Ranieri rues European exit
Posted Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by ESPN
Under-fire Inter Milan boss Claudio Ranieri lamented his side's luck after they were sent crashing out of the Champions League by Marseille at San Siro.
Brandao's injury-time goal sent the Italian giants out, despite Giampaolo Pazzini's penalty moments later giving them the consolation of a 2-1 win on the night.
That is likely to heap even more pressure on Ranieri with Inter's hopes of silverware this season now over.
Despite that the 60-year-old remained defiant in support of his players following their early exit and claimed they dominated both legs only for fortune to frown on them.
"The team could not do any more than that without a bit of luck," said Ranieri, who saw his side open the scoring through a scrappy Diego Milito goal after 75 minutes.
"We were the team that created the most chances over the 180 minutes of this tie yet we have been unjustly eliminated.
"They scored a goal in injury time in the first leg (through Andre Ayew) and then again. In the 180 minutes we conceded only three shots.
"But this is football. This is the beauty and the ugly side of football."
Inter only ended a nine-game winless run with a 2-0 success at Chievo on Friday night - a run that has seen them fall to seventh in the Serie A table.
Ranieri, who was given the backing of Inter president Massimo Moratti at the weekend, denied that a complete overhaul of an ageing squad was now needed.
"It has not been a good year," said Ranieri, who also saw star midfielder Wesley Sneijder limp off in the second half.
"Should there now be an Inter revolution, no.
"You should not think of a revolution but a restructuring. The club knows that already.
"We will keep fighting, the wind has to change. The team can not give any more than it has given."
Inter Milan resume their domestic battle in the Serie A against Atalanta on Sunday.
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