Europe

Zaccheroni makes Inter bow

Alberto Zaccheroni will hope Roma's dreadful record in Milan will have a greater influence than current form when the former Milan coach takes charge of Internazionale for the first time tomorrow evening.

Roma's unbeaten record so far this season has carried them into third place in Serie A, while Inter's indifferent start cost Hector Cuper his job even before the 3-0 Champions' League thrashing by Locomotiv Moscow in midweek.

Inter are seven points adrift of the Serie A leaders, Milan, and Juventus. Although Zaccheroni insists, "I am not interested in the past", he will have noted that Roma have not managed a win at San Siro in the League against either tenant since the 1994-95 season.

But Roma, whose form seems unaffected by the financial problems that have left players without wages since August, need three points if they are not to lose ground on Juventus, whose 4-2 Champions' League defeat of Real Sociedad suggests Brescia will prove no obstacle at the Stadio Delle Alpi.

The Spanish League leaders, Valencia, face Deportivo La Coruña at the Riazor this evening in one of the most eagerly anticipated ties of the season. Valencia have been impressive since the start of the campaign, sweeping all before them including Real Madrid, beaten 2-0 last month, although only one point separates them from Deportivo, who are boosted by their 1-0 win over Monaco in the Champions' League.

In France the League leaders, Monaco, look to bounce back from their Champions' League defeat to Deportivo by winning at Sochaux, whose 20-month unbeaten home record fell at the hands of Paris St-Germain last time out.

Klaus Toppmöller, out of work since he was sacked by Bayer Leverkusen in February, returns to the Bundesliga today when he leads Hamburg for the first time, in their home game with Schalke 04.