Moratti support for Leonardo

Moratti support for Leonardo

Published Apr. 25, 2011 10:25 a.m. ET

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has backed under-fire manager Leonardo and denied rumours Jose Mourinho was set to return to the club.

Reports in the Italian media have suggested Leonardo will leave in the summer with Inter on the verge of relinquishing the Serie A title to city rivals AC Milan.

Moratti has, however, denied the claims and, after Real Madrid boss Mourinho also ruled himself out of a return, has pledged to keep faith with Leonardo next season.

"The rumours? They are done by the media and papers," Moratti told Mediaset.

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"My desire and Leonardo's is to continue together, now and in the future."

Inter trail their San Siro co-tenants by eight points with four games to play and Nerazzurri defender Ivan Cordoba has conceded his side's run of five consecutive Scudettos is about to end.

"It will be very difficult to hand over the title to Milan but we have to win all the games that remain," he told Colombian radio station Caracol.

"We have to concentrate on our objectives, which are [qualifying for] the Champions League and [winning] the Italian Cup, which is still an important trophy."

Inter head into the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Roma on May 11 with a 1-0 lead after winning the first leg in the capital last week.

Should they progress AC Milan could await in the final with their semi-final against Palermo poised at 2-2.

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