INTER

League position: 2nd
Head coach: Simone Inzaghi
Serie A top scorer: Lautaro Martinez (15)

RECENT FORM

INTER: D W W W W
ROMA: W L W W D

The reigning Serie A champions start the weekend second, two points back from city rivals AC Milan who they deposited in the Coppa Italia in midweek to secure their spot in the final.

That was a nice boost for Inzaghi’s side as they look to leapfrog their foes into top spot and victory on Saturday would see them move top for the time being, with Lazio then facing Milan in an unlikely-timed reverse of this fixture at the Stadio Olimpico a day later.

Had Roma beaten Napoli last time out, they would have started Matchday 34 just three points off Juventus in fourth but they can reduce the deficit to two with a win over Inter.

Jose Mourinho should be given a warm welcome by the home team’s fans for his historic spell at the club from 2008-10 but the Portuguese coach will be out to upset the Nerazzurri by denting their title hopes and boosting the Giallorossi’s bid for Champions League football.

Possible Inter line-up

(3-5-2)

Handanovic; De Vrij, Skriniar, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic; Martinez, Dzeko

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Lautaro Martinez

The Argentine has finally warmed to proceedings having blown cold for the majority of 2022.

He brought to an end a run of scoring in just one of 12 league matches by scoring one and laying on another in the 3-1 win over Spezia on Matchday 33 and backed that up in style against Milan.

Martinez struck the first two goals as Inter dumped Milan out of the cup and looks to be back to his best form.

That should see him keep his place in attack, where he is expected to partner former Roma man Edin Dzeko.

MATCH STATS

Inter have won their last three league games, which is as many wins as they recorded in their previous 10 outings in 2022.

Meanwhile, Roma boast the longest current unbeaten run in Serie A (12 games: W7, D5). It is their longest top flight sequence without defeat since May 2016 (17).

The Giallorossi have the most number of different players to have scored at least two goals in Serie A this term (12), while Inter (11) rank second.

PLAYER STATS

• Mourinho was a two-time Italian champion with Inter and led them to an historic treble during his time at the club. He’s hoping to secure his first victory over them as an opposition coach.
  
• Dzeko made 199 Serie A appearances for Roma, scoring 85 goals.
  
• Jordan Veretout made his Serie A debut against Inter in August 2017 as a Fiorentina player.
  
• Stephan El Shaarawy is aiming to score in back-to-back Serie A games for the first time since January 2019 and the former AC Milan man has scored three times against Inter in the top-flight, all at the Meazza Stadium and all in the first half.

WHAT THEY SAID

“We' re facing one of the strongest teams in Serie A, coached by a great coach we all know for his journey in Italy and in Europe.

"They're in an excellent moment, they have not lost in the league since January against Juventus and therefore great attention will be needed. For us it will be a very important match on Saturday, like a final.”

- Inter coach Inzaghi on facing Mourinho's in-form side