Inter still alive in title race

Inter Milan assistant coach Giuseppe Baresi has predicted a thrilling battle for the Serie A title as Inter close in on rivals AC Milan.

The defending Italian champions defeated Fiorentina 2-1 on Wednesday to remain third on the table, five points behind leaders Milan.

Napoli sit a surprise second, two points ahead of Inter, with 13 games left to play in the season.

It is a remarkable turnaround for Inter, who were as many as 13 points adrift of Milan in December before beleaguered manager Rafa Benitez was sacked and replaced by Leonardo.

Speaking after the win at Fiorentina, Baresi tipped his side to keep up the pressure on their cross-city rivals as the fight for the Scudetto intensifies.

“Well, of course after the defeat in Turin (to Juventus) it was even more important to win today, to put that behind us and then we know that here if you lose a match you’re out of the games,” Baresi said.

“I think that winning in Florence now, against a Fiorentina side in good shape that have had seven or eight good results beforehand shows how well we are doing well and how we want to battle for the the top of the table.”

“Nothing changes now. We know that three points are important for us in every game from now on.”

“We are playing catch-up, so every match is very important for us. Nothing changes. We’re there or thereabouts, with five points less than Milan, so every match is like a final for us.”

Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso hailed his team-mates for their determination to find the lead after Fiorentina drew level 1-1 in the 32nd minute.

Giampaolo Pazzini continued his goal-scoring glut with a winner after the hour, and Cambiasso rejected suggestions Inter had been less than impressive at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

“Maybe you think it was not a great effort, it was a great effort for us,” Esteban said.

“We have played 12 matches since after the break, so don’t tell me that it wasn’t a great effort. You make me laugh.”

“We definitely started well. We scored and then, as it happens when you play so many matches in a row there was a little lapse from us.”

“At 1-1 we showed that we are a great team and wanted to score rather than just being cynical.”

“We showed that we still wanted to dominate and played most of the second half in Fiorentina’s half of the pitch, apart from a few counterattacks from them.”