Inter look to put Euro disappointment behind them

It’s back to the Serie A grindstone for champions Inter Milan this weekend following their disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United in midweek.

The current leaders have a seven point gap over Juventus to protect and despite the pain of another year of delusion in Europe, coach Jose Mourinho said his team still had important goals to go for.

They face Fiorentina at the San Siro on Sunday with their visitors also chasing fourth place and a spot in next season’s Champions League.

“Now we have to think about the championship and the Coppa Italia, even if it won’t be easy to get to the final following our 3-0 first leg defeat (to Sampdoria) in the semi-final,” said Mourinho.

“But, as I’ve already told all the TV companies in the world, if this team wins the scudetto, it will be a great title, won in a very difficult league with competitive teams across the board.

“It would be a title even more difficult than the one won last season. I think winning the title would be a good way to finish the season because next season Inter must return to the Champions League as Italian champions.”

It is clear that Mourinho’s main ambition is still to land Europe’s premier club competition and even though he said they have a lot to play for this season, his thoughts have already moved on to the next campaign.

“You can’t win the Champions League in a moment, you don’t win it because you have a new coach and you think he can work miracles.

“The Champions League is won with something more and I will talk about this something more with my president and the club because I have no doubts about what we need.”

Inter are not the only club looking to bounce back from European disappointment as Juventus and AS Roma also went out — all three losing to English teams.

Juve still harbour faint hopes of catching the leaders and they can cut the lead to four points, for a day at least, if they beat Bologna at home on Saturday.

They will have to be wary of Serie A top goalscorer Marco Di Vaio, though, as he hit a hat-trick against Sampdoria last weekend.

Roma have ground to make up on Genoa and Fiorentina in the race for fourth place and they face a tricky trip to Samp, whose home form is far superior to their performances on the road.

Genoa face a tough trip to Sardinia to take on Cagliari, who themselves are in the running for a UEFA Cup qualifying finish.

Meanwhile AC Milan travel to Siena looking to try to continue the improvements they showed in last weekend’s 3-0 success at home to Atalanta.

Filippo Inzaghi scored a hat-trick in that game and David Beckham had one of his most influential matches in the black and red shirt since joining the club in January, playing in an unfamiliar role behind the front two.

With the transfer sagas involving two of their biggest stars — Beckham and Kaka — now both put to bed until the end of the season at least, Milan can look forward to concentrating on their football on the pitch.

They still have many injury concerns, though, with the likes of Kaka, Gennaro Gattuso, Ronaldinho and Alessandro Nesta all out.

Many eyes will be on the Reggio Calabria region in the deep south west of the country where former Italy boss Roberto Donadoni will take charge of his first game with Napoli at Reggina following the sacking of Eddy Reja in midweek.

Napoli have been in dreadful form of late, not winning since early January and the club will be hoping Donadoni has an immediate impact.

Saturday

Cagliari v Genoa, Juventus v Bologna

Sunday

Atalanta v Torino, Inter Milan v Fiorentina, Lazio v Chievo, Palermo v Lecce, Reggina v Napoli, Sampdoria v AS Roma, Siena v AC Milan, Udinese v Catania