Inter seek to heal wounded pride with derby win

ROME, March 8 (Reuters) - Inter Milan's players have no time to dwell on their Champions League elimination by Valencia with the Serie A derby against AC Milan looming on Sunday.

Inter are 16 points clear at the top and the game is unlikely to have any impact on the title race, but with Milan pushing for a top-four finish and Inter out to heal their wounded pride, it promises to be as fierce as usual.

Inter have broken a number of Serie A records this season, but how good the team really is has been the subject of lively debate.

While fans have hailed them as the greatest Italian team of recent years, their detractors claim the huge lead in Serie A owes more to the punishments imposed on Milan and Juventus in the match-fixing scandal and predicted the team's shortcomings would be exposed in Europe.

Inter's nightmare became reality on Tuesday when they drew 0-0 against Valencia to tumble out of the Champions League.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini has regularly swatted aside jibes that his team are dominating a second-rate league, but there was a hollow ring to his words as he defended his players.

''This elimination will not ruin a season that remains extraordinary,'' he said.

''I was proud of my team tonight. The lads can go out of the competition with their heads held high,'' he added.

Milan were beaten 4-3 by Inter in October, but come into Sunday's game in their best form of the season, with eight wins in the last 10 matches.

Unlike their city rivals they reached the Champions League last eight with a 1-0 win over Celtic.

EXTRA EDGE The derby will have an extra edge if, as expected, Ancelotti fields Brazilian striker Ronaldo against his former club.

The hostile reception he will get from Inter's fans, many of whom have never forgiven him for leaving their club after the 2002 World Cup, should give him extra motivation to prove he is still a world-class performer.

Inter's nearest challengers in Serie A, AS Roma, play Udinese.

It is difficult to square the Roma that drew 1-1 with bottom-placed Ascoli in the last round of matches, with the team that, in the words of coach Luciano Spalletti, played ''the perfect match'' to beat Olympique Lyon 2-0 and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

In the other matches, Fiorentina's drive for a place in Europe takes them to Sicily to play third-placed Palermo.

The twice Italian champions have won five of their last six games to climb to seventh, despite a 15-point penalty for match-fixing.

Palermo once seemed a safe bet for a top-three finsh, but risk slipping down the standings after earning just seven points from their last eight games.

Failure to win at their Barbera stadium on Sunday could result in them being overtaken by Lazio, who are two points behind with a game in hand and face Reggina away.

REUTERS SAM VC0956