Inter Milan's stars admit their chances of winning the Scudetto are fading faster by the day as they prepare for Saturday's clash with Parma.

Inter trail defending champions Juventus by eight points with three matches to play but know that their chances of winning the domestic prize are between slim and none - with slim leaving town fast.

Inter skipper Javier Zanetti at least put on a brave show when he said: "We are already thinking of Parma.

"They have a good young brave team but we must not lose second place," a subconscious admission by the Argentinian that the Scudetto was already lost.

"It is a fundamental game for us and afterwards we will worry about AC Milan."

Unsurprisingly, given the astronomical odds against Juve losing their last three matches, Inter coach Hector Cuper will keep some of his players fresh for the second leg of the Champions League with AC Milan with the score in that match deadlocked at 0-0.

Christian Vieri, Matias Almeyda, Francesco Coco, Alvaro Recoba, Okan Buruk, Nicola Ventola, Daniele Adani are all either unavailable or omitted as a precaution.

Cuper is set to field an all-African attack against Parma with Sierra Leone's Mohammed Kallon set to partner Obafemi Martins of Nigeria.

Parma, in sixth place, now look unlikely to reach the Champions League but currently occupy a UEFA Cup spot.

Their defender Matteo Ferrari, who will play against his former club, believes the Nerazzurri will not give his side an easy ride.

"They will give us nothing," said Ferrari. "Even if the Champions League is their big objective for this season they will not want to lose the second place (which means Inter would not have to go through the preliminaries of next year's Champions League).

"Inter are still technically in the hunt for the title and we do not want a second defeat in a row," said Ferrari, referring to last week's loss to Bologna.

Parma boss Cesare Prandelli must do without experienced defenders Giuseppe Cardone and Antonio Benarrivo (Parma) with the former's season over after he underwent surgery this week.

Parma strikers Adriano and Adrian Mutu will hope to put on a show at the San Siro - Brazilian Adriano is on a season's loan from Inter while Romanian Mutu was off-loaded by the club before Cuper arrived.

In 12 matches at the San Siro between the clubs in Serie A, Parma have won just one with seven victories to the home team and four draws.

Teams:
Inter Milan (probable): Toldo; J Zanetti, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Pasquale; Conceicao, C Zanetti, Emre, Morfeo; Crespo, Martins

Parma (probable): Frey; Benarrivo, Bonera, Ferrari, Junior; Nakata, Lamouchi, Barone, Filippini; Mutu, Adriano