A photograph of Wesley Sneijder taken by Inter Milan team-mate Samuel Eto'o after the Cameroon striker bagged a hat-trick in Europe on Wednesday made its way into the press as the hype increases before Sunday's game with Juventus.
Eto'o grabbed a photographer's camera and snapped a quick picture during the 4-0 Champions League win at home to Werder Bremen and the very respectable shot was printed by Friday's Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Cameroonian will be looking for his 12th goal in 10 games in all competitions this term in the "Derby of Italy" at the San Siro on Sunday.
Champions and leaders Inter have injury worries for the visit of their fierce rivals but said in a statement that the conditions of goalkeeper Julio Cesar and centre back Lucio were improving after they were injured against Werder.
Walter Samuel, Marco Materazzi, Javier Zanetti, Goran Pandev and Diego Milito are all doubtful too as Rafael Benitez's squad is stretched to the limit.
Ninth-placed Juventus, buoyed by a decent showing in the 1-1 Europa League draw at Manchester City, have long been involved in a war of words with Inter over the 2006 match-fixing scandal and have moved to calm their fans ahead of the match.
Juve want the 2006 scudetto which they won on the pitch but was awarded to Inter to be taken away from their rivals after saying new evidence shows the European champions were involved in the match-fixing affair too.
Inter deny any involvement and say if anything, Juve should have more titles stripped from them given the depth of the scandal.
Juve president Andrea Agnelli said in a letter to fans: "It is a time when fans, with a sense of responsibility so far superior to that of some club directors, support their team in a moment of difficulty without resorting to... violence.
"It is a time when shareholders and management are busy defending the black and white colours in every institution, with the right processes and in a correct and transparent way."
Parma coach Pasquale Marino has gone straight to the point in his bid to stop fifth-placed AC Milan in Saturday's clash at the Tardini.
"The ball can't reach Zlatan Ibrahimovic," he said.
The Swede has been in fine scoring form since his August arrival from Barcelona and is fit despite a knock during Tuesday's 1-1 Champions League draw at Ajax where he grabbed the equaliser.
Ronaldinho is set to return at Parma having been rested in Amsterdam.
Lazio striker Mauro Zarate, whose side are level on points at the top with Inter, is available for Sunday's home game against Brescia after being fined 10,000 euros ($13,660) but not banned for a fascist salute to fans.
