inter who virtually drew first blood in the Scudetto race, as in both of those seasons it was clear pretty early on that it would be between those two sides.

In 2006/07, the first post-Calciopoli season, Inter visited Roma only on the third matchday, and came away with a 1-0 win courtesy of a great solo goal by Hernan Crespo. It was one of the first signs of Inter’s newfound strength, and they justified their billing as major Scudetto favorites with a record-breaking season, in which they won almost all the big games, and finished 22 points ahead of closest challengers Roma.

Last season the two teams met on the 6th matchday, and Inter prevailed again, in a much more comfortable fashion this time, although Ludovic Giuly’s early sending off made it easier for them. In fact, it was the Frenchman’s handball that allowed Ibrahimovic to open the score from the penalty spot in the first half. Early in the second half, Simone Perrotta managed to equalise for Roma, but it didn’t take long for Inter to regain the lead, and they eventually stormed to a 4-1 win with goals from Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz, and Ivan Cordoba.

That victory allowed Inter to grab a solitary lead on top of the table, and they were not to be catched again until the end of the season. Of course, it was a much closer race this time, but the two teams slugging it out for the title were the same ones, and once again it was Inter who grabbed the Tricolore.

It would surprise many, given the way this season has started, if these two teams will go head-to-head for the Serie A title once again. But that is mostly due to Roma’s faltering start, because Inter have started strongly results wise under new coach Jose Mourinho, although some of their performances have also been less than convincing.

They have not made any missteps against small teams, which is what really sets them apart from their Scudetto challengers, but they’ve been unable to beat more prestigious sides like Milan, who handed them their first and only defeat of the season so far, Werder Bremen, and of course Roma in the Supercup. In that sense, it will be interesting to see how they acquit themselves in this match, and whether they will be able to take advantage of the Giallorossi’s precarious state.

If Inter win, it would be their first major victory under Mourinho’s reign, and would confirm their status as heavy favorites to win the title for the fourth consecutive time. However, a draw would also be far from a bad result for the Nerazzurri, as the worst thing that could happen in that case is that they will be two points off the top of the table. Most importantly, however, it would keep Roma at a safe distance.

It goes without saying that a defeat would be bad news for Inter, as it would confirm their struggles against top class opposition, but in terms of their situation in the league it would certainly not be a disaster for them to lose. All in all, it seems clear that most of the pressure is on Roma, although obviously in such big games neither side ever wants to lose.

 

FORM GUIDE

Roma

05/10 (Serie A): Siena-Roma 1-0

01/10 (Champions League): Bordeaux-Roma 1-3

27/09 (Serie A): Roma-Atalanta 2-0

24/09 (Serie A): Genoa-Roma 3-1

20/09 (Serie A): Roma-Reggina 3-0

Inter

04/10 (Serie A): Inter-Bologna 2-1

01/10 (Champions League): Inter-Werder Bremen 1-1

28/09 (Serie A): Milan-Inter 1-0

24/09 (Serie A): Inter-Lecce 1-0

21/09 (Serie A): Torino-Inter 1-3

 

TEAM NEWS

Roma

With Mexes and Panucci both out, Spalletti has to rethink his defence somewhat. Simone Loria will step in to partner Juan in the center of the defence. Attacking full backs Marco Cassetti and Max Tonetto are also unavailable due to injury, so Cicinho and John Arne Riise will feature at right and left back respectively. Julio Baptista is also injured, so Mirko Vucinic will be the lone striker, with Totti starting from the bench, though the captain will most likely make an appearence in the second half.

Possible formation (4-2-3-1): Doni; Cicinho, Juan, Loria, Riise; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Aquilani, Perrotta; Vucinic.

Inter

Less injury problems than usual for Mourinho, who will only be missing defender Nelson Rivas, who was operated recently and may be out until the new year, while Luis Figo, Maxwell, Luis Jimenez, and Patrick Vieira are also out injured. Mourinho will probably use a 4-4-2 formation for this match to avoid being outnumbered by Roma’s midfield, with captain Javier Zanetti on the right wing and former Roma man Amantino Mancini on the left, and the usual attacking couple of Adriano and Ibrahimovic up front.

Possible formation (4-4-2): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Chivu, Burdisso; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Mancini; Adriano, Ibrahimovic.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alberto Aquilani (Roma)

The 24-year-old creative midfielder scored his first goal for Italy in the midweek World Cup qualifier against Montenegro (featuring his team mate Vucinic, who also found the net in that game), and instantly got the hang of it, adding a second to ensure the Azzurri took home all three points from a tough match. For Roma, his recent performances haven’t been quite as stellar, but that goes for the whole team. Reportedly, the likes of Juventus and Inter were both following Aquilani last summer, but he is a born Roma fan and it’s likely he will follow in the footsteps of Totti and captain-to-be Daniele De Rossi in staying faithful to the Giallorossi. Looks set to be a mainstay for both the Azzurri and Roma in the near future.

Amantino Mancini (Inter)

It will certainly a special night for the Brazilian winger, who made the switch from Roma to Inter last summer. With the Nerazzurri, Mancini has confirmed his reputation as an inconsistent player, as his early season performances were excellent, but in recent games he didn’t get involved enough in Inter’s attacks, and he must be careful he doesn't lose Mourinho’s trust. There’s little doubt he will be booed by the home fans at the Stadio Olimpico, as he was never a favorite with the fans, who accused him of not being a team player and of being out to earn more money elsewhere. It turns out they were right at least in part, as he will now certainly earn more money at Inter, but perhaps also the chances of Mancini winning the first major trophy of his career will also increase with the Nerazzurri.

 

PREDICTION

Matches between these two sides are always full of goals or at least incident-packed, and it should be no different this time. Inter are slight favorites, but home advantage will play a role here, and Roma will be desperate to avoid their third straight home defeat to their Scudetto rivals of the past two seasons. Mourinho’s team will probably not be that unhappy with a draw from this one, so I’m going for an entertaining, action-packed tie.

Roma-Inter 2-2

Totti And Juan To Play Inter?
It’s been a frustrating season to date on the injury front for the Giallorossi, and with report after report emerging throughout the week regarding the fitness of Totti, the latest reports suggest that he will play this weekend.

The latest reports coming from Rome claim that Francesco Totti will play this weekend, despite Spalletti all but conceding the fact just yesterday that his captain would most likely miss out through injury once again.

However, after successfully getting through training, it is now expected that ‘Il Capitano’ will play, something that is certain to please the Roma tifosi, as they will be aware that anything but a win against Inter will all but bring to an end their hopes of Scudetto glory this season.

Spalletti arranged a training match for his players to take part in earlier today, and it was in this match where Totti proved his fitness and classy touch by scoring twice, which included a brilliant lob goal, and having a major impact on proceedings.

In even better news for the Giallorossi, despite earlier rumours suggesting he would miss, the rock at the centre of defence Juan is reported to have overcome the slight injury he picked up whilst playing for Brazil in their World Cup qualifier just a couple of days ago.

Along with Totti and Juan, David Pizarro and Max Tonetto made welcomed appearances at training; however, both still remain in serious doubt for the weekend’s match.

Daniele De Rossi, Alberto Aquilani and John Arne Riise all returned from international duty earlier today and spent their first session back in the Italian capital in the gym, recovering from what has been a tough week of football.

Vucinic To Inter: I Will Score Against You
Roma striker Mirko Vucinic has warned Inter that he will do all he can to score against them when the two teams meet on Sunday night...

Juan: I Will Stop Ibra!
Brazilian centre-back Juan has been cleared to face Italian champions Inter on Sunday night and is confident of shackling Swedish ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

I Will Run To Roma - Behrami
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami admits he will make a quick escape from Upton Park if Roma make a move for him...

no surprises if we lose but hopefully we will win

[cigar omar]

This is probably the most intresting game this week in any of the major leagues, I can't understand how this thread only got 2 replys; This just goes to show, most people who are criticizing the Seria A in here don't even follow it or watch the game.  :down:

Inter will win this one, but Roma despite strugling won't make it easy for them.

2-1 Inter, Adriano and Mancini. Aquilani for Roma.

[moby]

by the looks of you post inter have no chance tito,


vucinici will score and juan will stop ibra,

what hope do we have

[Tito]

by the looks of you post inter have no chance tito,


vucinici will score and juan will stop ibra,

what hope do we have

you want me to post some Inter ones then okay

Inter Looking Strong In Lead Up To Roma Clash
The Serie A resumes this weekend following the international break, and despite having many players away on international duty at present, the Nerazzurri are looking quite strong heading into their all important clash with Roma this weekend.

Jose Mourinho has had a highly respectable start, results wise, as coach of Internazionale. He has lead his side to four victories from their opening six matches, and a Supercoppa Italiana in the pre-season, with a win in penalties over this weekend’s opponents.

As has been the case with the other giants of Italian football, the Nerazzurri have battled with injury in the early stages of the campaign, especially at the back, however things finally seem to be coming together for the Portuguese tactician and his side.

Mourinho is all but certain to have Chivu, Muntari and Ibrahimovic available for selection, with the latter managing to shake off an ankle injury that almost kept him out of Sweden’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal last weekend.

Along with these key players, Cordoba, Samuel, Dacourt, Cruz and Crespo are all available to play, along with Marco Materazzi, who was rumored to be a chance to earn a late call up to the national team.

The Nerazzurri are awaiting the arrival of eleven players who are away on international duty, prior to putting their final plans together for their trip to Rome.

With only the one serious injury in the Inter camp to Nelson Rivas, things are starting to look good for Mourinho and Inter Milan.

The two sides ahead of Inter in the standings, Lazio and Udinese, both face away trips to weaker opponents this weekend, and so the Nerazzurri will certainly want a win at the Olimpico to ensure they maintain the pace at the top.

[moby]

thanks  :thumbsup:

i was only playing with you,


wanna bet again

and you still haven't payed my $15

lets do this i will cut $10 off if roma win and if inter win you add $5
Deal

[Tito]

thanks  :thumbsup:

i was only playing with you,


wanna bet again

and you still haven't payed my $15

lets do this i will cut $10 off if roma win and if inter win you add $5
Deal

what $15?

[Chunkchenko]

I wish someone in the UK had TV rights to broadcast Serie A, If i remember Roma vs Inter is always a exciting game.

I think if Inter wins Tito should shave off his pubes and eat it in a sandwich and if Roma win Moby should eat a jizz biscuit. :thumbsup: or have a $15 bet.

[Tito]

I think if Inter wins Tito should shave off his pubes and eat it in a sandwich and if Roma win Moby should eat a jizz biscuit. :thumbsup: or have a $15 bet.

this is not Wales man

btw the games been shown on ESPN
for who ever has it i know i do

[moby]

haha lol chunck i agree to that deal since i dont know what a jizz biscuit is.


tito remember the $15 bet for the coppa italia or the suppa coppa italia or something like that.

listen do you agree with what i said cus i'm sure you owe me $15


EDIT:  http://www.beyondfootball.com/forum/index.php?topic=3298.15


read your first post at the top

[Tito]

the one and only positive note to come from the Inter humiliation was the return of their talismanic captain Francesco Totti from injury.