Sampdoria vs Inter Milan preview - Ranocchia issues battle cry

Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia has called on his team-mates to sharpen their focus on winning Sunday's match at Sampdoria.

The Nerazzurri have clinched just two wins in their previous eight games and last weekend's 2-2 result against Bologna was their third straight draw.

"We've had ups and downs all season from a physical standpoint," Ranocchia said to www.inter.it. "Now we must make an extra effort because we have six very difficult games that we must play in the best possible way in order to arrive to Europe."

Inter are fifth and hold the last Europa League qualifying spot. They are level on 50 points with Parma, who visit Bologna on Sunday.

"For us it's crucial to qualify for Europe," Ranocchia said. "This is our only aim.

"A team like Inter cannot afford to stay out of Europe for a second straight season.

"We have to give our all and focus on ourselves and not on others.

"We cannot forget that we are holding on to fifth place and we must defend our position in the standings until the end of the season."

Inter coach Walter Mazzarri will have all of his players available with the exception of defender Juan Jesus.

The Brazilian left-back got hurt against Bologna and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after rupturing ligaments in his right knee.

Rivals Sampdoria will not be at full strength this weekend, with defenders Gaetano Berardi, Daniele Gastaldello and Shkodran Mustafi as well as strikers Eder and Manolo Gabbiadini, all sidelined through injury.

To complicate matters for Samp, club coach Sinisa Mihajlovic will have to watch the encounter against his former team from the Luigi Ferraris stadium stands as he serves the second and final game of his touchline ban.

Samp go into the contest looking to bounce back from last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Lazio. The outcome dropped the Genoa outfit to 12th place.

Mihajlovic's side has lost just one of its last 10 league games at home.