Roma hoping for Totti boost

ROME // Roma will be looking for a new beginning when they host Inter Milan tomorrow night with their captain Francesco Totti set to return to the team. A knee injury has limited Totti to just 13 minutes in Italy's top flight this campaign, but the playmaker is expected to make his comeback having trained throughout the week. Without Totti last season's runners-up have struggled in every department. They lie 14th in the standings, having won just two league games out of six. Totti's presence should give Roma a huge boost in the most important week of their season so far, with a Champions League fixture at Chelsea to follow on Wednesday.

Alberto Aquilani, the Roma midfielder, who scored twice in Italy's 2-1 World Cup qualifier win against Montenegro believes there is no better time to turn things around. "We face three difficult days," Aquilani said. "Inter and Chelsea are difficult opponents but perhaps this is the time for Roma to come out of a difficult situation. "Inter are the strongest side in the tournament and perhaps Jose Mourinho's side are even stronger than Chelsea but we are determined to get a win."

Meanwhile, revenge could be high up on Sevilla's agenda as they travel to Andalusian rivals Almeria this weekend, although a huge injury list may make things tough for the La Liga high-flyers. Sevilla are one of only three teams still unbeaten in the top flight but you have to go back 23 matches for their last defeat - which came against Almeria - when they were hammered 4-1. Frederic Kanoute and his fellow strikers Luis Fabiano, Javier Chevanton and Arouna Kone are all injured but midfielder Aldo Duscher said: "We are always going to go for the three points, even without the players that are missing.

"It is bad luck that players are injured in the same position, but there are also players who will be hoping to show their quality and this is very important." * With agencies