Roma host Inter tonight with Mattia Destro, Gervinho and Adem Ljajic facing Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi.
Roma host Inter tonight with Mattia Destro, Gervinho and Adem Ljajic facing Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
The Giallorossi are flying high in second place and will hope leaders Juventus” data-scaytid=”11″>Juventus slip up away to Milan on Sunday night.
Francesco Totti, Douglas Maicon, Dodo and Federico Balzaretti are out of action, so former Inter youth product Destro takes on his old club.
He is supported by Gervinho and Ljajic, while Radja Nainggolan gets the nod ahead of Miralem Pjanic in midfield and Alessio Romagnoli is at left-back.
It’s reported Manchester United have sent scouts to the Olimpico this evening to view defender Mehdi Benatia.
Inter’s only absentee is Cristian Chivu, but Hernanes starts from the bench as he is still not 100 per cent fit after a muscular problem.
The ex-Lazio midfielder knows this stadium and Roma very well indeed, so will have some valuable advice for Coach Walter Mazzarri.
Ricky Alvarez takes over from Hernanes in the middle. It’s an all-Argentina front two with Icardi partnering Rodrigo Palacio.
When these teams met at San Siro in November, Roma ran out 3-0 winners with Totti playing a crucial role.
Rudi Garcia’s men have won their last eight home games in all competition and are unbeaten in 15.
The atmosphere is going to be desperately disappointing, as three sections of the stands – the Curva Sud, Curva Nord and Distinti Sud – are closed off to the public.
This is punishment for repeated anti-Neapolitan chants from the crowd, which were considered a sign of ‘territorial discrimination.’
Roma: De Sanctis; Torosidis, Benatia, Castan, Romagnoli; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Strootman; Ljajic, Destro, Gervinho
Roma bench: Lobont, Skorupski, Toloi, Taddei, Pjanic, Bastos, Florenzi, Ricci, Mazzitelli, Di Mariano
Inter: Handanovic; Rolando, Samuel, Juan Jesus; Jonathan, Guarin, Cambiasso, Alvarez, Nagatomo; Palacio, Icardi
Inter bench: Carrizo, Zanetti, Andreolli, Kovacic, Campagnaro, Kuzmanovic, Botta, Taider, Milito, Ranocchia, D’Ambrosio, Hernanes