Champions Inter Milan are already showing signs of a siege mentality as they seek to recoup two points on Roma in Serie A's first big title clash Wednesday night.
"They're trying to destabilise us," said coach Roberto Mancini, referring to media criticism of his side's sputtering start to the season. "They're all taking a swipe at us but we're not going to fall into the trap," said Mancini, who needs at least a draw at the Olympic Stadium to ease the pressure on his side as favourites for the scudetto. Inter's form has been up and down so far.
In an early rehearsal for Wednesday's game, they came from behind superbly to win the Italian SuperCup 4-3 from 3-0 down against Roma.
Their first Serie A match was almost a carbon copy, in reverse. In a nerve-racking 3-2 win against Fiorentina, they let a 3-0 lead slip.
That was followed by a Champions League loss against Sporting Lisbon last week and a draw against Sampdoria on Sunday.
As in past years, Inter has come under fire for failing to produce good football except when it's under the gun. Its erratic form has raised renewed questions about Mancini's ability to forge a collection of stars into an effective unit.
Owner Massimo Moratti dug deep into his pockets again in the transfer season, picking up Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic and France captain Patrick Veira from relegated Juventus, as well as Argentina striker Hernan Crespo from Chelsea. Mancini has found it hard to settle on a firm attacking
format, with Brazil striker Adriano a continuing problem. What the press has dubbed 'the Adriano riddle' has now been put into the hands of Mancini's old mate from his Lazio playing days, deputy coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The former Serbia defender has been tasked with helping the young Brazilian recover his best form. Putting on a psychologist's cap, the one-time dead ball maestro is expected to work on boosting Adriano's confidence. "Fundamentally he's a great lad. He just needs to refind faith in what he's capable of doing," Mihajlovic said.
For the moment, though, Crespo is expected to partner Ibrahimovic against a Roma side which has looked as strong in defence as in attack - aside from the uncharacteristic collapse in the SuperCup.
The Romans, led by a Francesco Totti who is determined to recover his best world-beating form, have been firing on all cylinders since the July loss against Inter and have scored at least twice in every game. Evoking memories of last year's record 11-match winning streak, they beat Livorno 2-0 on Serie A's first day, Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0 in the Champions League in midweek, and Siena 3-1 on Sunday.
Romans are already thinking the Giallorossi can repeat their 2001 scudetto triumph but coach Luciano Spalletti is trying to calm the enthusiasm.
"We're dreamers (in Rome). All it takes is two wins to start talking about certain achievements, but I have to remind people that there are 36 games left in the championship," he said. He cast Roma as the underdogs in Wednesday's match, saying: "Inter have a little bit more than us".
"But perhaps we can make up the gap with the way we play".
Inter, which was awarded last year's scudetto after Juve was stripped of the title in Italy's match-fixing scandal, is still the bookie's favourite for the league but its odds have lengthened. Roma is still third favourite but its odds, on the other hand, have shortened.
In the middle for the bookies is AC Milan, which has won all its games this season and moved from a penalty of -8 to -2, pending an expected reduction. Milan faces lowly Ascoli Wednesday night. Palermo, which has also won all its games including a UEFA match at West Ham, sits atop Serie A on six points alongside Roma and is now fourth favourite for the title.
Palermo meets Catania Wednesday in the first big Sicilian derby in 43 years, at a sold-out La Favorita stadium in the island's capital.
Catania is also riding high, among five teams on four points, including Inter.
Juventus, meanwhile, are finally beginning to find their feet in Serie B.
"We're adjusting to life in the second division," said Chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli after Tuesday's 3-0 away win at Crotone which cut the fallen Turin giants' deficit to -10, from a starting penalty of -17.
