Weary Inter face resurgent Roma as Napoli apply pressure in title race

The warning signs have been flashing for weeks but Inter Milan are now truly feeling the weight of their marathon season as they prepare to host in-form AS Roma on Sunday having gone three matches without a win in all competitions.

With Inter and Napoli locked together on 71 points with five rounds remaining, Simone Inzaghi's side can ill afford another stumble. Yet they face a seventh-placed Roma outfit riding a remarkable 17-match unbeaten league streak.

Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final exit at the hands of city rivals AC Milan has only intensified the pressure on Inter, who still harbour Champions League ambitions with a two-legged semi-final against Barcelona looming.

"We've had a more packed schedule than others but, again, it's not an excuse," Inzaghi said after the 3-0 Coppa Italia loss that saw them go out 4-1 on aggregate.

The absence of key figures Denzel Dumfries, Piotr Zielinski and Marcus Thuram due to injuries in the final stretch could prove decisive as the champions' legs grow heavier and their grip on the Scudetto looser with each passing week.

NAPOLI CHALLENGE

While Inter stumble, Napoli find themselves in a vastly more enviable position, with Sunday's home clash against 10th-placed Torino representing perhaps their toughest remaining hurdle on the road to potential glory.

Focused solely on their league campaign without European or domestic cup distractions, the Neapolitans are eyeing a fourth consecutive home victory to clear their toughest obstacle.

After Torino, their run-in reads like a dream sequence for title contenders: Lecce, who are currently 17th, Genoa (13th) and Parma (15th) before concluding at home to Cagliari (16th).

Scotland international Scott McTominay has emerged as Napoli's unlikely