The two teams have met in Tuscany on four previous occasions. Siena are without a home win against Inter, with 2 draws (both 0-0) and 2 defeats. The last defeat was a 2-1 reverse on 22 April 2007, a result which saw Inter win the Scudetto.

The two coaches have met on 8 previous occasions. Beretta has won just one game while Mancini has won 4. There have been 3 draws.

Disqualified: -
Cautioned: Galloppa (Siena); Burdisso (Inter)

Since their last home win, a 3-0 Tuscany derby victory over Empoli on 7 October 2007, Siena have drawn 4 and lost 1.

Siena have failed to score in just one of their last 11 home games (the goalless draw with Reggina on 28 October 2007). The Bianconeri have netted a total of 15 goals in the other 10 matches.

Mario Frick counts January as his most prolific month since moving to Italy. The Liechtenstein striker, who has scored 77 goals in Serie A, B and C1 matches, has netted 16 in the first calendar month.

The Nerazzurri have yet to lose the first league match of a new year since the turn of the 21st century. Inter's last 'new year defeat' was a 1-0 loss at Parma on 6 January 1999. They have won 5 and drawn 3 in the successive 8 seasons.

Inter 1-3 Roma on 18 April 2007 was the Nerazzurri's last Serie A defeat. Mancini's team have since played 23 top-flight games, winning 18 and drawing 5.

Inter's last defeat in all competitions was a 1-0 Champions League loss at Fenerbahçe on 19 September 2007. Mancini's men have since notched 17 wins (including 10 from last 10) and 3 draws in Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia matches.

Inter's last away defeat in the Italian top flight was over year and a half ago - on 30 April 2006 when they lost 1-0 at Empoli. The Nerazzurri have since collected 20 wins and 8 draws on their Serie A travels.

The goalless draw at Palermo on 28 October 2007 was the last time the Nerazzurri failed to score in a competitive match. Mancini's players have scored a total of 32 goals in the 12 fixtures played since that match.

Julio Cesar is poised to make his 100th appearance in Italian football. The Brazilian goalkeeper, who made his Nerazzurri debut in Shakhtar Donetsk 0-2 Inter, a Champions League qualifier played on 10 August 2005, has played 75 times in the Serie A, 4 the in Tim Cup, 19 in European competitions and once in the Italian Super Cup.

Defending Italian champions Inter are one of 5 teams to have had just one penalty kick given against them in the 2007/08 Serie A season. The other four are Atalanta, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and AC Milan.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Napoli forward Marcelo Zalayeta are the 2007/08 Serie A championship's most decisive players after 17 rounds of matches. With their goals, both players have earned their teams 13 points.

Inter's Cesar and Materazzi both count Siena as their favourite targets. Of his 21 goals in Italy, the Argentine wing-back has scored 4 against the Bianconeri. The Italian defender, scorer of 48 goals in his career, has also netted 4 against the Tuscans (including both goals in last April's Scudetto-winning victory).

SIENA - Inter emerged 3-2 victors over Siena in a well balanced match at the Stadio Franchi.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring from the penalty spot but Siena were soon back in the game after Maccarone's close-range effort went in off Ivan Cordoba.

Esteban Cambiasso restored Inter's lead at the end of the first half, with Ibrahimovic adding a stunning third after the break.

But Siena never gave up and their substitute Forestieri scored with a stunning strike in the final seconds.

Mancini's defending champions remain seven points clear of second-placed Roma, who came from behind to beat Atalanta 2-1 in Bergamo.

A compact Siena proved a tough nut to crack for the Nerazzurri, who edged in front after 26 minutes when Ibrahimovic beat Manninger from the penalty spot after a foul by Codrea on Cruz.

The Tuscans battled hard for a leveller and were rewarded in the 31st, Maccarone's close-range effort going in off Cordoba after Frick's headed assist from Locatelli's cross.

Locatelli and Galloppa hit long-range shots narrowly over as Siena came looking for a second goal.

But seconds before the break Cambiasso popped up in the box to finish off a three-man move involving Chivu and Ibrahimovic and deliver a psychological blow to Beretta's men.

Mancini made a half-time switch, bringing on Dejan Stankovic for Maicon. The Serbian midfielder, who made his Inter debut in a 4-0 home win over Siena in February 2004, had been out of action since the Champions League victory over Fenerbahce last November.

Seven minutes after the interval Ibrahimovic conjured up a splendid goal to give Inter a two-goal cushion. Collecting a Chivu cut-back following a run down the left by the Romanian, Ibra picked his spot and unleashed a rising drive that flew into the top right corner.

Despite the uphill task Siena never gave up, with Julio Cesar forced into saves from Corvia, Maccarone and Vergassola.

But there was nothing Inter's shotstopper could do to block Forestieri's magnificent volley in time added on.

The Nerazzurri went close to a fourth in the dying seconds, Manninger narrowing the angle to deny Cruz after a combination with Ibrahimovic.

Siena 2-3 Inter (HT: 1-1)

Scorers: Ibrahimovic (pen) 26, 52, Cordoba (o.g.) 31, Cambiasso 45+1, Forestieri 90+2.

Siena: 1 Manninger; 73 Bertotto, 90 Portanova, 15 Loria, 11 De Ceglie; 8 Vergassola, 5 Codrea (30 Forestieri 76), 14 Galloppa, 20 Locatelli; 7 Frick, 32 Maccarone.
Subs not used: 31 Eleftheropoulos, 13 Rossettini, 22 Alberto, 23 Jarolim, 21 Rossi, 9 Corvia.
Coach: Mario Beretta.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon (5 Stankovic 46), 2 Cordoba, 23 Materazzi, 6 Maxwell; 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 6 Chivu; 11 Jimenez (30 Pelé 72), 8 Ibrahimovic, 9 Cruz.
Subs not used: 22 Orlandoni, 16 Burdisso, 31 Cesar, 18 Crespo, 45 Balotelli.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.

Referee: Oscar Girardi (San Donà di Piave).

Booked: De Ceglie 49, Julio Cesar 55, Chivu 82.

starting lineups

substitutes