ROME: All of a sudden there’s a three-way fight for the Serie A title. AC Milan trail leaders Inter Milan by just one point and AS Roma are only four points back. With nine rounds remaining, it hasn’t been this close in the Italian league in
eight years.

“It’s not easy to make predictions. It’s an unusual season,” Milan coach Leonardo said. “(Milan) have a lot of desire, Roma have had a good run of positive results and are trying to keep going, but Inter still have the ball in their hands.”
With nine rounds remaining back in 2001-02, it was even closer with only two points separating the top three teams and Juventus ending up edging Roma by one point for the title, with Inter finishing two points back.
Inter host last-place Livorno in Wednesday’s midweek round, Milan visit Parma and Roma play at Bologna. Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder is likely to sit out against Livorno due to a minor muscle problem, especially with two key matches to follow — Inter visit Roma on Saturday, then host CSKA Moscow in the opening leg of the Champions League quarter-finals four days later.
Livorno coach Serse Cosmi’s job is on the line after a 3-0 loss to Atalanta last weekend. Milan have more injury problems after forward Alexandre Pato was diagnosed with a muscle tear in his leg that will keep him out at least a month. Last week, defender Alessandro Nesta and David Beckham
each had surgery.
Milan forward Marco Borriello has also had a series of physical problems, prompting Leonardo to recall 36-year-old striker Filippo Inzaghi to the starting lineup after a five-month absence for Milan’s 1-1 draw with Napoli last weekend. Inzaghi scored a 26th-minute equalizer.
In Leonardo’s first year in charge, Milan had a difficult start to the season, as did Roma, who quickly replaced coach Luciano Spalletti with Claudio Ranieri, who now has Roma playing the most consistent football in Italy. “The comeback is possible. Inter are the favourites but we believe in ourselves,” Norway defender John Arne Riise said. “It’s key for us to win in Bologna so we can play all of our cards against Inter.
“There are nine rounds to go and each one is going to be a final for us. I don’t think Inter will be affected by the Champions League, they’ve got a sufficient squad to fight on every front. But we’ve got to believe in ourselves anyway.”
Roma defender Juan is suspended for the Bologna match, but Philippe Mexes is returning, as are David Pizarro, Daniele De Rossi and Rodrigo Taddei. Captain Francesco Totti, meanwhile, is aiming to return against Inter this weekend. Bothered by numerous injuries all season, including a right knee operation at the end of October, Totti has played in only 15 of 29 Serie A games.