Moratti plays down Totti talk

Rumours sweeping through Italy intimated the Nerazzurri were plotting a summer raid on the Eternal City for Totti.

The Italian media suggested Inter wanted to lure Totti to Giuseppe Meazza to team the playmaker with Christian Vieri and recreate the partnership they enjoy for the national team.

But Inter supremo Moratti has refuted the rumours, insisting the Scudetto hopefuls have no designs on Totti due to the player's adulation at Roma.

"Totti? It's really a pleasure to appreciate him with Roma," stated Moratti.

"With Vieri, he plays very well but there is nothing else. Totti is in love with Roma and I respect other teams' supporters a lot.

"We are doing nothing to buy him."

Moratti has played down the speculation ahead of the weekend's meeting between the two clubs in Milan.

Looking at the contest, Moratti feels the match marks the advent of a run of three fixtures which could determine Inter's prospects of glory this term.

He added: "We'll have to do good things in the next three matches, with Roma, then with Valencia -  which is a match in which we can't fail - and then in the derby.

"There are three matches we have to play which have only one useful result - a win."