Inter´s Champions League dream may be over – Pioli

Stefano Pioli has acknowledged Inter’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League hang in the balance after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Torino.

Pioli’s side went into Saturday’s clash at the Stadio Olimpico on the back of two thumping wins – beating Cagliari 5-1 and Atalanta 7-1 – but failed to claim all three points against a resilient Torino, despite two calamitous mistakes from Joe Hart.

The result leaves Inter in fifth, five points behind third-placed Napoli, who play their game in hand against Empoli on Sunday.

Pioli now believes that a return to the Champions League may be beyond the Nerazzurri’s reach.

“The Champions League – and an incredible goal we set ourselves – is certainly more distant now,” Pioli told Premium Sport.

22 – The last four Inter league matches have seen 22 goals in total (5.5 per game on average). Fireworks. #TorinoInter

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 18, 2017

“We are not satisfied. The performance was not the best, even if the will and desire was there. We missed an opportunity.

“We played against an aggressive opponent, but we did not adapt quickly enough. We made a lot of technical errors.

“Despite all this, however, there is regret, because in the end we had three or four chances and we deserved to win. Until the end we tried to win it, but we did not succeed.

“It is clear that those teams in front of us are strong and often win. I was expecting something more tonight. Now we have to recover and prepare for the final push.”