Four-time defending champions Inter are cruising on top of Serie A
and Wednesday's 1-0 win at Chievo saw them maintain an eight-point
cushion over scudetto contenders AC Milan at the halfway point of
the campaign.
With the Nerazzurri unbeaten at the San Siro and having
suffered only two defeats in 18 games, Mourinho has reason to be
happy.
"I am extremely satisfied," said Mourinho. "My team is
showing a lot of character and this is something that can only make
a coach happy.
"I can talk about tactics and individual performances but at
the end of the day, what makes the difference in games is the
character displayed by the team.
"I have a lot of top professionals on the pitch and they do a
great job."
If results go their way, Inter's lead could increase to 10
points this weekend.
The Nerazzurri host rock-bottom Siena on Saturday while 24
hours later, Juve take on in-form AC Milan in Turin in a battle for
second spot.
The Rossoneri beat Genoa 5-2 in their first game of 2010 and
are one point clear of Juve heading into Sunday's clash.
Napoli host Sampdoria in buoyant mood after their 2-0 win at
Atalanta in the last round extended their unbeaten run to 11 games
and lifted the Partenopei to fourth.
A slip by Napoli could see Roma regain the fourth and last
Champions League qualifying spot, provided the Giallorossi beat
Chievo on Saturday.
Genoa will be desperate to make amends for that hammering by
Milan when they host relegation-threatened Catania on Sunday.
Fiorentina take on surprise package Bari looking to get back
in the European qualification places. The Viola lie seventh after
Wednesday's 5-1 triumph at Siena and are three points behind
Napoli.
Bologna will be under pressure to beat Cagliari knowing that
a defeat could see them drop to the relegation zone. The Rossoblu
currently lie one point clear of 18th-place Catania.
Atalanta head into Sunday's game at Palermo looking for a new
manager following Antonio Conte's resignation this week.
Conte stepped down after Wednesday's 2-0 defeat to Napoli
that left the Bergamaschi in 19th position in the standings.
The Bergamo outfit have clinched just one win from their last
eight matches.
Parma look to stop the rot when they travel to Leghorn to
meet Livorno. Defeats to Roma and Juventus have seen Francesco
Guidolin's side drop to sixth.
Strugglers Udinese will be hoping the presence of Serie A's
top scorer Antonio Di Natale will inspire their team to return to
winning ways against Lazio this weekend.
Di Natale missed the last two games through suspension and
his absence hindered the Bianconeri, who lie just three points
clear of the drop zone.
