Milan: Lazio midfielder Cristian Ledesma is wary of a backlash from an out-of-form Roma team in the capital derby in Serie A on Sunday.
Roma is in turmoil after a 4-1 loss at Atalanta last weekend, having won only twice in its past eight matches to sit seven points below fourth-place Lazio in sixth spot in the standings. But Ledesma has played in 12 capital derbies and knows that form will count for nothing.
"The derby is a special game, a unique emotion," Ledesma said. "When you go onto the pitch you forget everything: standings, the league and other results. The fans make you understand how important it is, the rest doesn't matter at all. In fact, when you are behind in the standings you are even more motivated.
"In the derby, you have to keep a cool head and a warm heart. You have to keep calm even if your heart is beating a million times a second. You have to try to think about what you have to do, about what has to be done on the pitch, otherwise you'll do something that has nothing to do with a football game."
Roma is likely to have Daniele De Rossi back after he was dropped for the Atalanta game as punishment for turning up late to a meeting.
Captain Francesco Totti is also set to feature despite being injured in training. Totti crumpled to the ground following a late tackle from Cicinho, and it was initially feared he had fractured his foot. But the striker could return to some form of training Thursday afternoon.
Simone Perrotta remains a bigger doubt with an ankle injury, while Pablo Osvaldo and Marco Cassetti are suspended.
Lazio is without key players Senad Lulic, Lorik Cana, Luciano Zauri and Stefan Radu, but is hopeful French defender Abdoulay Konko will be passed fit in time.
Lazio won the derby for the first time in five years in October, beating Roma 2-1, and will now be looking to do the double over its city rivals for the first time in 14 years.
At the top of the table, AC Milan and Juventus will attempt to put the drama of their controversial match behind them as they face Palermo and Chievo Verona, respectively.
The two played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at San Siro last weekend, with both sides controversially failing to have goals awarded. Milan will feel the most aggrieved after Sulley Muntari's header traveled several yards over the goal line.
Milan's players will have to put thoughts of what might have been to the back of their heads as they visit a Palermo side which, although woeful on its travels, has won four of its past five home matches.
However, Milan will be boosted by the return of star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who returns from a three-match ban for slapping Napoli defender Salvatore Aronica.
Milan forward Kevin-Prince Boateng is likely to miss the game after he was forced off in the 4-0 win against Arsenal with a relapse of a left thigh injury. Philippe Mexes sits out the first of his three-match suspension after video evidence showed he struck Juventus striker Marco Borriello, his former Roma teammate.
However, Mathieu Flamini could make his first appearance of the season. Serie A leader and defending champion Milan is a point above unbeaten Juventus but having played a game more.
Inter Milan heads into Sunday's home game with Catania in the midst of a crisis. Claudio Ranieri's men are on a run of eight matches without a win, including seven defeats in which they have failed to score. Ranieri would be closer to becoming Inter's second managerial casualty this campaign with another loss, after having replaced Gian Piero Gasperini five games into the season.
The team's latest defeat was at Napoli, which visits Parma full of confidence following a four-match winning streak — including a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League.
At the other end of the table, Lecce looks to continue its resurgence against Genoa. It has only lost one of its past eight matches and has given itself a very realistic hope of escaping relegation.
Lecce is still in the bottom three but now just two points below Siena, which hosts Cagliari. The other two sides in the drop zone, Novara and Cesena, visit fellow strugglers Bologna and Fiorentina.
Elsewhere, Udinese hosts Atalanta looking to keep pace with Lazio in the race for third place in the league. Both sides are level on 45 points.
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