Round ten preview: A derby like no other

Ask any casual observe of Italian football to name it's biggest derby and undoutably they'd go for Inter v Milan. Two giants of the Italian and European game, ten Champions League trophies between them and an endless array of world renowned players both now and in the past. However, scratch beneath the surface of the casual observer and you'll find two derbies, that in my opinion at least, surpass the Milan classic in terms of passion and rivalry at least. The first is Inter v Juve, the Derby D'Italia, a phrase coined by Italian Journalist Gianni Brera in the 60s that epitomised a match up between the two clubs in Italy that had won the most International and domestic trophies. Undoubtedly, passion runs high in this encounter and thats' seen, even in recent years, altercations on the pitch between, in last years case Gianluigi Buffon and Thiago Motta. However, one derby surpasses both of these for me. The Rome derby, and that's the classic we have to entertain us this weekend at 2pm on Sunday afternoon as Lazio, top of the league, host Roma, currently in 9th place and ten points behind. Last year Roma won both encounters, so despite being top of the league that will count for little for the Lazio fans for these 90 minutes as avenging both defeats of last season will be heavily on the mind. For Roma, revenge of a different sort may be in the offing, as they look to get their season back on track and close the gap on the leagues front runners. 

But, as has been suggested, more than just football has taken place at these encounters over the years with two prominent events making their mark in tragically devastating fashion. In 1979 a Lazio fan was killed by a flare fired from the Curva Sud, while in 2004 the game was suspended after false rumours were spread about a child being killed. Unprecedented scenes even saw Ultra leaders on the pitch conversing with club captains to give their account. These sad scenes are the exception to the rule, against which most derbies have been played out to backdrops of spectacular choreography of the Lazio ultras in the Curva Nord and the Roma Ultras in the Curva Sud. But the rivalry, as you can tell, is fiercely strong ever since the first meeting of the two sides in 1929 not long after Roma were formed as a club. Roma, who came about after the merger of three sides to which Lazio resisted, were victorious on the first occasion and up to today hold the better record of wins between to the two clubs in Serie A and all competitions. But, that will count for nothing come Sunday afternoon, and whatever the result it is sure to be a passionate and colourful affair. 

Elsewhere, Milan take the perilous road to Bari, will a injury ravaged Inter and Juve both have easier games against Brescia and Cesena respectively. Napoli host Parma while in the big Sunday night game Palermo host Genoa in a match that could set one team on the way to European qualification.