Serie A leaders Inter Milan have had a difficult week.
Their confidence was sky-high after dumping Bayern Munich out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals, but they have since failed to capitalise.
Inter were considered the favourites for this year’s Scudetto despite their marginal lead at the summit, but the unexpected defeat against Bologna has blown the title race wide open.
Their morale took a further hit when arch-rivals AC Milan thrashed them 3-0 midweek in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg to book their place in the final.
The Nerazzurri were clearly suffering from fatigue and injuries to Marcus Thuram, Piotr Zielinski and Denzel Dumfries didn’t help their cause.
Inter will now turn their attention towards the league fixture against AS Roma on Sunday.
Every remaining game is make-or-break for Inter, who are on the same points as second-placed Napoli.
Roma will look to rain on Inter’s parade, given their sensational form in recent months.
Their fortunes have turned since manager Claudio Ranieri’s arrival. They are the best-performing Serie A side this year.
The former Leicester City boss has led Roma to an impressive 17-match unbeaten streak since the middle of December, equalling former manager Luciano Spalletti’s record.
Ranieri has turned Roma into a well-oiled unit even without star player Paulo Dybala, who is currently out injured.
A sturdy defence and dangerous counter-attacks are hallmarks for Roma, who could cause Inter problems.
Eldor Shomurodov and Artem Dovbyk will pose a big threat to Inter’s defence inside the box, while playmaker Matias Soule will pull strings between the lines.
The rock-solid defensive trio of Zeki Celik, Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka can keep Inter’s attackers quiet.
Thuram’s absence will continue to hamper Inter, leaving Lautaro Martinez to shoulder the attacking duties once again.
Mehdi Taremi was out of sorts in the derby defeat, and Joaquin Correa or Marko Arnautovic could start against Roma.
Manager Simone Inzaghi will be relieved that Zielinski and Dumfries have returned from injuries, but defender Alessandro Bastoni’s absence through suspension will be a huge setback.
Inter must rediscover their form as they head into the business end of the season, where every game has a consequence.
A victory against Roma is not only vital for their Scudetto chances but also to gain momentum for the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona next week.
The Nerazzuri’s run-in looks difficult compared to Napoli, but they have the experience and quality to successfully defend the Serie A title.
