Serie A: Inter Milan's Champions League qualification hopes suffer set back after shock defeat to Cagliari

Paris: Inter Milan’s hopes of enjoying an untroubled run into the Champions League next season suffered a setback with a shock 2-1 defeat at Cagliari on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_6181961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Inter Milan’s Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan reacts during the match. Reuters[/caption] Inter remain in third place but can slip to fourth — and the last automatic qualifying spot for the Champions League — if city rivals AC Milan see off Sassuolo at the San Siro on Saturday. Should fifth-placed Roma defeat Lazio on Saturday, then they will go level with Inter on 47 points. Inter, still without unsettled striker and skipper Mauro Icardi, slipped a goal down in Sardinia on Friday after 31 minutes when Luca Ceppitelli headed home. Lautaro Martinez levelled with another header seven minutes later from a cross by former Cagliari player Radja Nainggolan. But with half-time approaching, Leonardo Pavoletti restored his team’s lead with a smart volley. Cagliari could have heaped further misery on Inter in stoppage time at the end of the game but Nicolo Barella missed a penalty kick. Friday’s result represented another twist in a rollercoaster season for Luciano Spalletti’s side. After defeats to Torino and Bologna, Inter then put together back-to-back wins over Parma and Sampdoria before being held to a 3-3 draw at Fiorentina after having led 3-1.