Inter hoping to bounce back with Lille victory

Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Inter Milan turns to the Champions League on Wednesday, hoping to put the misery of Serie A behind it when it hosts Lille.

Inter is languishing in 17th spot in the league after losing five of its nine games. However, it has had better success in the Champions League to sit atop of Group B.

“It’s a difficult period for the team but we’re working hard and we’ll get out of it,” striker Diego Milito said. “I’m sure we’ll have a great game tomorrow.

“It’s definitely better to be playing immediately to help us forget the championship for a bit. This team has always wanted to prove itself to still be a great team.”

Giampaolo Pazzini scored the only goal of the game to hand Inter victory when the two sides met in France two weeks ago, inflicting what was only Lille’s second defeat in all competitions this season.

Defeat for Inter would see CSKA Moscow or Trabzonspor go top, should either of them take all three points when they meet in Turkey.

Another loss for Lille would all but put it out of the reckoning for the knockout stages and leave Inter in pole position to progress.

“We now have a great chance to show that we are still alive,” Milito added. “We have to win the group.”

Inter will be without defenders Yuto Nagatomo and Maicon. Nagatomo has an injury to his right calf, while Maicon will be out for up to a month with a muscle strain in his left thigh.

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar is also out for up to a month with a thigh injury, and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso picked up a knee bruise against Juve.

However, center backs Andrea Ranocchia and Walter Samuel are expected back from injury against Lille.

Lille has been flying in the French league but a drab performance on Sunday saw it held to a goalless draw at Valenciennes.

“If we play like that, there’s no way we can win in Italy,” coach Rudi Garcia said. “Everyone will see us lose. We can only do better.

“The only positive thing from the match is that when we don’t win at least we don’t concede a goal.”

Florent Balmont is definitely out for Lille after pulling a muscle against Valenciennes, while Marko Basa and Aurelien Chedjou are doubtful.

Meanwhile, CSKA Moscow prepares to visit Trabzonspor, with the Russian outfit in red-hot form.

Since a 3-0 win over Trabzonspor in Moscow two weeks ago, CSKA has beaten Anzhi 5-3 and Spartak Nalchik 4-0 in the Russian league to remain second in the league standings, two points behind leader Zenit St. Petersburg.

CSKA striker Seydou Doumbia, who scored twice against the Turkish side, went on to score two consecutive hat tricks in the next two games.

“I’m in perfect form and hope to continue to score at the same tempo in the next matches,” the Ivory Coast forward said.

However, midfielder Yevgeny Aldonin insists he and his teammates are not underestimating their opponents.

“It may seem from the scoreline that the game was an easy one, but it’s not true,” he said. “It will be even tougher in Turkey—the Turks will be on the attack and will play more aggressively. But this will give us good opportunities to counterattack.”

CSKA is still without injured first-choice goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev and midfielder Keisuke Honda.

Associated Press writers Leonid Chizhov in Moscow, and Trung Latieule in Paris contributed to this report.