Inter Milan vs Celtic preview - Mancini calls for focus

Posted Thursday, February 26, 2015 by PA

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is hoping his players will be fully focused from start to finish in Thursday's Europa League return leg against Celtic at the San Siro.

The Nerazzurri held the Scottish champions to a 3-3 draw in Glasgow last week in the first leg of their round of 32 clash.

"We need maximum concentration for this game," Mancini told the Italian media on Wednesday. "The 3-3 result in the first leg gives us a slight advantage.

"But we need to be fully focused because Celtic is a type of team that never gives up.

"Tomorrow's match is important.

"It's not going to be an easy game and we cannot make any mistakes.

"We've had the best possible preparation thanks to our good results."

Inter endured a dismal start to the season, one that knocked them out of the Scudetto race.

They were eliminated from the Coppa Italia last month, yet the team appears to have turned the corner under Mancini.

Goals from Mauro Icardi and Mateo Kovacic handed Inter a 2-1 triumph at Cagliari on Monday, Inter's third straight league win.

The success lifted the Nerazzurri to eighth place in Serie A.

Not since November 2012 had Inter won three straight league games in a row.

"The victories give us confidence," Mancini said. "Our three wins in a row are down to hard work.

"For now, we don't look at the table, because we are not still where Inter should be.

"We need to keep playing well.

"We need to improve the way we manage games, especially when we're in the lead."

Juan Pablo Carrizo will replace Samir Handanovic between the posts with the Argentinian as Mancini's chosen goalkeeper for the Europa League.

Mancini confirmed that Rodrigo Palacio, who scored two goals in the opening leg last week, will play alongside Icardi in attack, with Fredy Guarin playing in support.

Ronny Deila believes it will take Celtic's best performance of his tenure to get past Inter Milan on Thursday night.

Substitute John Guidetti's injury-time strike kept European hopes alive and the Hoops still have a domestic treble in their sights.

However, Celtic have yet to win in 11 visits to Italy and the Parkhead boss admits his side will have to step up a level if they are to break that record and get into the last-16.

Speaking at the San Siro before his side trained, Deila, confident that defender Jason Denayer will have recovered from his calf complaint in time, said: "It is going to be a tough game, of course, and we need to win here.

"But everything is possible in football and if we have our best performance this season and have a little bit of luck, then we have a chance.

"We have everything to win and we are going to go for that victory and go through.

"We created chances and scored three times last time so we have to get Inter Milan in trouble again but we have to defend in a better way.

"A lot of the things we did in the last game was good but we have to defend even better.

"If we can get a historic win here then it would be the moment of our lives."