MILAN, Aug 21 (Reuters) - AS Roma striker Francesco Totti is expected to make his first competitive appearance since injuring his knee in April in Sunday's Italian Super Cup against league champions Inter Milan.
The captain has been working his way back to fitness after
surgery and is expected to at least make the bench in the
curtain raiser to the Italian season.
Italian Cup holders Roma could plump for new signing Julio
Baptista upfront if Totti is not risked from the start but
Inter keeper Julio Cesar knows who he fears most.
'I respect Totti hugely. He has always scored goals against
me in every way - long range shots, lobs, free kicks,' Cesar
told Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport.
Roma have had a tough week with 82-year-old president
Franco Sensi dying last Sunday. Thousands turned up for
Wednesday's funeral and Totti was among those who carried the
coffin.
Roma players Daniele De Rossi, Alberto Aquilani, Simone
Perrotta and Marco Cassetti flew straight from the funeral to
Italy's 2-2 friendly draw with Austria in Nice, and their
performances showed their minds were elsewhere.
Inter's build-up under new coach Jose Mourinho has been
less stressed although main striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic
continues to struggle with a long-term knee problem.
The Swede is expected to play on Sunday but is not likely
to be risked for the full 90 minutes ahead of the start of the
Serie A season on Aug. 30 and 31.
Inter winger Mancini, bought from Roma in the close season
to fit into Mourinho's favoured three-pronged attack, can
expect a difficult reception from his former fans.
The game is being played at the San Siro in Milan after
plans to play the match abroad never came to fruition.
The lower-ranked sides from Serie A last season also enter
the Italian Cup this weekend before the league programme has
even got under way.
Lazio host lower league Benevento in the third round on
Saturday with Catania entertaining relegated Parma in the pick
of the matches.
