Davide Santon

Inter host Roma on Saturday night, as the two face off in a huge battle for the Champions League spots at San Siro.

The two sides are separated by two places and six points, with Inter currently on top in third place. Although Roma sit in fifth they are just one point off the top four, and a win in Milan could be decisive in their pursuit of a top four finish.

Inter come off the back of a big 3-1 win at Frosinone last Sunday, while Roma secured a vital 1-0 win over Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico. Saturday’s encounter is a must win for both sides, and victory for either side could be decisive in who qualifies for next season’s Champions League.

Where to Watch

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Team News

Roma travel to Milan without two notable absentees, though captain Daniele De Rossi should be able to start again. Davide Santon and Rick Karsdop are both ruled out through muscle injuries, but should both be available within the next few weeks.

Predicted Lineups

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Head to Head Record

?Inter and Roma have met 76 times before, with Inter just edging it. The Nerazzurri have prevailed 29 times in comparison to Roma’s 22 wins, while 25 of their meetings have ended all square.

Roma haven’t won any of their last four meetings with Inter, winning just one of their last four away games against them. This could be the first season where both encounters have ended in draws since the 2002/03 season, where Inter and Roma battled out 2-2 and 3-3 draws.

Recent Form

Inter are unbeaten in their last three games, having kept clean sheets in two of those games. They have lost just one of their last six league games, winning their most recent game 3-1 at Frosinone in a massive win for the Nerazzurri.

After a run of six games without a win across all competitions, Roma picked up back to back 1-0 victories against Sampdoria and Udinese. The Giallorossi picked up consecutive league clean sheets for the first time this season, as they continue to push for a top four finish.

Here’s how each team has performed in their last five fixtures.

Prediction

It is going to be a huge game for both sides, as with six games to play a win would be pivotal in their hopes of playing Champions League football next season. Roma could move up to fourth and within three points of Inter, while the Nerazzurri could close in on second place Napoli.

Though it will be an evenly fought game at San Siro, it looks like the hosts may just edge it. If Luciano Spalletti’s side can maintain their momentum from recent games and keep Roma’s attack quiet, then they can surely secure a crucial win at the top of the table.

Prediction: Inter 2-1 Roma

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?Inter have joined the race to sign West Ham target Edin Dzeko, with the Roma striker’s future set to be clearer after the weekend.

The Hammers have been on the hunt for a new frontman after Marko Arnautovic’s form dipped massively following his failed move to the Chinese Super League, while question marks still remain around Javier Hernandez’s future in east London.

Manuel Pellegrini is eager to be reunited with his former striker, who he managed while in charge of Manchester City, however ?Inter have now joined the race to lure the Bosnian away from the Italian capital, according to Corriere dello Sport (as picked up by ?Sport Witness). The Italian publication go on to report that the situation surrounding the 33-year-old’s future should become clearer next week.

In a further development, ?Calcio Mercato claim the striker is ‘ready to say yes’ to the San Siro outfit, as they bid to keep the forward in ?Serie A next season. It’s said that Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta and sporting director Piero Ausilio are both intrigued by the former Wolfsburg man’s profile, with his knowledge and experience of the division a key factor in their interest.

The issues regarding any potential deal from Inter refer to the future of ?Mauro Icardi, as Dzeko will likely only be signed if the Argentine forward leaves. 

Roma have also placed a €15m price tag on their player, something Inter may not be willing to pay for someone of his age. However, for Pellegrini and ?West Ham both these concerns are not issues, with the club happy to offer Dzeko a starring role in the side and part with the money in question.

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?It’s FIFA 19 players’ favourite time of the week, as the brand new Team of the Week is here, and players are in for a real treat this week.

Sometimes we look at the TOTW and only one or two cards jump out, but not this week, not TOTW 31.

There are plenty of stunners in this week’s lineup, and there is almost certainly something for everyone in there.

Here’s some of the highlights of TOTW 31.

Kalidou Koulibaly (92)

?Juventus might be nearing yet another ?Serie A title, but that’s certainly not for lack of trying from ?Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly. The ?Manchester United target was dominant in his side’s 3-1 win over Chievo Verona on Sunday, and even managed to grab himself two goals to keep Juventus waiting just a little while longer.

In terms of his FIFA card, wow. Koulibaly has seen his rating bumped up to 92, which puts him amongst the top defenders on the game. With a bonkers 77 pace to go along with 92 physical, there will be few attackers who can force their way past this card.

Kevin De Bruyne (92)

?The fact that this is ?Kevin De Bruyne‘s first in-form of the year (not counting his Team of the Year card) is truly shocking. The Belgian has battled injuries all season, but looked back to his best in ?Manchester City‘s 3-1 win over ?Crystal Palace, grabbing two impressive assists to keep his side in the race for the ?Premier League title.

Like Koulibaly, De Bruyne has also been given a 92-rated card, and it looks to be an incredible option. His 93 passing will make him an excellent addition to any midfield, although there will be players who wish he could have had a bit of an extra bump on his physical and pace stats (because 80s just look that much sweeter).

Nicolas Pepe (88)

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a season this man is having. Nicolas Pepe has spent the year embarrassing defenders all over France, and he can now add Paris Saint-Germain’s scalp to his impressive resume. He grabbed a goal and two assists in a 5-1 win over the league leaders, in what has to be one of the most shocking results in Ligue 1 history.

To get five in-forms is a real testament to Pepe’s ability. The latest addition to his line of impressive cards is this new 88-rated option, which boasts 92 pace, 89 shooting and 89 dribbling. For those with his Headliner card, expect the latter two to jump up to over 90 as he gets upgraded to an 89 overall.

Honourable Mentions

Where to even start? Kinglsey Coman’s 86-rated card looks like it could cause more than a few problems for any defender, and the same can be said of Lucas Moura, who has picked up an 84-rated in-form at striker.

Radja Nainggolan is now an 87. Ryan Fraser, Fabian Schar and Inaki s are all 86-rated now, and ?Pepe Reina’s 85-rated special card also looks very intriguing indeed.

A special shout-out has to go to twin brothers Rogelio and Ramiro Funes Mori (the latter of whom used to turn out for ?Everton), who have both made it into the TOTW at the same time. Their family must be so proud.

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?One of the hottest prospects in world football right now, it’s fair to say Nicolas Pepe has enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign at LOSC Lille.

The Ivorian has had a blistering season in front of goal, with 19 strikes in just 32 Ligue 1 appearances this season, whilst he has also shown off his playmaking skills with a further 11 assists. 

Pepe’s ‘double-double’ has attracted interest from many of European football’s biggest sides this season, and as such, below is a look at some of the teams linked with a summer move for the winger, and how likely a move to each club actually is.

Paris Saint-Germain

In producing one of his best displays against the Parisian giants, Pepe undeniably jumped up the pecking order of potential summer targets for PSG. The winger scored one and made another two as Lille thrashed the reigning Ligue 1 champions 5-1 on Sunday, and ensured that they delayed Thomas Tuchel’s men from lifting the French title for at least another week.

With the futures of superstars Neymar and Kylian Mbappe relatively uncertain amid reports linking the pair with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, Pepe’s name may just begin to crop up more in Paris. The 23-year-old never seems to be overawed by the occasion, and has time and time again stepped up for Christophe Galtier’s side this season?, and if either of PSG’s big money signings departs this summer, Pepe could be the man to step into those massive boots.

Likelihood rating: 4/10

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Manchester United

With a director of football likely to be brought in to help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with bringing in new faces, Pepe’s name is likely to figure prominently at Old Trafford. ?United’s Norwegian boss has shown tactical flexibility in his short time in charge of the club, but has predominantly favoured formations with wingers, and with just Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford the main options, a new wide man may be on the cards.

Juan Mata has sometimes played on the flanks but looks set to leave the club at the expiration of his contract this summer, while Sanchez has been well below-par since his arrival from Arsenal last year. Pepe’s potential arrival would free up ?Rashford to play up top where he has excelled in recent months, and Solskjaer’s preference for the counter-attack would look all the more devastating with a front three of Martial, Pepe and Rashford.

Likelihood rating: 5/10

Inter

In what is expected to be a long drawn-out saga this summer, it is Serie A giants Inter who have made the first move in the race to sign Pepe. France Football claim that the Nerazzurri have tabled a bid worth €60m for the winger, and that the Italian side have been in ‘constant contact’ with Lille in recent weeks over negotiating a move. 

Croatian star Ivan Perisic was on the verge of joining Arsenal in the January transfer window, and could well be allowed to move on, and as such a replacement would be sought. Whether Pepe would see joining ?Inter as a more attractive proposition than some of the other clubs featured on this list remains to be soon, and with Lille expecting a bidding war to take place, Luciano Spalletti’s side could well find themselves priced out of a move.

Likelihood rating: 6/10

Arsenal

Linked with ?Arsenal for what feels like an eternity, Pepe seems to fit everything that Unai Emey seems to want in terms of an attacking acquisition this summer. The Gunners look woefully short of depth and competition in the wide areas, with only Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as what you would describe as more orthodox wingers.

While both are great with their feet and look suited to the Arsenal ‘tiki-taka’ style, neither seem the best when it comes to electric speed and direct dribbling. Step up Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian relishes one-on-one situations with the opposite full-back, and having that ability to do something out of the ordinary and conjure up a bit of magic for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to feed off is exactly what Emery’s side need. How likely they are to sign him will surely depend on how the Gunners end the season. 

Reports have suggested just £40m will be made available for Emery, but securing Champions League football next year could raise their transfer kitty by another £30-£40m. Finish in the top four or win the Europa League, and the Gunners will be serious contenders for one of the brightest stars in European football.

Likelihood rating: 7/10 

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?Bayern Munich

Seemingly the early frontrunners for Pepe’s signature, ?Bayern are intent on completely rejuvenating their squad after what ultimately has been a rather disappointing season. The Bavarian giants are still battling for the Bundesliga title, but fell short at the last 16 stage of the Champions League to Liverpool, and were, in truth, made to look rather ordinary by Jurgen Klopp’s side.

With a deal for Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez already tied up, reports have suggested attentions have now turned towards pushing through a move for Pepe. Bayern legends Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are well into their mid-30s and set for a move away at the end of the season, and the prospect of lining up with a wide duo of Pepe and Kingsley Coman appears to be a tantalising prospect. 

With the Ivory Coast international’s price likely to be upwards of €80m, Bayern will have the edge over Arsenal when it comes to being able to afford the winger, and that could make all the difference this summer.

Likelihood rating: 9/10

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Inter and Bayern Munich appear to have emerged as the frontrunners in the forthcoming race for Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, though Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain all remain in hot pursuit. 

Pepe has been on the radar of many a top level European side for quite some time, with the winger impressing greatly throughout the season, notching 20 goals and 14 assists across all competitions. However, this reached a new level of fervour last weekend, when the Ivorian international scored one goal and assisted a further two in the 5-1 demolition of PSG.

And, speaking to ?Telefoot after his side inflicted the greatest defeat of the Parisians in 19 years, club president Gerard Lopez admitted he expected his prized star to depart Lille this summer, explaining: “Sure [Pepe’s going to leave]. He’s going to get into a range of prices and wages that LOSC will not be able to pay anymore.

“So, it’s clear that there’s a career choice for him too, after that, where will he go? We’ll see. We will not talk about a transfer until about mid-May. I think he’ll have a choice; we’ll see.”

As you can imagine, Lopez was right with this assessment, and, unsurprisingly, his words only served to increase the interest in the 23-year-old. Firstly, L’Equipe, as relayed by the ?Sun, reported that the ?Bavarians had emerged as the frontrunners, revealing that, having sent scouts to watch the PSG victory, they subsequently engaged in talks with the club over a potential summer switch. 

However, FCB didn’t stay at the top for long, with ?France Football promptly claiming ?Inter had set the summer bidding war rolling in earnest, lodging a €60m offer with the second-placed Ligue 1 side. 

Whether this will be enough remains to be seen, though considering the calibre of suitor that remain in the hunt, that seems likely. It is understood that Chelsea see Pepe as a potential replacement for ?Eden Hazard, though that of course rests on the Belgian leaving for Real Madrid and the club successfully appealing their transfer ban.

For their part, the Parisians were looking into their destroyer before he became known as such, and it seems his dismantling of their rearguard has only cemented their desire to secure his services.

However, while ?United are sufficiently desperate for additional wingers and rarely afraid to splash the clash, there is some apparent reluctance in north London, with some members of the ?Arsenal hierarchy urging Unai Emery to look to Hoffenheim loanee Reiss Nelson instead.

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