Previews: Balotelli set to start against Atalanta
MILAN - Brief news from Serie A ahead of this weekend's matches.
Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli may start Saturday's home game with Atalanta despite arguing with the crowd and throwing his shirt away after a poor showing in Tuesday's 3-1 Champions League semi-final first leg win over Barcelona.
Coach Jose Mourinho, whose side trail leaders AS Roma by a point with four to play, has said Balotelli will feature against third-bottom Atalanta given Goran Pandev's fitness problems although angry club president Massimo Moratti was not so sure.
Inter held an open training session on Friday and 19-year-old striker Balotelli, in constant bother this term because of his on and off-field antics, was applauded by most fans even if media reports say he is destined to quit the club.
Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano visits former club Roma on Sunday hoping to boost fourth-placed Samp's Champions League aspirations and put a spanner in the works of Roma's title charge.
"Of course I will celebrate if I score," Cassano told reporters.
"In Rome they insult me and my mother from noon to night and I am supposed to respect them when they don't respect me? The only team I don't celebrate against is my city Bari."
Forward Francesco Totti is likely to return to Roma's starting lineup having been rested for Wednesday's Italian Cup semi-final at Udinese.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Seventh-placed Juventus, whose chances of finishing fourth are quickly diminishing, host Bari on Sunday without suspended midfielder Mohamed Sissoko.
The Turin club have been boosted off the field however after Samp president Riccardo Garrone said he would not block chief executive Beppe Marotta's path if Juve came calling for him again.
AC Milan, seven points behind leaders Roma in third, may have to play right back Massimo Oddo at centre-half for Saturday's trip to fifth-placed Palermo because of an injury crisis.
Napoli striker Fabio Quagliarella is still suspended for Sunday's home meeting with Cagliari as Walter Mazzarri's side try to move closer to fourth spot.