Inter have new buy Alvaro Pereira in midfield, while Diego Milito partners Antonio Cassano against Roma’s Mattia Destro.
Inter have new buy Alvaro Pereira in midfield, while Diego Milito partners Antonio Cassano against Roma’s Mattia Destro.
This is a massive fixture at San Siro and a test of both their Scudetto credentials, but also represents Andrea Stramaccioni facing mentor Zdenek Zeman.
The Nerazzurri have embraced a new 4-3-3 approach to their football, although only scraped into the Europa League on Thursday with a 2-2 home draw against Vaslui when down to 10 men for an hour.
Samir Handanovic, Cristian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic, Ricky Alvarez, Joel Obi, MacDonald Mariga and Gaby Mudingayi.
Cassano and Walter Gargano made their debuts last week and maintain their places now, joined by new buy Pereira.
Roma fought back twice to earn a 2-2 home draw with Catania and Zeman complained they have to speed up their passing rather than engage in “futile possession.” Michael Bradley and Dodo remain on the treatment table, but Destro’s ban has expired so he can face his former club.
Erik Lamela is sent to the bench, while Ivan Piris, Tachtsidis and youngster Alessandro Florenzi get starts.
Inter: Castellazzi; Zanetti, Silvestre, Ranocchia, Nagatomo; Guarin, Gargano, Pereira; Sneijder; Cassano, Milito
Roma: Stekelenburg; Piris, Burdisso, Castan, Balzaretti; Florenzi, Tachtsidis, De Rossi; Destro, Osvaldo, Totti