Reggina v Inter Milan Preview

Reggina v Inter Milan Preview

Inter coach Jose Mourinho has warned striker Adriano he has no place in his team ahead of Saturday's clash with Reggina.

The striker will miss his second game running after he was left out of the squad for Wednesday's goalless draw at Fiorentina as punishment for a late night out.

And although failure to score in their last two games suggests Inter could do with the attacking talents of the Brazilian, Mourinho believes he has to consider the feelings of the other members of his squad first.

The former Chelsea boss said: "My philosophy is that the players have to know how to adapt themselves to the coach's way of thinking.

"I don't know if Adriano will understand being left out. I can say that if there is someone who is dedicated to him with all his heart as coach and also as a colleague, it's me.

"But then comes the moment in which I am the leader of a group of 29 players, a group in which there are rules and where a coach can't have one player who can allow himself to do what the others can't do.

"My affection is the same, it doesn't change, but I have to defend first of all, as my career as a coach shows, the club, then the squad and at the end us, the group.

"Tomorrow it would have been important to have him against Reggina, but for me the respect of professionals and the club is more important.

"There are things which for me are not possible to accept. The road back is long, but not impossible."

Julio Cruz will also not return to the side after being dropped for the game against Fiorentina.

Failure to win their last two games, which meant Inter slipped to fourth in the Serie A table, two points behind Udinese and Napoli, means the pressure is on the Nerazzurri to take all three points at the Oreste Granillo.

Inter president Massimo Moratti, however, believes Mourinho must be given more time stamp his mark on the team.

"It would be a grave mistake to put him under pressure. Roberto Mancini (Mourinho's predecessor), who gifted us many victories, needed two years to arrive at the right choices," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Mourinho is in his second month in this championship. It is not that I am expecting him to waste two years but I think it is only correct that we give him time to settle in and to understand and get the best out of this group."

Mourinho could recall Riccardo Quaresma in place of Victor Obinna, while Patrick Vieira could also be handed a start in midfield.

If so, Cristian Chivu will return to his usual role in defence with Nicolas Burdisso the most likely to drop to the bench.

Luis Figo, Luis Jimenez, Sulley Muntari and Nelson Rivas are still all injured.

Saturday's game will be a crunch match for under-pressure Reggina coach Nevio Orlandi.

The Amaranto are currently propping up the Serie A standings having picked up just five points from their nine games so far.

Club president Pasquale Foti wants the side to improve on their performance against Napoli last time out when they were beaten 3-0.

"At this moment I am only going to talk about the team," said Foti, refusing to comment on Orlandi's precarious position in the Amaranto hotseat.

"The lads were not up to the required standard. They lacked the strength to stand up and fight back."

Foti will find a little encouragement in the fact that all five points gained by the strugglers have come at the Granillo.

Orlandi is expected to ring the changes, with Bruno Cirillo returning to the defence after a ban.

Francesco Cozza and Franco Brienza are expected to be recalled having been left at home for the trip to Naples.

Emmanuel Cascione, Antonio Giosa and Santos are injured.


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