Inter midfielder Felipe Melo tries to defend possession from Hernanes during last weekend’s clash.

Roberto Mancini believes Inter’s thrilling Coppa Italia near miss proves the Nerazzurri have what it takes to force their way back into the top three in Serie A.

Inter, who have fallen to fifth in the table having led the division throughout the autumn, looked down and out in the Coppa semi-finals following their 3-0 first-leg defeat to Juventus.

But on Wednesday night a second-string side mounted an impressive rally to force the tie into extra-time, with Juve ultimately prevailing on penalties to book a final showdown with Milan.

Mancini’s men return to league action against lowly Palermo tomorrow night and the former Manchester City boss is convinced a Champions League place is within his team’s reach.

He told inter.it: “We were on top for 18 matches and even then some people were criticising us.

“Then we started to struggle and everybody started criticising us.

“We are a team under construction and that means you can go through difficult spells. We always try to do our best – if you do that then more good things come to you than bad.

“I hope this game has given us the strength to reach third place.

“I expect the team to recognise what they’re capable of because if we can stay focused, we’ll pick up a lot of points.

“There are 11 games to play and we want to start the run-in well with a result against Palermo.”

Inter are eights points behind Roma who are currently holding the final Champions League spot.

Second-placed Napoli are without a victory in three matches and will hope to snap out of that worrying run by securing a home win over Chievo tonight.

Should that happen, Juve will need to beat Atalanta in Bergamo to preserve their three-point lead.

Elsewhere, Milan travel to surprise package Sassuolo.

The ambitious Neroverde have their sights set on a Europa League berth but must dislodge the Rossoneri from sixth place to strengthen that bid.

Next in line are Lazio, who venture north for tomorrow afternoon’s meeting with Torino, while vastly-improved Bologna play host to relegation-threatened Carpi.

Time is running out for the 19th-placed club – they are six points from safety and have failed to win any of their last seven games. Just above them in the drop zone are Frosinone, who host Udinese.

Basement boys Verona enjoyed a mini-revival in February but, ahead of this evening’s encounter with Sampdoria at the Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi, they sit nine points from safety.

The weekend’s remaining match sees out-of-form Genoa tackle free-falling Empoli at the Marassi.

Fixtures

Serie A

Played yesterday

Roma 4
El Shaarawy 22, Salah 26, 58, Perotti 38;
Fiorentina 1
Ilicic 45 pen.

HT: 3-1. Att: 33,000

Playing today
Verona vs Sampdoria 18.00
Napoli vs Chievo 20.45

Tomorrow – 15.00
Atalanta vs Juventus
Bologna vs Carpi
Frosinone vs Udinese
Genoa vs Empoli
Inter vs Palermo - 20.45
Sassuolo vs Milan
Torino vs Lazio - 12.30

Serie B

Playing today – 15.00
Avellino vs Spezia
Crotone vs Ascoli
Entella vs Bari
Latina vs Como
Novara vs Vicenza
Perugia vs Ternana
Pro Vercelli vs Pescara
Trapani vs Cagliari
Lanciano vs Brescia

Tomorrow
Modena vs Livorno - 17.30

Monday
Cesena vs Salernitana - 20.30

Standings: Cagliari 61; Crotone 60; Pescara 49; Cesena 47; Novara 46; Brescia 45; Entella, Bari, Spezia 44; Avellino, Trapani 40; Perugia 37; Ternana 36; Ascoli 35; Latina 33; Livorno, Modena 32; Vicenza 31; Pro Vercelli, Lanciano 30; Salernitana 27; Como 22.