Lazio travel to Milan to take on Internazionale on Sunday with the sides aiming for the win for very different reasons.
Inter have been enjoying a fantastic season and sit top of Serie A after 16 games but things haven't been as good for Stefano Pioli's side who find themselves 12th in the league after what had been a reasonable start to the campaign.
Inter form
Things couldn't be going much better for Roberto Mancini's team with the Nerazzurri sitting four points clear at the top of Serie A. They have lost just once in their last 10 games and much of their success as been built on an outstanding defensive record. Inter have conceded just nine goals in the league this season and in their last seven games in all competitions they have managed to keep six clean sheets. Form like that is what championships are built on and a win here would be a great way to end 2015.
Lazio form
As Inter go from strength to strength Lazio find themselves at the other end of the scale having gone seven games without a league win. Defensively they have been poor with 25 goals conceded and the 18 goals they have scored isn't really good enough either. Lazio's away form has been hugely disappointing with just one win and six defeats in their games away from the Olimpico. The one bright spot for Pioli has been their progress in cups. They came through the Europa League group stages to reach the last 32 and in midweek they beat Udinese to set up a Coppa Italia quarter-final with Juventus.
Team news
Mancini's Inter Milan side will have to do without the services of Andrea Ranocchia but Davide Santon looks likely to be fit and should start in defence.
Pioli has a lot more concerns than his counterpart and could be without seven of his players for the trip to Milan. Miroslav Klose, Santiago Gentiletti, Federico Marchetti, Dusan Basta, Ricardo Kishna, Senad Lulic and Stefan de Vrij are all set to miss out due to injury and what was a difficult task to begin with will be a lot harder for the Biancocelesti.
Possible teams
Inter - Handanovic; Santon, Miranda, Murillo, Telles; Ljajic, Brozovic, Medel, Perisic; Jovetic, Icardi
Lazio - Berisha; Konko, Mauricio, Hoedt, Radu; Parolo, Biglia, Cataldi; Candreva, Matri, Felipe Anderson
Prediction
With the teams in such contrasting form and Lazio having a lot of key players ruled out to injury it is difficult to see anything other than a home win.