Inter Milan's black week comes to a high-pressure conclusion on Sunday as new coach Alberto Zaccheroni leads the club against in-form AS Roma at the San Siro stadium (kick-off 1830 GMT).

Last Saturday's lacklustre 2-2 draw with Brescia spelt the end for Zaccheroni's predecessor Hector Cuper.

A meek 3-0 defeat to Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League midweek and a positive drug test by striker Mohamed Kallon dealt further blows to team morale.

Eighth in Serie A, seven points adrift of leaders Juventus, Inter need to relaunch their title challenge.

Zaccheroni's work, though, will be cut out for him.

Having had little time to adapt the squad to his favoured three-man attack, he also risks starting without midfielders Emre Belozoglu and Cristiano Zanetti, both injured against Lokomotiv.

Roma, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their first six league games.

Even without injured Italian international striker Marco Delvecchio, Roma coach Fabio Capello can still rely on a dangerous attack of Francesco Totti and Antonio Cassano.

His only concern surrounds 20-year-old midfielder Daniele De Rossi, who set up both goals in Roma's impressive 2-0 win over Parma last weekend but has been suffering from flu.

Other Serie A matches (all kickoffs Sunday, 1300 GMT unless stated):

SIENA (11) v LECCE (16), Saturday (1600)

Siena start this battle of the newly promoted clubs without suspended wingbacks Gianni Guigou and Leandro Cufre.

Lecce's problems are up front where an injury to striker Mirko Vucinic could allow 17-year-old Valeri Bojinov to start alongside Javier Ernesto Chevanton.

EMPOLI (17) v CHIEVO VERONA (9), Saturday (1830)

Empoli's new coach Attilio Perotti, who replaced Daniele Baldini after last weekend's 2-0 defeat by Udinese, faces a tough debut against Chievo Verona as he tries to guide the club to its first win of the season.

Chievo's Brazilian striker Amauri has an ankle injury and could be replaced by Italian Under 21 international Giuseppe Sculli.

JUVENTUS (1) v BRESCIA (13)

Juventus's 3-2 win against Ancona last week, inspired by two goals by striker Fabrizio Miccoli, showed again how well coach Marcello Lippi rotates his squad. Miccoli should return to Juve's starting 11 after making way for Marco Di Vaio in the mid-week Champions League match against Real Sociedad.

Brescia's Roberto Baggio will hope to score against his former club, as he did last weekend against another alma mater, Inter Milan.

LAZIO (6) v BOLOGNA (14)

Lazio start without injured defender Fernando Couto as they try to put back-to-back defeats against AC Milan and Chelsea behind them.

Bologna striker Giuseppe Signori, who played for six seasons for the Rome-based club, looks likely to spearhead the visitor's challenge alongside Fausto Rossini.

PARMA (4) v MODENA (5)

Successive victories against Bologna, Empoli and Lecce have lifted Modena to an unlikely fifth place in Serie A, but they face a sterner challenge against Parma.

Even without suspended midfielders Emanuele Filippini and Manuele Blasi (the latter tested positive for nandrolone), Parma should prove too strong, especially after being stung by a first defeat of the season against Roma last weekend.

PERUGIA (15) v UDINESE (7)

Perugia start without injured Brazilian defender Ze Maria as they go in search of their first Serie A win of the season against Udinese.

The visitors, meanwhile, arrive fresh from victories over Ancona and Empoli, but must do without German striker Carsten Jancker, who has a hamstring problem.

REGGINA (10) v ANCONA (18)

Ancona showed good character last weekend when they fought back from a three-goal deficit to finish 3-2 against Italian champions Juventus. Ahead of Sunday's match they can take heart from Reggina's poor home form and the absence of striker David Di Michele, who is serving a two-match suspension.

SAMPDORIA (12) v AC MILAN (2)

AC Milan have laboured to win away from home this season, but will be keen to beat newly-promoted Sampdoria and chase away the clouds of their unexpected Champions League defeat to Club Bruges.

For the home side, former Italian international striker Massimo Marazzina has recovered from injury to challenge team mate Francesco Flachi for a place alongside Fabio Bazzani.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Sports News
+Australia trip nets free trade framework ( 2003-10-25) +Spacecraft capsule on display in Beijing ( 2003-10-25) +Security law looks ready for approval ( 2003-10-25) +Guangdong issues RSV virus alert ( 2003-10-25) +Sohu's net surges in 3rd quarter ( 2003-10-25)		+Bryant thanks fans for show of support ( 2003-10-25) +New Inter broom starts with Roma ( 2003-10-25) +Rockets trounce Spurs 84-63 ( 2003-10-25) +Commentary: Diplomacy cannot save Chinese football ( 2003-10-25) +Reebok sign up China's Yao Ming ( 2003-10-25)