Bianconeri bid to bounce back

Freshly eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, Juventus and FC Internazionale Milano go into the weekend's Serie A games eager to restore pride.

Away goals
Arsenal FC's goalless draw in Turin dumped Juventus out of the quarter-finals 2-0 on aggregate while Inter succumbed on away goals following a 1-0 defeat at Villarreal CF. It might have been a hat-trick of Italian exits had Filippo Inzaghi not struck in the 88th minute at the San Siro to pave the way for AC Milan's 3-1 win against Olympique Lyonnais.

Juventus gloom
Juventus will look to put the Arsenal match behind them when they host fourth-placed ACF Fiorentina on Sunday. The Bianconeri are the dominant force domestically with a nine-point lead over Milan but once again have failed to reproduce that form in Europe. They may be closing on their 29th Scudetto but the team's inability to achieve their most important goal - winning the UEFA Champions League for the third time - prompted sections of the 46,000 crowd on Wednesday to chant insults at the players.

Media blackout
"I found it inexplicable that when we needed support from our fans, we got that instead," said coach Fabio Capello. "Maybe we are masochists." The Italian press also had bitter words for Juve's display, causing general director Luciano Moggi to announce a media blackout. "This is a time for reflection," he said. "It will help us rediscover the tranquillity we need. We do not deserve this treatment given what we have achieved. A team cannot win every game."

Moratti undecided
The situation is no brighter at Inter where owner Massimo Moratti hinted he could quit after eleven years at the helm in the wake of the Villarreal reverse. "Are there any pillars we can build on? We'll have to see, starting with myself," he said. "We'll have to see if there is the desire and belief to continue moving into the future."

Angry supporters
The Nerazzurri players were greeted by around 100 angry fans when they touched down at Milan's Malpensa airport on Wednesday morning. "The defeat was unexpected and can't really be explained," said Moratti. "I have read everything that has been written and I agree: it was a horrible game. The supporters are right to be angry, as they went all the way to see that." Inter visit Ascoli Calcio 1898 on Saturday lying two points behind a Milan side who are at home to AC Chievo Verona.