World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi can't see Roma closing the four-point gap on leaders Inter at the top of Serie A.
''I see Inter in great shape again. They've regained important players like (Patrick) Vieira and (Esteban) Cambiasso and have made the most of being out of the Champions League,'' the ex-Juve coach said Thursday.
''I'm pretty sure they'll manage to keep the four-point edge''.
By the time Inter travel to Torino on Sunday night Roma may have closed the gap, briefly, to one point if they beat bottom club Livorno at the Olimpico on Saturday.
But even if that happens pundits expect Inter to cope with the pressure as they have on two recent occasions.
Torino's new coach Gianni De Biasi could hardly have a harder task than beating champions Inter in his bid to claim the two points that could lift the Turin club out of the drop zone.
But he will be helped by the absence through disqualification of Inter's in-form midfield enforcer Vieira and top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic who, Inter said Thursday, will leave for Sweden Friday for ''at least'' ten days of ''special work'' on a nagging knee problem.
Inter also announced Thursday that midfielder Luis Figo will be out, probably for the rest of the season, after spraining a calf muscle against Lazio in the Italian Cup semi-final first leg Wednesday night.
De Biasi will have welcomed the 3-0 drubbing relegation rivals Parma received from Juventus Wednesday night.
The win virtally ensured Champions League football for the Turin giants, who are 12 points clear of joint-fifth AC Milan and Sampdoria.
They can clinch a spot Sunday if they go one better at Atalanta than Milan do at home to third-from-bottom Reggina.
Inter are going into the weekend action on the back of their drab goalless draw at home to Lazio, Roma had an impressive 1-0 win against Catania on Wednesday.
But while Inter coach Roberto Mancini packed his side with second stringers against Lazio, Roma had its starters out at the Olimpico including skipper Francesco Totti who smashed in the only goal from 25 metres.
European champions Milan will have fewer defensive worries at home to Reggina as Kakha Kaladze and Alessandro Nesta are back from bans.
But defender Daniele Bonera and midfielder Massimo Ambrosini are suspended while striker Alexandre Pato is an injury doubt.
Milan still have a chance of reaching the Champions League qualifiers if they make ground on fourth-placed Fiorentina, who host mid-table Palermo on Saturday night.
Sampdoria will be looking to leapfrog Milan on Sunday against visitors Udinese.
But Udinese are just a point behind the Genoa side and a win could put them right back in the Champions frame.
