Inter in crisis?

Inter, currently marking their 100th year of existence, were always regarded as top favourites to retain the title crown ever since the season got underway last summer.

An awesome squad at the disposal of coach Roberto Mancini and a winning mentality achieved by a club that for several years had stood in the shadows of Milan and Juventus were the main factors that made of Inter the number one candidates to top the Serie A standings come next May.

At first, the omens were all in favour of Inter even though Roma, last year's runners-up, had improved significantly in terms of experience and team options.

Milan started the season without any points penalty and Juventus were back in the fray after a year out in Serie B. But though Milan and Juve were tipped among the front-runners, it was always believed that Inter's main challengers for the scudetto would be Roma again.

Inter's start did not leave any doubts about their credentials as Mancini's side took the Serie A by storm and continued where they had left off last term.

By December, many thought that the title race was already over. But, for Inter, things started to change for the worse after Christmas as they lost most of their confidence and started dropping points until they succumbed to their first league defeat at Naples. Last Saturday, they crashed to their first home upset in almost a year after bowing down to Juve. It looks as if the champions are in crisis.

With only eight games to go, Inter enjoy a four-point lead over nearest pursuers Roma. At this stage last season, Inter were a staggering 13 points clear of Luciano Spalletti's team. Compared to 12 months ago, Roma have improved their point-tally by two whereas Inter collected 11 less.

In the wake of Inter's dip in form, one asks what is going wrong with them lately. The motives are various.

For instance, Inter peaked early in the season and reached the crucial Champions League tie with Liverpool far off their best form. Too many red-carded players and, therefore, suspensions took their toll. This might suggest an unrest within the dressing room.

Only recently, certain differences between key players, including Luis Figo and Patrick Vieira, and coach Mancini came to the surface, resulting in the latter making his intentions public that he will leave at the end of this season. But, days later, after a meeting with supremo Massimo Moratti, Mancini confessed that he might, after all, stay for the whole duration of his contract.

Mancini's U-turn was strange and Inter did not act prudently. Differences between players and coach should have stayed within the walls of the club until the end of the season. Only then, would Moratti be in a position to choose whether to retain the coach and show the back door to the rebels or stick to his players and change the man in charge.

Inter's elimination from the Champions League yet again exposed the team's poor record in Europe.

To their dismay, Inter had to do without Marco Materazzi, Ivan Cordoba, Vieira, Figo, Olivier Dacourt, Walter Samuel and Dejan Stankovic, throughout the season. But this should not serve as an alibi for Mancini because he knows only too well that Inter's squad is second to none in Serie A in terms of strength-in-depth.

A four-point lead with eight games to go is a headstart for Inter in what promises to be a crunch title run-in.

Roma have their impending Champions League quarter-final against Man. United coming up and this will surely 'distract' the Giallorossi.

Next Saturday's fixtures are tricky ones for both Inter and Roma. The leaders travel to Lazio, against whom they will also clash in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, and Roma cross swords with back-to-form Cagliari in Sardegna. The latter need points desperately to avoid the drop.

From now on, many things may still happen. One augurs that this will be an exciting title run-in and that only the best team triumphs in the end.

Serie A statistics

0 points collected and no goals scored by relegation-threatened Torino in their last three outings (vs Cagliari 0-3, Udinese 0-1 and Milan 0-1). On Saturday, the Maroons played one of their best games so far this season, but still did not manage to avoid defeat to Milan for the third consecutive time. Torino are the side with the highest number of draws in Serie A - 16. On their count, Milan have the best away record in the top flight (30 points in 16 outings). Udinese revived their chances of European football next season thanks to a comfortable 2-0 home win over Livorno. The northeasterners are unbeaten in their last five outings (three wins and two draws).

1st defeat for Lazio after a five-match positive run (three wins and two draws) as Delio Rossi's side succumbed to their second straight defeat at Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi stadium. This was Fiorentina's fourth straight home win. The last drawn result between these two sides dates back to April 15, 2000 (3-3). With eight games to go, Fiorentina still enjoy a four-point lead over fifth-placed Milan and six over Udinese. Samp-doria were a far cry from the side that beat Milan in midweek as they had to wait until stoppage time to equalise against bottom-of-the-class Cagliari at home. Had Cagliari retained their lead until the final whistle, then it would have been their first win - the fourth overall in 24 visits - in Genova since October 1, 1995 (2-1). For the interest of statistics, Sunday's stalemate was the fifth drawn result on the trot between these two sides at the Marassi.

3 penalties were taken last weekend. Siena-Parma were heading to a goalless draw until Massimo Maccarone converted a very dubious penalty in the 88th minute. Carvalho Amauri scored one of his two goals from the spot. However, they were not enough to help Palermo avoid a rare home defeat against Genoa. Elsewhere, Cristiano Doni saw his effort from the spot stopped by Catania goalkeeper Ciro Polito. Even in the corresponding first-round fixture, ex-Sampdoria midfielder Doni had missed from the spot. Meanwhile, two players were sent off... Massimo Mutarelli (Lazio) and Simone Perrotta (Roma).

4 points now separate leaders Inter from nearest pursuers Roma. The Giallorossi, reduced to 10 men as from the 58th minute, had to sweat for a hard-fought home win against Empoli. With this defeat, the Tuscany side confirmed their truly dire record in the capital, where they have only achieved a draw (1-1 on January 31, 1999) in nine Serie A visits. On the other hand, a depleted Inter were easy prey to a Juve side that did not leave any stone unturned to record their 19th win in 75 visits to the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. This was Inter's first league defeat at home since going down to Roma (1-3) in April 2007. Four years have elapsed since Inter's most recent of 32 home wins against rivals Juventus. The Bianconeri have now won three and drew one of their last four outings to consolidate their third placing in the standings.

9 away defeats in a row came to an end for lowly Catania as the Sicilians held on to a precious goalless draw in Bergamo against Atalanta. Atalanta have recorded their most recent of five wins in nine home meetings with Catania on December 26, 1965 (3-2). So far, Catania have never left the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium with a win.

21 goals were scored on the 30th day: 12 coming from the hosts and the remaining nine from the visitors. There was one goalless draw (Atalanta-Catania). Home teams registered four wins. Foreigners contributed with eight goals. Total number of goals scored so far amount to 754. Neither own goals nor hat-tricks were registered. Two players - Amauri (Palermo) and Massimo Maccarone (Siena) - grabbed a brace each. There were two players - Maniche (Inter) and Giampaolo Pazzini (Fiorentina) - who came on as substitutes and scored. Marco Borriello (Genoa) and Juve's David Trezeguet currently lead the scorers' list with 17 goals each. The two are followed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter) and Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina), both on the 15-goal mark.

73 years had to pass for Genoa to conquer Palermo's Renzo Barbera stadium again. In a highly-contested encounter, the visitors edged the Sicilians by the odd goal in five to strengthen their bid for a UEFA Cup berth. Genoa's only previous win in 10 Serie A visits to Palermo dates back to November 10, 1935 (1-0). Crisis-hit Palermo, who fired coach Francesco Guidolin on Monday, are winless in their last five outings (two draws and three straight defeats). Palermo-Genoa have last shared the spoils on March 31, 1963 (0-0).