Mourinho demands rage from Inter players

Coach Jose Mourinho wants Serie A leaders Inter to show rage in tomorrow's tricky meeting with Napoli at the San Siro after they lost 1-0 to Panathinaikos in midweek.

Wednesday's home defeat to the Greeks was painless as Inter qualified for the Champions League last 16 courtesy of results elsewhere but it proved that the inconsistency the Italian champions have shown this season was not buried by last weekend's well-earned 1-0 win over Juventus, which sent them three points clear.

"After this result we have to present ourselves at our stadium against Napoli on Sunday with the right drive and with anger to play a different match from the one we deservedly lost to Panathinaikos," Mourinho was quoted as saying.

Napoli, who are six points behind Inter in fourth, will also have some frustration to vent after losing ground last Sunday with a 2-2 home draw with Cagliari when they conceded a goal in stoppage time.

Their hopes of upsetting Inter will revolve around 23-year-old Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, who has been inspirational in their rise to the upper reaches of Serie A this season and scored a splendid free-kick against Cagliari.

Second-placed Milan travel to Palermo in the late kick-off tomorrow without suspended Brazil playmaker Kaka who, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti, will be badly missed despite not having regained his best form after missing the start of the season with a knee injury.

"Kaka is irreplaceable even when he isn't playing at his best," Ancelotti told reporters after Milan hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the UEFA Cup at Portsmouth on Thursday night.

Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf is tipped to move forward to take Kaka's place alongside the in-form Ronaldinho, who scored one of the goals at Fratton Park, in support of a lone striker, who is likely to be Alexandre Pato.

This evening, third-placed Juventus entertain third-from-bottom Reggina, whose troubles have been eased by two consecutive wins.

Last season's runners-up Roma are seeking to continue their recovery from a miserable start with a home win over Fiorentina tomorrow afternoon.