Brief news ahead of Wednesday's and Thursday's matches in Serie A:
* Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder will miss Serie A leaders Inter's home game with Palermo on Thursday with a pulled hamstring and faces a battle to be fit for next week's trip to Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho will be keen to have the former Real Madrid man back for Kiev game -- when they need a win to get their European challenge on track following three draws in Group F -- after his big contribution to Inter's strong start on the domestic front.
Midfielder Thiago Motta may return to the starting line-up on Thursday after a month on the sidelines with a thigh problem.
* Palermo boss Walter Zenga is relishing the game against the team whose goal he protected for 22 years with his side standing joint fourth after three consecutive wins.
But he says he is in no rush to realise his ambition of taking over his former club.
"It's true that I said my dream is to coach Inter but I also added that beforehand I would have to work with great commitment and dedication," he told Tuesday's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Mourinho is the best in the world,"
* Third-placed Juventus will probably be without Vincenzo Iaquinta for 40 days, Italian media said, with the Italy striker scheduled to have knee surgery on Tuesday.
Azzurri captain Fabio Cannavaro is tipped to return for Wednesday's clash in Turin with surprise package Sampdoria, who are two points behind Inter and two ahead of Juve in second place, after being rested for Sunday's 1-0 win at Siena.
* Goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, who has been in fine form for joint-fourth Fiorentina, said he was baffled at not getting a call-up from France coach Raymond Domenech.
"I've never had any particular problems with Domenech but he doesn't want me in his squad and he has never explained the decision to exclude me," Frey was quoted as saying by Italian media ahead of Wednesday's visit to Genoa.
* AS Roma look set to be without in-form captain Francesco Totti for a month, media forecasted, following a minor operation on his knee on Monday.
Norway full-back John Arne Riise has taken a knock to his foot while keeper Doni and midfielder David Pizarro are also likely to miss Roma's visit to Udinese on Wednesday, when both sides will be aiming to put recent defeats behind them.
* Defender Alessandro Nesta will be fit for resurgent AC Milan's game at Napoli on Wednesday despite a nose fracture, the club said.