Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini. - AP

MILAN, Italy (AP)

Italian league leader Inter Milan went through a turbulent 24 hours this week, and the defending champions have little time to regroup.

Inter got knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday, and coach Roberto Mancini then said he would resign. A short time later, he said he would stay.

Inter, which lead the league by six points over AS Roma with 11 matches to go, next host Palermo on Sunday. Roma, with 58 points, host AC Milan.

After Tuesday's 1-0 loss to visiting Liverpool, Mancini said he would resign at the end of the season, a decision he insisted had been taken previously and was not linked to his team's early exit from the Champions League.

That was followed by a quick about-face on Wednesday when Mancini met with Inter owner Massimo Moratti, who convinced the coach to stay.

"After the game, it was the heart and love of Roberto Mancini the coach that spoke," Mancini said. "I thank president Massimo Moratti for giving me strength and for having understood me and the moment."

Inter struggled against second-to-last Reggina last weekend and slipped by on the back of a stellar performance by goalkeeper Julio Cesar. Inter had been without a win in their previous three league games, including their first loss of the season to Napoli.

"We're ready to fight to the last minute with great intensity to win our third scudetto and to try to win the Champions League as soon as next season," Mancini said.

Emotional high

Roma, fresh off wins at Napoli in the league and at Real Madrid in the Champions League, go into the game against Milan on an emotional high, but captain Francesco Totti is still cautious.

"There are still six points between us, but we will try until the end because we don't want to have any regrets when it's all over," Totti wrote in his column in Wednesday's Corriere dello Sport. "Now it will be more difficult for us because Inter can put all its energy into the league,"

Milan enters the Roma

game one point away from fourth place and the last spot in next year's Champions League. Juventus is third with 51 points, followed by Fiorentina with 47 and Milan with 46.

Milan will be without Filippo Inzaghi, who is out for at least two weeks with a slight hernia.

Juventus play at home against Napoli, which though inconsistent this season have played their best against top teams. Besides handing Inter their only defeat this year, Napoli have already beaten Juventus and Fiorentina.

Napoli will be hampered by the absence of striker Macelo Zalayeta, who is out for the season after tearing a knee ligament in the game against Roma. Juventus midfielder Cristiano Zanetti is out for at least a month with a thigh injury and the Bianconeri will also be without disqualified Nicola Legrottaglie, Mauro Camoranesi and Jonathan Zebina.

Inter Milan's Hernan Crespo - AP