Genoa, Italy (My Sportsbook) - Inter Milan visits Genoa on Saturday with star striker Samuel Eto'o sidelined, but coach Jose Mourinho is confident Honduran striker David Suazo will step up to the challenge.
Suazo should move into the lineup to replace Eto'o, who was injured while with Cameroon. Mourinho didn't think it was a good idea for Eto'o to even make the trip to Stadio Luigi Ferraris when the top-five clubs clash.
Suazo was way on international duty as well as Honduras qualified in CONCACAF for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but will be counted on this weekend.
With former Genoa striker Diego Milito also sidelined for Inter, the Honduran should start alongside Mario Balotelli up front.
Suazo has made just one appearance off the bench for Inter but Mourinho thinks he could be the difference against Genoa, which has allowed 11 goals in seven matches.
"He could be an important player ... but he has been away with his national team ...," Mourinho said. "David is a very fast striker when he's at his best.
"He can be very dangerous if he has space, and the game against Genoa could be suited to his characteristics because our opponents are not afraid of playing and they never close down behind the ball."
Genoa boss Gian Piero Gasperini has a number of absentees to deal with against Inter, the latest the loss of midfielder Houssine Kharja to a knee injury.
Defenders Giuseppe Biava, Domenico Criscito and Sokratis Papastathopoulos and midfielders Bosko Jankovic and Ivan Juric are out injured, and midfielder Giandomenico Mesto is suspended.
Inter sits atop the league on goal difference ahead of Sampdoria, with Genoa three back in fifth.
Juventus hosts Fiorentina in Saturday's other Serie A game, which features two more top-five clubs. Juve sits third, followed by Fiorentina in fourth.
On Sunday, AC Milan hopes to get on track before its visits Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday when it hosts Roma, Lazio hosts Sampdoria, Parma hosts Siena, Catania hosts Cagliari, Chievo hosts Bari, Livorno hosts Palermo, Napoli hosts Bologna and Udinese hosts Atalanta.
