Wolfsburg vs Inter Milan preview - Mancini predicts brighter future

Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini believes his side are steadily improving and can challenge for top honours next season.

The former Manchester City manager, who took over the Nerazzurri for a second time in November, has been boosted by what he has seen since his return to San Siro.

Speaking to Gazzetta TV's Senza Appello talkshow ahead of Thursday's clash with Wolfsburg, Mancini said: "The team has really improved, both in terms of their mentality and the level of their play.

"We're building a solid foundation, and if we prepare well and bring a couple of players in we can get even better.

"I'm sure that we'll compete for the Scudetto next year.

"When I came in, the squad was low on morale because of some negative results, but I found a very willing group of players and they've improved extremely quickly."

Mancini's side are way off the Serie A pace in ninth place and the Europa League represents their only realistic chance of silverware this year, but their credentials will be severely tested by Wolfsburg, who are one of the form teams in Europe so far in 2015.

Since the turn of the year the German outfit have won seven out of 10 competitive matches, with their only defeat surprisingly coming against Augsburg 1-0 at the weekend.

And Mancini knows it will not be easy against the second-placed Bundesliga side, but he still backed Inter to progress.

"We have the quality to go through even if we know that we will have to face a very strong team," he told the press on Wednesday.

Mancini's counterpart Dieter Hecking is equally wary of the threat posed by Inter, saying: "(Anyone) who makes the mistake of underestimating Inter has already lost.

"These are two very tough games Inter is one of the biggest teams in international football."

Inter are without defender Yuto Nagatomo, who has a hamstring injury, while Wolfsburg midfielder Aaron Hunt is sidelined with a knee problem.