Inter Milan aim to tighten Serie A grip before battle

Inter Milan host struggling Lazio looking to tighten their grip on Serie A before preparing for the "hard times" of trying to win a first title since 2010 when action resumes in the New Year.
Roberto Mancini's men are among several teams testing Juve's bid for a record-equalling consecutive fifth title and hold a four-point lead over both Fiorentina and Napoli ahead of the final game of 2015 at the San Siro on Sunday.

Juventus have jumped up to fourth place six points adrift with a streak of six consecutive league wins that has consigned their disastrous start to the campaign to distant memory.

With Roma a further point off the pace in fifth after a series of setbacks that has heaped the pressure on French coach Rudi Garcia, the Serie A leaders have plenty of reason for festive cheer.

Come what may on Sunday, Inter will still be top on January 6 when they travel to Empoli after the two-week break.

But while Mancini has congratulated his players' efforts, the coach who won seven titles including three consecutive league trophies in his previous spell at the club (2004-2008) is taking nothing for granted.

- 'Still a long way' -
"We're happy with the way things have gone so far but there's still a long way to go this season," Mancini said after Inter cruised into the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup with a 3-0 rout of Serie B side Cagliari on Tuesday.

"We laid some good foundations last year, now things are going better. But it takes time to build a great team and we have to keep working.

"There will be hard times ahead but we're delighted to be top at Christmas."

Fiorentina handed Inter a footballing masterclass with a 4-1 win at the San Siro in September but two defeats in the space of four days have left La Viola in dire need of a morale-boosting win at home to Chievo.

Paulo Sousa's men, who meet Tottenham in the next round of the Europa League, exited the Cup at the last 16 stage midweek following a 1-0 defeat to Serie A strugglers Carpi, the defeat coming after Sunday's 3-1 humbling at Juventus.

"I'm angry and disappointed, it wasn't the result we were expecting but when you play in a competition like this it can happen," said Sousa, who will be without Italy left back Manuel Pasqual after he suffered a thigh injury in midweek.
With Inter and Fiorentina both expected to prevail, Napoli can ill afford to slip up on their first away trip since a stunning 3-2 defeat at Bologna a fortnight ago.

Maurizio Sarri's men are also bona fide title challengers and with 14 goals in his league account Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain is expected to finish top of the pile in 2015.

Napoli can ill afford another slip-up, but Atalanta's ever-popular Dutch midfielder Marten De Roon said Atalanta have other plans.

"There's only one way to repay the fans at Christmas, with a win against Napoli," said De Roon, who joined the club from Heerenveen last summer.

"It would be amazing for the club and the fans."

The festive cheer could be in short supply in the capital, meanwhile, with both Roma coach Garcia and Lazio counterpart Stefano Pioli under increasing pressure.

Roma host Genoa on Sunday looking for their first league win in three games, only days after a shock Cup exit to second division Spezia.

Frenchman Garcia has been officially backed by the club although reports suggesting World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi is in the frame to replace him will gather momentum with another setback.

Although defeat to Inter would unlikely seal Pioli's fate, Lazio face the league leaders looking for their first win in eight games.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday

Bologna v Empoli (1945)

Sunday

Carpi v Juventus (1130), Atalanta v Napoli, Fiorentina v Chievo, Verona v Sassuolo, Roma v Genoa (all 1400), Frosinone v AC Milan, Sampdoria v Palermo, Torino v Udinese (all 1900), Inter Milan v Lazio (all 1945)
Source: AFP