Both embroiled in the scrap for a top-four finish in Serie A, cup specialists Inter Milan and second-placed Lazio clash at San Siro on Sunday.
While Inter are now into both the Champions League semis and the Coppa Italia final, they have been woefully inconsistent in the league; their visitors, meanwhile, saw a superb run of results finally ended last week.
Match preview
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Securing successive wins in the space of three days, Inter's Coppa Italia semi-final success against old foes Juventus saw them into next month's final against Fiorentina and continued a proud recent record in cup competition.
Last year's Coppa winners progressed on aggregate by prevailing 1-0 at San Siro, thanks to Federico Dimarco's fine first-half finish, and they also await a two-legged Champions League contest with city rivals Milan.
Having finally ended a five-game winless streak in Serie A last weekend - part of a run of five league defeats from seven - the Nerazzurri could be finding their groove at just the right time, perhaps in alignment with their much-maligned star striker.
Following a turgid first half, Inter saw off Empoli with the help of two goals and an assist from a resurgent Romelu Lukaku, but it has been their home form which has caused concern over recent weeks.
An assumed finish in Italy's top four has been complicated by losing each of their last three league matches at San Siro without scoring a single goal: never in club history have they suffered more consecutive home defeats in the top flight.
They now sit seventh with seven games left to play, heaping pressure on coach Simone Inzaghi to build on Wednesday's win in the fourth and final Derby d'Italia of the season by steering his side to victory against his former club.
Ahead of Lazio's arrival in the second city, Inter have won each of their last three home games against their capital counterparts in Serie A, and they will be desperate to continue that streak on Sunday.
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Since Inzaghi departed Stadio Olimpico nearly two years ago, his successor Maurizio Sarri has slowly revolutionised the squad he left behind - now Lazio look down on Inter in the standings and hold a seven-point advantage.
The possession-based Biancocelesti average an attempt on goal every 63 touches in Serie A this season - the highest average in the division - while Inzaghi's Inter take a more direct route and average one every 40 touches; the lowest ratio of all 20 teams.
'Sarrisimo' has taken full effect in Rome, then, but Lazio's four-match winning run for the concession of only one goal came to an abrupt halt last time out, when they were toppled by Torino on home soil.
Despite that defeat, Sarri's side still sit second in the Serie A standings, though just nine points separate them from seventh-placed Atalanta and a long-awaited Champions League return is far from secured just yet.
If anything, Calcio's clean-sheet supremos will rely on a steadfast defence to get them over the line between now and close of play in June, as they have not conceded a single goal in their last five league games on the road.
Ciro Immobile's struggles with form and fitness have inevitably affected Lazio's output at the other end, but a well-drilled side will now fancy their chances of beating one top-four rival before returning to San Siro next week, when Milan will be their hosts.
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As midfield pair Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu are set to be available against Lazio despite suffering minor injuries on Wednesday, only centre-back Milan Skriniar will definitely sit out Inter's weekend's fixture.
After returning to the bench in midweek, Romelu Lukaku will hope to get the nod up front and build on his brilliant second half in Empoli, but the Belgian striker must battle it out with ex-Laziale Joaquin Correa, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez for selection.
In terms of goalscoring, the latter is second only to Lazio captain Ciro Immobile in the last three Serie A seasons (53 compared to 57) and he needs just one more this year to record at least 15 goals in three consecutive league campaigns.
Having sustained back and rib injuries from a car accident in Rome last week, Immobile was initially expected to miss several more matches of a heavily disrupted season, but he appeared from the bench against former club Torino and could now start at San Siro.
That would most likely see Pedro demoted to a substitute role, with Felipe Anderson and Mattia Zaccagni flanking Lazio's leading scorer.
Subject of much speculation ahead of the summer transfer window, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has found the net five times against Inter in Serie A and is on the verge of 100 goal involvements in Italy's top flight - with 54 of his own and 45 assists. Meanwhile, Danilo Cataldi is back from suspension and should join the Serbian star in midfield.
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Onana; D'Ambrosio, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Correa, Lukaku
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Alberto; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni
We say: Inter Milan 1-2 Lazio
After a 3-1 win in August's reverse fixture, Lazio can do the double over Inter, who have repeatedly stumbled in the league and seem distracted by their cup commitments. Maurizio Sarri is set to secure his 150th Serie A victory; taking his team one step closer to Champions League football in the process.
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