Roma come into this weekend sitting pretty atop Serie A -- but they can’t get too comfortable just yet. Inter Milan are nipping at their heels just two points back, and both Napoli and Fiorentina are in the same place as well. With a trip to the San Siro this weekend to face that same Inter side that’s breathing down their necks, Roma will have to be at their absolute best if they want to cement their place on top of the league.
Inter Milan vs. Roma 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Red-hot Roma can either cement their place on top of Serie A or lose it this weekend.
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Of course, Inter have already been on top of Serie A this season, and they want to get back to the top of the pyramid. They will fight tooth and claw and nail to beat Roma and reclaim first place, and you definitely can expect them to do everything in their power to win this match. Inter have had their moments of poor play and not looking like a serious contender this season, but when they’ve been focused, they have been very good. If they stay locked in on the task at hand, Inter could be in a heap of trouble.
Key player -- Miralem Pjanic (Roma)
Pjanic has always been good for Roma, but until this season it never really seemed like he was living up to his potential. Now, though, it’s almost as though he’s undergone an awakening, and he’s gotten so much better, so much more dangerous, that it’s almost hard to take your eyes off him while he’s playing. You wind up worried that you’re going to miss something magical if you do. That’s a mark of a great player. He’s a constant threat with the ball at his feet in open play, both shooting and creating, and his vast improvement on set pieces only make him even more dangerous.
Key matchup -- Geoffrey Kondogbia (Inter) vs. Radja Nainggolan (Roma)
While the exact quality of these two players this season can certainly be put up for debate, they’re both talented, workhorse midfielders who help drive their teams when they’re playing well. “When they’re playing well” is a heck of a qualifier, though, and both Kondogbia and Nainggolan have put in a couple markedly sub-par performances this season that left their team struggling. If one team wins this match decisively, you’ll know that’s the team whose player won this battle.
Inter Milan injuries and suspensions
Out: Felipe Melo, Nemanja Vidic In doubt: Danilo D’Ambrosio
AS Roma injuries and suspensions
Out: Francesco Totti, Seydou Keita, Kevin Strootman In doubt: Daniele De Rossi
The absence of Totti and potential miss of De Rossi deprives Roma of significant skill and leadership on the pitch, and Keita has been a valuable presence for them in midfield as well. They should be able to do without all three players, but, well, “should” and “will” are frequently two very different beasts for Roma. For Inter, Melo’s absence may be a blessing in disguise, forcing them to find another way to function in midfield without the overly-combative midfielder who’s arguably hurt them more than he’s helped this season.
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 3:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local
Venue: San Siro, Milan, Italy
TV: Sky Calcio 1, Sky Sport 1 HD Italia (Italy), BT Sport Europe (U.K.), RAI International
Online: Sky Go Italia (Italy)
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