Inter's Ranieri to launch Milito on Atalanta

25 October 2011 14:38

Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri will let loose Argentine striker Diego Milito against Atalanta on Wednesday.

Milito has been a bit-part player throughout this season with Giampaolo Pazzini, Diego Forlan and Mauro Zarate all competing for starting berths up front as well.

But Ranieri has decided the trip to Bergamo is the right place to demonstrate he still has faith in the player who only 18 months ago scored Inter's two goals in the Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich.

"Tomorrow Milito will play, he's not angry and he knows that I was already a fan of his when he played in Spain," said Ranieri in Tuesday's press conference.

"I'm expecting a lot from him, he will have a great season and he will definitely play tomorrow."

While Inter would normally be the favourites against Atalanta they actually sit bellow their opponents in the Serie A table following a disastrous start to the campaign in which they had lost four out of six league games before Sunday's 1-0 success against Chievo.

But while Inter's league position -- they are still fifth from bottom -- is considered a bit of an anomaly, Atalanta have so far proved to be in far better form anyway.

They sit only a point above Inter but had it not been for a six-point penalty for their part in a betting scandal, would actually be in the top three.

Alongside Udinese and Lazio, they are the only other side to have won more than half their games.

And Ranieri knows things won't be easy in Bergamo.

"We'll go there to try to pick up points. But we know Atalanta aren't push-overs, it's a difficult pitch and they have started well," he said.

"Their handicap (six-point penalty) has stimulated their players and their coach with an even greater desire.

"They would be second in the table. They're very compact and quick but we'll go there to try to keep our goal unbreached."

Inter have not conceded in either of their past two matches, 1-0 successes against Chievo and Lille.

And yet they still have the worst defence in Serie A due to their awful opening in which they conceded three goals against Novara and Napoli and four against Palermo.

Even though things seem to be improving, Ranieri still wants to see more aggression from his team.

"Football has two aspects, on the attacking side I would like the lads to enjoy themselves, that way the fans enjoy themselves as well and give their all," he said.

"But in defence you need aggression. I'm looking for these two sides of the coin.

"At the moment, I'm not happy, neither with the one phase, nor the other.

"We need to improve and quickly and that's why every match is an examination.

"Today I would say the game against Atalanta is decisive because three points would mean climbing up the table and putting important vitamins in our players' heads.

"But next week I'll say the same thing for Juventus and then again for all the others."

Source: AFP