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Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has all but given up hope of qualifying for the Champions League via Serie A this season, but says he hopes still to create a shock in Europe. Speaking after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Cesena which left the Nerazzurri nine points behind third-placed Lazio, who have a game in hand, Mancini admitted he was probably being too optimistic thinking his side would be able to bridge that gap in the final 11 games of the season. "Of course I can't be happy," he told Sky Sport Italia. "This was a game that, had we won it, would have taken us to within seven points of Napoli with 11 games to go. I'm naturally an optimistic person and I had hoped we might have been able to do a little bit more than this. "With 39 points, anything could have happened -- it would only have been seven points to make up in 11 games -- but it's pretty difficult now. Unfortunately we're alternating good games with bad ones and I can't be happy tonight." Mancini has now turned his attention to overturning a 3-1 deficit to Wolfsburg on Thursday night to keep hopes alive of qualifying for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. "I hope that the fans, even if they are disappointed and angry because we're not doing well, will come to the stadium and help us," he told RAI television. "We need them. Cup games are special and anything can happen and we need one of those nights when something happens. "Wolfsburg are a great side and it's no coincidence that they're second in the Bundesliga, but we can go through with a good game. Today we're disappointed because we can't be happy after this game, but tomorrow is another day and we'll start preparing for Wolfsburg."
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