Leaders Inter, champs Napoli brace for early title bout

Translating to "Crazy Inter," the nickname came about after years of spectacular implosions and rollercoaster matches. Even one of the club's anthems is called "Pazza Inter."

And the Nerazzurri lived up to their long-held nickname in Wednesday's Champions League match at Benfica where -- following a first-half horror show -- they came back from three goals down to draw 3-3 and could even have won the match had Nicolo Barella's stoppage-time strike not hit the crossbar.

"We talked at halftime and we came back out with a different spirit," Inzaghi said. "If Barella hadn't hit the woodwork, it would have been a historic victory."

With Inter having already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Inzaghi had the luxury of being able to rest several players between two important matches in Serie A and he made eight changes from the 1-1 draw at Juventus.

But he explained it was Inter's poor approach to the match that led to a disastrous first-half performance rather than the change of personnel and that was illustrated by the team clawing back two goals before Inzaghi made his first substitutions in the 68th minute.

"I'm happy with our second-half reaction. We all should have done better in the first half, me included. But this team knows where they want to get to, know how hard they work every day and I know I can count on the whole squad."

Still, it is likely to be a much-changed Inter team that takes to the field at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday evening.

Inter are top of Serie A, two points above Juventus and eight ahead of fourth-placed Napoli. AC Milan are third, six points behind their city rivals.

Napoli, who recently changed coach, also had a difficult match midweek as they lost 4-2 at Real Madrid.

The match has already been billed as a title showdown, even at this early stage of the season.

"It absolutely is. Napoli are a really great team, the reigning Italian champions, and deservedly so," Inzaghi said.

"Like us, they had a tricky away match, we will both have difficult trips back so we'll be equal, it will be a great battle."

Napoli, though, haven't played like champions for much of this season, leading to the dismissal of Rudi Garcia -- who replaced title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti in the off-season -- and the return of Walter Mazzarri.

Napoli beat Atalanta in Mazzarri's debut before going close in Madrid to an important result.

The match against Inter will be only Mazzarri's third in charge but already there is a difference in how the team is playing.

"There is a team that is playing together, for the team," Napoli forward Andre Zambo Anguissa said when asked what had changed. "Now you can see that the team is playing one for all, and all for one ... we are a real team now."

Australian Associated Press