Ranieri sets sights on leaders

Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri says his side will head into 2012 with every intention of catching the Serie A leaders.

Inter are in fifth place on the league table, eight points behind joint leaders AC Milan and Juventus, as the club continues to count the cost of their poor start to the season.

Ranieri’s team went a goal behind on Wednesday before strikes from Giampaolo Pazzini, Diego Milito, Esteban Cambiasso and Ricky Alvarez powered them to a 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Lecce.

Ranieri said he wants to see further improvement from his squad in the New Year.

“Today we were unlucky, because we hit the post four times, but then did well to recover from the initial disadvantage,” the 60-year-old told Corriere dello Sport.

“This Christmas we wanted to win, we always say that we should make a comeback, return to where we really deserve to be. It will not be easy, but we will give everything.”

“The team needs to do more, we can and must do much better. The Scudetto? We take it one game at a time.”

Inter resume action in Serie A against Parma on January 7.