Inter's celebrations marred by injuries

Serie A leaders Inter celebrate their centenary against Reggina today although the festivities will be slightly more muted than they would have been given recent disappointments on the pitch.

Inter lost 1-0 at Napoli last Sunday, their first league defeat of the season, and are now just six points ahead of second-placed Roma.

Tuesday's Champions League last 16 second leg knockout round tie at home to Liverpool also looms large with Roberto Mancini's men 2-0 down from the first leg at Anfield.

Mancini will certainly have one eye on the Liverpool game when he selects his side to face Reggina at San Siro, but he has few options after an injury crisis returned.

Cristian Chivu hurt his shoulder against Napoli and is almost certainly out for today as medical staff desperately try to get him fit for Tuesday.

If they fail, the champions will probably have to use inexperienced Colombian Nelson Rivas alongside normal right-back Nicolas Burdisso in the centre of defence against Liverpool.

Marco Materazzi will probably partner one of the pair against Reggina but he is suspended for Tuesday.

There seems little chance injured left-back Maxwell can recover for either game while centre-backs Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba are out for the season with knee ligament problems.

However, Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is poised to start today's match after recovering from a knee problem.

The Swede, who became a father for the second time on Thursday, has been out for two weeks but returns in time for the centenary celebrations.

Roma, buoyed by knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League on Wednesday, visit Napoli tomorrow well aware of how difficult it is to play at the imposing San Paolo.

Promoted Napoli are 11th after an inconsistent season but have beaten Inter and Juventus among others at home while they drew 4-4 at Roma in a great game in October.

Roma full-back Marco Cassetti is unlikely to play after missing the match against Real with a shoulder problem.

Midfielder Simone Perrotta is also a doubt for the game at the San Paolo, which is expected to be packed with home fans after Roma supporters were banned from travelling and the away end was opened up to Napoli fans.

Third-placed Juventus are seven points behind Roma and one above Fiorentina, who beat them 3-2 in Turin last weekend.

Juve visit Genoa in tomorrow's late game without the suspended Pavel Nedved while Fiorentina will again be without injured striker Adrian Mutu for their trip to Siena.

Milan must forget Tuesday's Champions League elimination by Arsenal when they travel to struggling Empoli, who won 1-0 at San Siro in October.

Milan are without suspended midfielder Gennaro Gattuso while Clarence Seedorf is an injury doubt for the side in fifth place.

Sampdoria begin life without in-form forward Antonio Cassano with tomorrow's visit to Parma. The on-loan Real Madrid player has been banned for five games for abusing the referee after being sent off last week against Torino.

Serie A

Playing Today
Inter vs Reggina (1-0) 18.00
Palermo vs Udinese (1-1) 20.30

Tomorrow - 15.00
Catania vs Cagliari (1-1)
Empoli vs Milan (1-0)
Lazio vs Livorno (1-0)
Napoli vs Roma (4-4)
Parma vs Sampdoria (0-3)
Siena vs Fiorentina (0-3)
Torino vs Atalanta (2-2)
Genoa vs Juventus (0-1) 20.30

Serie B

Playing Today - 16.00
AlbinoLeffe vs Messina (1-2)
Ascoli vs Pisa (1-2)
Brescia vs Cesena (1-1)
Frosinone vs Ravenna (2-0)
Grosseto vs Bari (0-0)
Lecce vs Bologna (0-1)
Modena vs Mantova (2-3)
Piacenza vs Avellino (1-0)
Rimini vs Chievo (2-2)
Treviso vs Spezia (2-5)
Triestina vs Vicenza (2-2)