Branca promises Inter response

Inter Milan technical director Marco Branca believes it will be a very different Nerazzurri performance on Tuesday than was evident in Friday night's woeful defeat at Catania.

Catania threw the Serie A title race open and took a giant step towards securing their own future in the top flight by beating 10-man Inter 3-1.

Diego Milito put the Nerazzurri in front in the 54th minute, but Maxi Lopez equalised 20 minutes later and Inter then hit the self-destruct button.

Sulley Muntari was sent off after only two minutes on the field as he gave away a penalty which was converted by Giuseppe Mascara in the 81st minute and Jorge Martinez then sealed a deserved win for the Rosazzurri.

Inter have to recover quickly as Jose Mourinho prepares to go back to Chelsea for Tuesday's second leg of their Champions League tie and Branca is confident they will do.

"Of course we weren't playing very well but we were good to go ahead," he told Sky Italia.

"Then, unfortunately we were guilty of lacking attention on two goals.

"But we weren't thinking about the game against Chelsea, we were thinking about this game because we knew that Catania are in form, unfortunately we didn't show it.

"What's the mood in the dressing room? Like it usually is after a defeat. Now we have to think about doing what we have always done, starting from Tuesday.

"The match won't have any effect on the Champions League clash. It will be a different game, with a top-level opponent, a separate game, it's a last-16 tie...

"Are we too focused on Europe? That's what you seem to think but we should neither do that nor think that, we had four days of rest and this match should have been faced with more concentration."