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Old 02-03-2007, 14:41
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Re: Italian football 3-4 March

Howdo Gomesh. How's that brother of your getting on with his tips?

from eurosport

Inter travel to Tuscany for an afternoon kick off against Livorno eager to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.

"Eventually you begin to feel the pressure, if only subconsciously," Mancini told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "When you play a match every three days or so, you inevitably lose some of your sparkle.

"The important thing for me was not the record but the points," he added. "The gap between ourselves and Roma has stayed the same. Now we just need to focus on winning again at Livorno."

A major worry for Mancini for the trip to Livorno is the fitness of his striker Adriano, who hobbled off the Stadio Fruili pitch on Wednesday clutching his thigh. The Brazilian ace has managed to rediscover a degree of form of late, and his services will be sorely missed, particularly as both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo are likely to be rested with one eye on the Nerazzurri's crucial Champions League clash with Valencia in Spain next week.

Apart from the striking trio, midfielders Patrick Vieira and Esteban Cambiasso will also sit out the trip to Stadio Armando Picchi, but such is the strength in depth of Mancini's squad, he can call on players of the quality of Olivier Dacourt, Maxwell, Julio Cruz and Alvaro Recoba to deputise.

Meanwhile, kicking off at the same time on Saturday, second-placed Roma travel to struggling Ascoli also looking to get back to winning ways after a 2-2 draw against Chievo on Wednesday.

A brace from Francesco Totti hauled his side back into the game after the Giallorossi had fallen two behind in the first half at the Stadio Bentegodi, but even their talisman's heroic performance could not inspire his team to a win that would have cut Inter's lead at the top to 12 points.

The champions' lead remains 14 points, and Roma will expect to claim all three in Ascoli - who have managed just two wins all season long - even without their midfield pairing of Mancini and Daniele De Rossi.

In the late game on Saturday night, Milan continue their stuttering charge for a Champions League spot with a home game against Chievo. Milan, like Inter and Roma, were guilty of failing to capitalise on results going their way elsewhere on Wednesday, when they were held to a goalless draw by Palermo.

The Rossoneri will be hot favourites to bag all three points at the San Siro though, with Brazilian striker Ronaldo back in the starting line-up to bolster Carlo Ancelotti's misfiring strike force.

Third-placed Palermo travel across Sicily to face Messina in a derby that has potential to derail the Rosanero's bid for a Champions League place. Francesco Guidolin's side are clinging to third place, but with Lazio hot on their trail and Empoli not far behind them, the race for those golden top four places is getting interesting.

Lazio will be pushed all the way when they host Sampdoria at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, while Empoli will be hoping to continue their remarkable form this season when they take on Udinese.

Elsewhere, Fiorentina welcome Torino, whose new manager Gianni De Biasi got off to a great start in his new job with a midweek win over Cagliari, to Tuscany, while Catania play Siena at 'home' in Rimini.

Rounding up the weekend's action, Parma meet Reggina and Atalanta head to Sardinia, where they play Cagliari .
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