Coco on road to recovery

Internazionale defender Franceso Coco is expected to be fit by November.

Francesco Coco hopes to have regained full fitness by November, a full year after playing his last official match.

Coco underwent a back operation to solve a nerve problem in his leg, and it was first feared that he would never walk again.

Coco said: "I have 45 percent deficit to this leg, half of its strength, but I have no pain and I'm quickly recovering.

"For me, who thought I would not be able to walk again, it's a triumph."

Internazionale coach Roberto Mancini has not added Coco to the players' list for the UEFA Champions League. But Coco understands the reasons behind his omission.

He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "The coach needs two players for the role. It is clear he is relying on Pasquale and Favalli, who feel good, and not on me, who is coming back from a year out.

"If one of them got injured, I wouldn't be able to give the guarantee of a total engagement. It is better to avoid the risks.

"It is one thing playing a friendly, and another thing playing in the Champions League."