Roma vs Inter Milan

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Following their Derby d'Italia triumph, which saw them move four points clear at the summit of Serie A, Inter Milan is eager to extend their advantage further as they face a resurgent Roma on Saturday.

The clash takes place at Stadio Olimpico, with Roma under new management aiming to continue their climb up the league table, while Inter looks to secure their fifth consecutive league victory.

Inter's recent form makes them strong contenders to regain the Italian title, highlighted by their victory over closest rivals Juventus last weekend. The Milan side took the lead through Federico Gatti's first-half own goal and then successfully defended their advantage until the final whistle, securing a narrow 1-0 win. Despite missed opportunities to extend their lead, Inter's win marked their sixth consecutive victory in 2024, maintaining their momentum as they defend the Supercoppa Italiana and widen the gap between themselves and their Scudetto rivals.

Gatti's own goal extends Inter's streak to 22 consecutive matches with a goal from the start of a Serie A season, making them only the second club to achieve this feat. With a four-point lead over Juventus, with a game in hand, and as spring approaches, Inter's momentum is undeniable.

The team's sustained excellence is further demonstrated by their impressive goal difference, the best across Europe's top five leagues. Their goal difference of +41 surpasses that of German powerhouse Bayern Munich.

Despite facing a period of injury, former Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard has seamlessly integrated into Inter's already formidable back three. Additionally, Yann Sommer, who joined from Bayern last year, has proven to be a capable replacement for Andre Onana in goal.

However, following the dismissal of former Inter manager Jose Mourinho last month, Roma have managed to win all three of their initial matches under the guidance of new coach Daniele De Rossi. This includes a convincing 4-0 victory over Cagliari last week, during which Paulo Dybala scored twice and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini extended his recent streak of goals.

Securing another win on Saturday would mark a significant achievement for the relatively inexperienced De Rossi, making him the first manager in over a decade to take over mid-season in Serie A and immediately win four consecutive games. However, the upcoming match poses a tougher challenge, as their opponents will be of a higher caliber compared to the teams Roma has defeated thus far, all of which were struggling near the bottom of the table.

Nevertheless, victories against these lower-ranked teams have propelled Roma to fifth place in the standings, just one point behind the Champions League qualification spots, since De Rossi's appointment.

Although they remain undefeated at home since September, Roma's true test lies ahead in the upcoming fixtures. With Inter visiting Rome followed by a Europa League clash against familiar adversaries Feyenoord in the knockout-round playoffs, the team will face tougher competition that will truly assess their strength and resilience.

Defensive discipline has allowed Inter to thwart opponents, as evidenced by their shutout of Juventus, who are now playing at a high level. Thus far, they have only given up 10 league goals. Only one other team in this century has achieved a same feat: Fabio Capello's Roma squad from 2003–04.

Much less formidable than Capello's crop, Roma has lost five of their previous six Serie A matches with Inter, including the last two in which they failed to score, after losing 1-0 in the rematch in October.

In fact, the capital club has lost all six of their previous league games played at Stadio Olimpico, a run that dates back to late 2016.

Unlikely to alter a successful strategy, Simone Inzaghi is expected to deploy Inter in their familiar 3-5-2 formation with minimal changes in personnel.

Injury concerns only affect fringe players Juan Cuadrado (Achilles) and Davide Frattesi (muscular), leaving Inzaghi to field his strongest lineup at Stadio Olimpico.

Up front, Marcus Thuram will partner with captain Lautaro Martinez, who is just one goal away from achieving 20 goals in three consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu aims to score double digits for only the second time in his career, marking a decade since his last achievement, while also leading Serie A in completed passes this season with an average of 60 per game.

Former Inter striker Romelu Lukaku, with 57 goals in 97 league appearances for the Nerazzurri, failed to score for Roma last week, remaining one goal short of reaching 10 or more goals for the ninth time in the past decade.

Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy are set to provide support for Lukaku in the hosts' attack, as Daniele De Rossi sticks with a proven starting lineup.

While Sardar Azmoun returns after Iran's exit from the Asian Cup, Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling remain sidelined, although Smalling has resumed training. Additionally, Evan Ndicka will be unavailable as he represents Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.

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