Trabzonspor worry Gasperini's Inter

Gian Piero Gasperini began his first Serie A campaign as FC Internazionale Milano coach with a 4-3 loss at US Città di Palermo but is determined to put that behind him when Trabzonspor visit to open UEFA Champions League Group B.

Inter
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini
We have seen Trabzonspor's recent games. They are a good team and, like all Champions League teams, will be very difficult opponents. We aren't going through a favourable period and we can't be sure of winning. They have speed and quality as a team, and we have to pay attention to make up for the game against Palermo and start this European competition in the best way. We know about their absent players, but they have good replacements. We must be careful. We have a result to be achieved.

What is my feeling now? I'm trying to be calm and resolve the bad things that happened against Palermo. It's an important evening for me, for what I have done. We want to make the best of starts, and prepare for the game in the best possible manner. As for partnering [Diego] Milito and [Giampaolo] Pazzini, I prefer to play with just one striker and they are two excellent forwards. We have both of them, and for our team that is a strength, not a weakness.

Weekend result
Sunday: US Città di Palermo 4-3 Inter (Miccoli 48 86, Hernández 54, Pinilla 88; Milito 33 51pen, Forlán 90+1)
Júlio César; Lúcio, Samuel, Zanetti; Jonathan, Stanković, Cambiasso (Álvarez 71), Nagatomo (Obi 62); Zárate (Sneijder 34), Milito, Forlán

• Mauro Zárate, Jonathan, Diego Forlán and substitute Ricardo Álvarez made league debuts as Gasperini suffered disappointment in his first Serie A match at the helm. Wesley Sneijder was on the bench but Gasperini hinted he could start on Wednesday. The opening weekend of the season was postponed due to a players' strike.

Team news
Thiago Motta (thigh), Iván Córdoba, Emiliano Viviano, Maicon (knee) and Andrea Poli (unspecified) are all ruled out through injury but back-up goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi is available after shaking off a knock.

Trabzonspor
Coach Şenol Güneş
Inter have won a lot of trophies and enjoyed many successes. We respect them, but we respect ourselves too. I played for Trabzonspor away to Inter many years ago [see match fact at foot of the page]. Now I'm here as coach: I think I'm very lucky for that.

Inter haven't had the best start to the season but it doesn't have a bearing on our meeting. They have a new coach, and need time to adapt. We have new players, too: it will be an interesting game. We can't predict the result. Inter have star names, like Pazzini and Sneijder, but you never know how things will pan out on the pitch. The way we play is as important as the result.

Weekend result
Saturday: Manisaspor 1–1 Trabzonspor
(Simpson 88; Burak 39)
Zengin; Serkan, Kaçar, Yumlu, Čelůstka; Zokora, Volkan (Paulo Henrique 59), Mierzejewski (Alanzinho 81), Colman; Altıntop (Čech 69), Burak

• Trabzonspor are 16 league games unbeaten, since a 2-0 loss at Fenerbahçe SK on 30 January. They have kept six clean sheets in their last nine league games.

Team news
Onur Kıvrak, out of action since mid-March with a cruciate ligament injury, has resumed training. Barış Ataş has not featured since tearing a hamstring during a 2-1 friendly win against Orduspor on 2 September. Adrian Mierzejewski (one game), Senol Günes (two games) and Burak Yilmaz (three games) are all suspended.

Match fact
The clubs crossed paths in the 1983/84 UEFA Cup first round, the Turkish team triumphing 1-0 at home thanks to Tuncay Soyak's late strike, but Inter went through after winning the return 2-0.