Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has tipped his hat to AC Milan coach Leonardo and praised the work done by the Brazilian in his rookie season with his team's city rivals.
Leonardo replaced Carlo Ancelotti after the latter's departure to Chelsea last summer and has led Milan to the knockout stages of the Champions League and the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia while also keeping them in the battle for the scudetto.
Inter hold an eight-point advantage over the Rossoneri at the top of the Serie A but have played a game more.
"I have a special respect for Milan," said Moratti in an interview to Italian newspaper La Stampa.
"They are a team of optimists who have trust in their own play and that is totally down to the merit of their coach.
"I admire Leonardo, who is a good person and that is also acknowledged at international level. I would have liked to have had him as an executive."
The Nerazzurri go into Saturday's game at Bari on the back of three consecutive wins while Milan host rock-bottom Siena 24 hours later looking to make it three wins in a row in the league.
Juventus travel to Verona to face Chievo looking to replicate the form they displayed in their midweek 3-0 triumph over Napoli in the Coppa Italia.
The result was like much-needed oxygen for coach Ciro Ferrara, whose team had gone into the game having lost three of their last four league games.
Juve are fourth in the standings, level on 33 points with Napoli and 12 behind leaders Inter.
Wednesday's result in Turin ended Napoli's 12-match unbeaten run but the Partenopei will look to bounce back from that setback with a win against Palermo.
Dario Dainelli and Luca Toni will be adversaries for the first time when their new clubs face each other on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico.
Dainelli joined Genoa from Fiorentina this week and may ended up with the challenge of stopping his old Viola team-mate Toni, who joined Roma on loan from Bayern Munich.
A win in Bergamo against Atalanta on Sunday would mark Lazio's first triumph on the road since August 30.
Sampdoria must overcome the absence of goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi for Sunday's game against Catania.
Castellazzi has sustained ligament damage in his left knee and will be sidelined for at least six weeks.
A slip at Fiorentina on Sunday could see Bologna drop into the relegation zone.
The Rossoblu have lost their last three league games and lie just one point clear of 18th-placed Catania.
Cagliari are desperate to return to winning ways at home, with their last victory at the Sant Elia collected on November 29.
The Sardinian outfit will take on Livorno on Saturday.
Strugglers Udinese visit Parma looking for their first win on their travels this season.
