Inter beware Valencia backlash

By Ivan Carvalho in Milan

FC Internazionale Milano expect more stubborn resistance from Valencia CF at the San Siro after mauling the Spanish champions 5-1 at the Mestalla on Matchday 3.

Brilliant start
The Group G leaders have made a brilliant start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, winning all three of their games, but defender Javier Zanetti is well aware that Valencia will not cave in easily in Milan. "Obviously I expect a different reaction from Valencia this time around," he said.

Best form
Inter remain unbeaten in Serie A, where they have drawn seven of their nine matches, but they have found their best form in Europe, where the goals of 22-year-old Brazilian prodigy Adriano have helped them to become the highest scoring team in the group stage.

Adriano target
Having scored 14 goals in 14 games already this season, Zanetti was hoping that Adriano would find the target again against Valencia as Inter aim to seal their place in the last 16. "We want to wrap up qualification from the group with this game," said the Argentinian defender.

No half-measures
A draw would guarantee qualification for Roberto Mancini's men, but the coach insisted that they were completely focused on a win on Tuesday night. "A team in the Champions League is never content to play for a draw," he said. "I prefer to field an attacking side and Inter always play for a win."

Defensive worries
Mancini's attacking options have been strengthened by Christian Vieri's return from injury, but defensively, he may have a few problems. Giuseppe Favalli and Nicolas Burdisso are both ruled out through injury while Serbo-Montenegrin Sinisa Mihajlovic is still suspended.

Valencia slump
UEFA Cup holders Valencia, meanwhile, are hoping for a reversal of fortune after suffering five defeats and two draws in their last seven matches, including that humiliating loss at home to Inter on Matchday 3. The Spanish champions, who have not won since late September, are currently in third place behind Inter and Werder Bremen in Group G with just three points having lost to both the top two, and they face an uphill battle if they are to advance beyond the group phase.

'United squad'
Despite his side's slump in form, Valencia coach Claudio Ranieri is trying to look on the positive side, saying: "The good thing is that the group is united and everyone is ready to make sacrifices for the team. And while I don't believe that if you are sick in bed you can get up immediately, I think winning [in Milan] could give us a big morale boost."

Key absentees
While Ranieri said injuries to midfield player Vicente Rodríguez and other key men had contributed to the team's poor showing of late, the Italian coach did not seek to use it as an excuse. "Shall we start crying about it?" he asked rhetorically. "No, football is like this at times and we just have to react and fight as hard as we can."

Aimar absence
Valencia are also without influential Argentinian playmaker Pablo Aimar for the match against Inter after the player was knocked unconscious in the third minute of Saturday's Primera División match against Club Atlético de Madrid. which finished 1-1. Ranieri is still without long-term absentee Roberto Ayala, but fellow central defender Carlos Marchena is available again after serving his suspension.