Totti looks to take pressure out of derby

godtabh

Crap forgot all about mid week games!

Preview

MILAN, March 17 (Reuters) - AS Roma captain Francesco Totti has taken some of the heat out of Wednesday's city derby with Lazio by stating he would prefer to win the Champions League this season rather than Serie A.

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Second-placed Roma remain six points behind leaders Inter Milan after last weekend's action, although they cut the gap to three on Saturday by beating AC Milan 2-1 before Inter defeated Palermo by the same score on Sunday.

With 10 games remaining, the title race is very much on, especially given Inter's recent problems including Roberto Mancini announcing he would be leaving at the end of the season before changing his mind.

However, Totti is thinking about April's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United and possibly overall European glory.

'Certainly if I could choose, I would prefer the Champions League to the scudetto, but even if the title came along it wouldn't be bad,' Totti told reporters.

The striker is a proud Roman though and despite his patchy form this season, he will be desperate to produce a winning performance against Lazio in the 2015 GMT kick off.

Roma won the first derby of the season in October 3-2.

Inter travel to Genoa for a 1930 kick off with Marco Materazzi suspended after another booking against Palermo.

All is still not well within the camp after striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacted angrily to being substituted on Sunday, but their general resolve is strong following the Champions League exit to Liverpool last week.

Third-placed Juventus, who beat Napoli 1-0 on Sunday thanks to Vincenzo Iaquinta's late strike, visit struggling Empoli with three players including Mauro Camoranesi set to return from suspension.

Fiorentina are four clear of Milan in the race for the fourth Champions League spot after Adrian Mutu returned from injury to inspire them to a 3-1 win over Genoa on Sunday.

A difficult trip to Napoli awaits on Wednesday, however, although Milan may be without Kaka and Clarence Seedorf because of back and leg injuries when they host in-form Sampdoria.

At the bottom, Livorno's Italy goalkeeper Marco Amelia has a leg problem which may keep him out of Wednesday's home game with relegation rivals Reggina.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Status Home Score Away VENUE (ATT.)
38 min Napoli 2 - 0 Fiorentina Stadio San Paolo
38 min Parma 0 - 0 Palermo Stadio Ennio Tardini
36 min AC Milan 0 - 2 Sampdoria Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
37 min Cagliari 1 - 0 Atalanta Stadio San Elia
36 min Empoli 0 - 0 Juventus Stadio Carlo Castellani
39 min Catania Calcio 0 - 0 Siena Stadio Angelo Massimino
37 min Livorno 0 - 1 Reggina Armando Picchi
35 min Torino 0 - 1 Udinese Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
40 min Genoa 0 - 1 Inter Milan Comunale Luigi Ferraris
Time Home Away VENUE
20:15 UK Lazio v Roma Stadio Olimpico

godtabh

Inter draw. Roma lose. Inter extend their lead at the top ahead of the big game of the weekend

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

all the top 5 teams ****ed up last night, inter/juve got draws , fiorentina/milan/roma lost

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

it was horrible, Juventus vs Empoli was like a LoI game. shoulda stepped up a few gears.they were tryin not to get injured it looked like, also complacency.

godtabh

I just hope Inter are focused a head of the game this weekend.

I think there is something going on in the squad. IF they dont blow it I expect that they'll win the league but there will be a massive turnaround in players and manager

Mr. Presentable

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV wrote: »

it was horrible, Juventus vs Empoli was like a LoI game. shoulda stepped up a few gears.they were tryin not to get injured it looked like, also complacency.

Yeah, it was miserable stuff all right. I think Juventus players had their heads in the coming Inter game, and I blame the manager for that.

Mr. Presentable

kearnsr wrote: »

Crap forgot all about mid week games!

I like the way nobody else will touch your "thing". I checked for a thread and saw it missing. I guessed you'd forgotten.