Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini branded his team "chickens" after they were eliminated from the Coppa Italia on Wednesday night with a 1-0 defeat at Napoli.
A goal in stoppage time from Gonzalo Higuain proved the difference between the two sides, but the Argentine benefitted from a terrible mistake by Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia, prompting Mancini's rant at his side, who have now lost three games in a row.
"You've got to score goals and not concede any, yet each time we play, we're giving away goals," Mancini told RAI television. "Losing a game like this is something only chickens do. We're playing well, but we're chickens; we're too weak with these things.
"We're conceding absurd goals. Incredible. To be honest, I don't know what to say. I can't remember the last time I lost two or three games in a row. It must be 10 years ago."
Lying 13th in Serie A, Inter's only goal for the remainder of the season is focusing all their efforts on winning the Europa League.
They could find Napoli on their path to victory in that tournament too with the Partenopei firing on all cylinders after the winter break.
"Winning the Supercoppa [before Christmas] has given us belief," their coach Rafa Benitez said. "We're still playing the way we always were, but we have more belief in ourselves now. Inter are a strong team -- just look at the players they had on the bench. They could be aiming for the scudetto and that's why this win is even more important."
Napoli could also be a side aiming for the scudetto, or at least second spot since the deficit on Roma has been reduced to just four points.
"We're in great form," said matchwinner Higuain. "We're working hard and you can see it. We've made some improvements after the Supercoppa and winning gives us great confidence and now we don't want to give up on anything."
Napoli will face Lazio over two legs for a place in the Coppa Italia final with the winner going on to meet either Juventus or Fiorentina in the final.