Inter Milan - Udinese preview - Stramaccioni heading back to Inter

Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni returns to the San Siro to face former club Inter Milan on Sunday for the first time since the Nerazzurri sacked him last year.

Stramaccioni, who made his Serie A coaching debut with Inter two years ago, has landed on his feet with the Friuli outfit but insists he will have to put emotions to one side this weekend.

"My time at Inter was very important for my career," the 38-year-old told the Italian media. "It will be a special game.

"Many memories of my time at Inter will resurface once I arrive at the stadium on Sunday.

"But all that will be put to one side once the game starts.

"My present and my future is called Udinese.

"Inter is a closed chapter for me."

Udinese lost 2-0 at AC Milan last weekend to drop to ninth in Serie A, two places and one point clear of Inter.

The Friuli outfit travel to Milan having halted their five-match winless run on Wednesday, although they needed extra-time to beat Novara 4-2 to progress to the last 16 of the Coppa Italia.

The victory was Udinese's first since October 26.

Inter, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's 4-2 reverse at Roma, their fourth league defeat of the season but their first under coach Roberto Mancini since he replaced Walter Mazzarri last month.

"We have a lot of work to do," Mancini said. "We will try to do the best we can in the next few months in order to climb up in the standings and get in the race to finish third."

Inter's main problem has been at the defensive end.

No side in the top 10 in the league has conceded more goals than Inter, who have conceded 19 in 13 games.

Fortunately for Mancini, Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic has recovered from a muscular problem and will feature on Sunday.b

The visitors are without suspended defender Maurizio Domizzi.