Inter's Cordoba gives up on title

Inter Milan centre-back Ivan Cordoba has given up on the Serie A title with his side eight points behind leaders AC Milan and just four games to play.

Milan earned a 1-0 victory at Brescia on Saturday and due to their better head-to-head record with Inter, they need only four more points to ensure an 18th league title - which would move them level with their city rivals.

In fact, Milan would win the title this weekend if Inter fail to win at Cesena and they beat Bologna at home.

And Cordoba admitted to Colombian radio station Caracol that the champions have accepted their five-year reign is over.

"It will be very difficult to hand over the title to Milan but we have to win all the games that remain," he said.

"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."

Winning the title was always going to be difficult when Inter lay 13 points adrift at Christmas before Rafael Benitez was fired.

And although they clawed their way back under Leonardo to just two points behind Milan ahead of the derby earlier this month, Cordoba believes that effort cost them in the run-in.

And what really rankles is the meek way they surrendered to Schalke 04 7-3 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals.

"I think we paid for the effort needed to fight back in the championship and in the Champions League we played a team that was physically strong and well organised."

"The five goals we conceded at home was a tough sentence, it was almost impossible to win 4-0 (away) to turn it around."