Inter Milan focused on clinching Serie A title

Reuters
Thursday 06 May 2010 10:23 BST
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Fresh from an Italian Cup triumph over AS Roma, treble-chasing Inter Milan are fired up to deny their southern rivals again and wrap up their fifth straight Serie A title on Sunday.

A home win over mid-table Chievo, coupled with second-placed Roma failing to beat Cagliari in the capital, would hand Jose Mourinho's side the second part of a possible treble with the Champions League final against Bayern Munich awaiting on May 22.

Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder may miss the Chievo match after suffering another thigh injury five minutes into the 1-0 win over Roma on Wednesday which sealed their sixth Italian Cup.

"I got a kick on my leg and some blood came out, but I feel better now. At least I can walk so we will see what happens," he told Inter's TV channel.

"I'm very happy about my first cup in Italy. We can take two more this year and we have to go for it, but the most important one is the first one and now we have to keep focused and win two more titles."

Inter have a two point-lead over Roma with two games to go but Claudio Ranieri said his side would refuse to buckle despite signs of real frustration in the Cup final.

Captain Francesco Totti was sent off for a wild kick at Mario Balotelli late in the game, far from impressing watching Italy coach Marcello Lippi as the pair mull whether he should come out of international retirement for the World Cup.

Roma were in the driving seat for the title but last month's home defeat to Sampdoria could ultimately cost them.

That win also made Samp favourites for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot but they visit their only rivals Palermo on Sunday in a match which could be worth so much in terms for finance and prestige.

Samp lead Palermo by two points so a win would send the 1992 European Cup runners-up into next season's Champions League qualifying round at the expense of bigger names such as Juventus and Fiorentina, who have flopped this term.

Luigi Del Neri's Sampdoria even have a chance of pipping AC Milan to the third automatic Champions League place.

Milan, four points above Samp, visit Genoa on Sunday with the future of boss Leonardo again the focus with media reports saying Marco van Basten and former Cagliari manager Massimiliano Allegri have joined youth coach Filippo Galli in the running to take over if the Brazilian leaves.

Third-from-bottom Atalanta travel to Napoli but are five points from safety and need a miracle to avoid following Siena and Livorno into Serie B.

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