Champions League: Inter to confirm its leading position in Group G

Photo: Champions League: Inter to confirm its leading position in Group G

If Inter Milan defeats CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Wednesday it will solidify its Group G lead.

The Serie A leaders will want to make the game less complicated than the same matchup in Moscow two weeks ago, when Inter came from behind and won when Walter Samuel's 80th-minute header slipped through the grasp of goalkeeper Veniamin Mandrykin.

"If we win we'll be very close to qualifying," said Inter captain Javier Zanetti, who is preparing to play his 107th game in Europe.

CSKA's Brazilian forwards, Vagner Love and Jo, have scored 13 goals each in the Russian league this season.

"With the dangerous strikers they have, they're a team that can create problems for anyone and they already showed that during the game in Moscow," Zanetti said.

Inter leads the group with six points. Fenerbahce is next with five points, followed by PSV with four and CSKA with one.

While Inter's high-powered attack of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Hernan Crespo, Julio Ricardo Cruz and David Suazo is in fine form, the rest of the squad is decimated.

Luis Figo broke his right leg in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Juventus and could be out for two months.

Fellow midfielders Patrick Vieira and Dejan Stankovic are also out, and defender Marco Materazzi still hasn't returned from thigh surgery before the season began.

Defender Nicolas Burdisso still has three games left on his six-match ban for a post-game brawl with Valencia last season, while Maicon's three-match ban is up, clearing him to play.

Reserve goalkeeper Francesco Toldo is also out, although top-choice Julio Cesar has returned from a back problem.

Without Figo, Vieira and Stankovic, Inter's resources in midfield will be stretched. Coach Roberto Mancini likely will opt for a four-man diamond formation of Esteban Cambiasso, Olivier Dacourt, Santiago Solari and Cesar or Maxwell - although Zanetti could also move up from defense.

"I want to be useful for the team, depending on whatever position the coach chooses for me. That's the spirit I've always had," Zanetti said. "The team has to be able to confront this difficult situation. We're going to have to make sacrifices for the good of the team."

CSKA is seeking its first win in this season's competition, with its only points so far coming in a 2-2 draw with Fenerbahce.

CSKA captain Sergei Ignashevich is questionable after fracturing his cheekbone in a Russian Cup win over FC Spartak Nalchik last week.