Roma hope for Totti return

AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti is praying club captain Francesco Totti will be fit to play in this weekend's crucial clash against champions Inter Milan.
Totti has barely figured for the Italian Cup holders this season and they have clearly felt his absence, picking up a paltry seven points from six matches, leaving them well off the early pace of leaders and city rivals Lazio.
Two other teams are also on 13 points at the top, Udinese and more importantly Inter, meaning that Roma must win on Sunday or risk seeing their title hopes go up in smoke less than a fifth of the way through the season.
Totti is not just Roma's captain, he's also their talisman and main source of creativity and inspiration, and Spalletti is confident he is fit and ready to return.
"He seems ready to me. Totti's readiness is there for all to see: the intensity with which he is training gives us some interesting options for the Inter match," said Spalletti.
"We're evaluating his fitness day by day but having seen him, he seems ready to me."
And the coach admitted that his return will come not a moment too soon following three defeats in their first six matches.
"As a team we're trying to reorganise because we've lost a bit of ground. These things have happened but the players are working hard and I can see their desire."
While Totti's return would be a welcome boost and should improve morale and confidence in the camp, it is not actually up front where Roma are suffering most.
Only five teams have scored more goals than the giallorosso this season despite their lowly position of 14th in the 20-team division.
It is at the back where Roma's problems are starkest, mostly due to a string of injuries, and now suspensions.
Other than the bottom three, only one team has conceded more goals than Roma for whom first choice centre-half Juan has started only one of six games while regular partner Philippe Mexes has played in only half the matches.
Mexes begins a three game suspension against Inter after insulting the referee who showed him two yellow cards against Siena two weeks ago.
Unfortunately for Roma veteran defender Cristian Panucci was also dismissed in that match meaning the capital-based club have an even bigger defensive headache.
And it could not have come at a worse time as they play an Inter team that although only shining sporadically under Jose Mourinho, have nonetheless suggested they should be at the business end of things when the silverware is handed out in May.
One match that would not normally be expected to attract too much attention outside of Sicily also takes place this weekend with added significance.
Catania play Palermo in a local derby which last year was shamed by the killing of a policeman.