Mancini calls hoax over PSG links

Roberto Mancini described reports that he could be the next Paris Saint-Germain boss as “a hoax”.

The Inter coach was this week linked with replacing Laurent Blanc at the Parc des Princes helm, but seemed to put little stock in the rumour.

“Blanc won the league and also other things,” Mancini said ahead of Saturday’s Serie A visit of Empoli. “I think it’s a hoax at best.”

It has been a campaign of two halves for Inter, who were top at the mid-season break but are now clinging on to fourth spot.

Asked whether their festive standing was a better representation of Inter’s qualities, Mancini responded: “The real Inter is the one which is in fourth today. We had a chance to finish higher, but we failed. To get higher we have to work.

“We could have done more. The first half of the season probably raised expectations. Our position is the one we deserve.

“We want to finish as well as possible, because we are Inter. Then at the end we’ll make assessments. If a team leads the league for so long it means something. We have a good base to work from and that’s important for us.”

Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Lazio prompted a furious response from Mancini and he wants his men to prove a point against mid-table Empoli, knowing a victory will secure fourth.

“We want to win and wrap up fourth place,” he added. “I didn’t like the attitude in Rome [against Lazio].

“Is it frustrating to see the same mistakes? Not for me, no. It’s part of our project and our growth. It’s normal to go through negative periods.

“My hope is that things can improve.”