Inter Milan vs CSKA Moscow preview - Berezutski - We`re up against it
Posted Wednesday, December 07, 2011 by PA
CSKA Moscow defender Aleksei Berezutski knows his team have a difficult task to reach the last 16 of the Champions League as even a victory at Inter Milan may not be enough to finish second in the group.
With Inter already guaranteed first place, the only remaining battle in Group B heading into the final round of matches is the race for second place.
Trabzonspor currently occupy that spot and are one point clear of Lille and CSKA.
The Russians must beat Inter but also hope that Lille and Trabzonspor cancel each other out in France in the other pool game.
CSKA's 2-0 defeat at home to Lille two weeks ago dropped them to the bottom of the standings, level on five points with the French outfit.
"We are left in a position that we need to win at Inter," Berezutski said.
"There is no point in focusing on the other game.
"We will just concentrate on beating Inter and then see what happens."
CSKA have not won on the road this season in the competition while Inter have yet to lose at home against Russian opposition in Europe.
The good news for CSKA is that defender Sergei Ignashevich has recovered from injury.
However, the visitors are set to be without Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda, who is out with a knee problem.
Claudio Ranieri's Inter have claimed 10 points of a possible 12 so far in the competition.
However, a glimmer of hope for Leonid Slutsky's team is that Ranieri could opt to ring the changes for a match that has little significance for the Italians.
In naming his squad for the game at the San Siro, Ranieri omitted goalkeeper Julio Cesar and has called up four players from the reserves.
Luca Castellazzi will replace Julio Cesar in goal with the Brazilian given a rest day.
Ranieri expects a reaction from his players after last weekend's 1-0 home defeat to Udinese that dropped Inter to 16th in Serie A.
"I have told my team that we must find the motivation to do well and show what we are capable of," he said.
"I want to see a great reaction from my players against CSKA.
"We need to get back to the right path and there is no better way to do that than to win."
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