Bruised Inter prepare for Roma battle

Serie A leaders Inter must count their walking wounded ahead of tomorrow night's big clash with second-placed Roma.

Inter's lead was reduced to nine points on Sunday after the champions salvaged a 1-1 draw at Sampdoria and Roma beat Fiorentina 1-0.

The unbeaten champions were without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Genoa and the Swede is again doubtful for the top-of-the-table clash because of a knee problem.

Fellow frontman Julio Cruz and midfielder Dejan Stankovic should recover from minor injuries but they will miss the experience of centre back Ivan Cordoba, who is out with knee ligament damage and could miss the rest of the season.

Cordoba suffered the injury in last week's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Liverpool, which has hit Inter's confidence.

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has ratcheted up the pressure on Inter and his own players by stating the importance of tomorrow's match.

"The San Siro game will determine everything. It will be a fundamental match," Spalletti told reporters, aware his side lost 4-1 at home to Inter in September.

The last time Inter lost in the league was April 16 last year when Roma pulled off a 3-1 win at the San Siro. A repeat victory and a gap of only six points would suddenly make the title race much more interesting.

Roma's Brazilian defender Cicinho will miss the match after being sent off for two bookings late on in the Fiorentina game, having earlier netted the winner.

Another big clash takes place today when Juventus face Torino in the Turin derby (kick-off 20.30).

Juve, four points adrift of Roma, were furious with the referee for awarding a stoppage-time penalty and ignoring their spotkick appeals in Saturday's 2-1 loss at lowly Reggina.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon missed the trip to Reggina but is fit for the derby while Cristiano Zanetti is suspended and striker David Trezeguet is again out with flu.

Vincenzo Iaquinta and Jonathan Zebina return from injury and Antonio Nocerino is back from a ban.

Milan, who moved above Fiorentina into fourth with Sunday's last-gasp 2-1 win over Palermo, travel to Catania tomorrow without playmaker Kaka.

The Brazilian came off at half-time against Palermo with a recurrence of a knee problem and is likely to be rested in a bid to recover for the Champions League last 16, second leg at home to Arsenal next week.

Fiorentina host Livorno tomorrow with Adrian Mutu out after injuring his knee at Roma.

Serie A Fixtures

Today: 20.30 Juventus vs Torino.

Tomorrow: 20.30 Atalanta vs Sampdoria; Catania vs Milan; Fioren-tina vs Livorno; Genoa vs Napoli; Inter vs Roma; Lazio vs Reggina; Palermo vs Empoli; Parma vs Udinese; Siena vs Cagliari.