‘We won’t stop’ warns Ranieri
Roma coach says Inter will have to win every match to be sure of keeping Serie A title.
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| Inter’s Motta said he was ‘delighted’ with his side’s performance [AFP] |
Roma coach Claudio Ranieri warned leaders Inter Milan his side will be unrelenting in the closing stages of the Serie A title race after all three contenders won on Saturday.
Inter beat Bologna 3-0 at the San Siro and second-placed Roma remained a point behind with six games to go thanks to a 1-0 win at Bari.
AC Milan, three points off the pace in third, triumphed 3-2 at Cagliari to end a three-game winless streak.
Unbeaten run
“We have to keep trying to win match after match,” Ranieri told Sky television after his side extended their unbeaten league run to 22 games.
“We won’t have any dips (in form) although there may be a match that goes badly. We are in good shape physically.”
| Results & fixtures |
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Saturday April 3 |
Thiago Motta scored twice for Inter as Mario Balotelli also hit the target to put the Italian champions on 66 points.
Inter struggled to find any fluidity at the San Siro, appearing tired after their 1-0 midweek win against CSKA Moscow in the first leg of the European Champions League quarter-finals.
Following two off-target efforts, Motta gave Inter the lead in the 29th minute with a low shot from the edge of the area into the corner of the net.
“I’m delighted but not only because of my two goals,” Motta said.
“All the team had a top game and it was important we got three points today, both for the standings and to go with confidence into Tuesday’s match with CSKA in the Champions League.”
Balotelli made it 2-0 in the 52nd in his first game back in six after having been dropped by coach Jose Mourinho, who was angry with the player’s attitude.
He was brought back into the squad after making an apology to his teammates and club on Thursday.
Motta scored his second goal in the 85th, curling a low shot past goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano after receiving the ball from Dejan Stankovic’s flick.
Mirko Vucinic’s 19th-minute goal ensured Roma stayed within a point of Inter.
Totti setup
The Montenegrin shot low past goalkeeper Jean Gillet after Luca Toni slipped a pass into his path after receiving the ball from Francesco Totti.
“It’s the first chance we’ve had to play all three together,” Ranieri said of Totti, Vucinic and Toni.
“Totti is coming back from injury and Vucinic has had a cold, but overall I’m very happy with how it went today.”
In Cagliari, Milan led in the seventh minute when Marco Borriello received a pass from Clarence Seedorf and poked the ball past goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.
Daniele Ragatzu equalised in the 17th minute after reacting quickest to fire a loose ball past Dida.
Two minutes later Milan were back in the lead when Klaas Jan Huntelaar hit home from long range.
The hosts were level again in the 32nd when Andrea Cossu broke into Milan’s halfand picked out Alessandro Matri, who hit his 13th goal of the season.
Six minutes later, Milan retook the lead again.
Ignazio Abate crossed from the right, Marchetti and Daniele Astori failed to clear the ball and Astori was unable to move before the ball bounced off him into the net.
Also on Saturday, Atalanta beat Siena 2-0, Verona lost 2-1 at home to Sampdoria, while Genoa and Livorno, Lazio and Napoli, and Parma and Fiorentina all drew 1-1.