Team news

Stramaccioni turns to youngsters The stage is set for Inter Milan's youngsters to shine in Russia on Thursday night, as head coach Andrea Stramaccioni pits an inexperienced Nerazzurri side against Rubin Kazan.

Rubin and Inter have already booked their progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League but top spot in Group H is still up for grabs and Stramaccioni has backed his young stars to claim it.

The Beneamata have skillfully navigated an injury crisis over recent weeks, coping without defenders Walter Samuel, Andrea Ranocchia and Christian Chivu to sustain a bid for the Serie A title, while midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Philippe Coutinho also struggle for fitness.

Stramaccioni has decided to draft relative unknowns Simone Pasa, Mauro Benassi, Isaac Donkor and Andrea Bandini - among other academy products - into his travelling party.

He told inter.it: "Even if we haven't brought many famous players, I'm sure that our youngsters will do well.

"There are 10 lads here who are under the age of 21 and I promise that some of them will play.

"There has been a bit of an emergency at Inter and we've played a lot without our most experienced centre-backs and midfielders.

"In the first few Europa League games these kinds of personnel changes were a choice, but now they are a necessity." Rubin defender Salvatore Bocchetti knows the Nerazzurri well from a spell with Genoa, while midfielder Roman Eremenko played alongside Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic at Udinese for four years.

The Tatary have not been beaten in their last 17 European games at the Centralniy Stadium and Stramaccioni is a self-confessed admirer of head coach Kurban Berdyev.

He added: "I have great respect for Rubin's coach, he's among the best in Europe.

Rubin Kazan vs Inter Milan

Last modified 19:38 22/11/12

Rondon at the double as Inter slip Salomon Rondon scored two goals in the final three minutes to put the seal on a slightly flattering 3-0 victory for Rubin Kazan over fellow Europa League Group H qualifiers Inter Milan in Russia.

Gokdeniz Karadeniz had put the home side in front in the first minute against an inexperienced Inter side, in a match to determine the group winners heading into the knockout stages.

Karadeniz tapped in the opener in bizarre fashion after Inter substitute Juan Jesus struck his own upright attempting to clear an Alan Kasaev cross, leaving the Rubin man with the simplest of chances.

Andrea Ranocchia fired over from 25 yards as Inter launched a swift response, while visiting keeper Vid Belec was also forced into action after 22 minutes when he plucked a Kasaev cross from the air.

Inter had marginally the better chances of a tame first period, with Andrea Romano hitting a weak shot from 25 yards over the bar in the 37th minute as the visitors tried to end the half on level terms.

Inter almost got their chance moments after the restart when Walter Gargano's long-range shot was tipped over the bar by Rubin keeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

The increasingly busy Ryzhikov caught a cross by Rodrigo Palacio in the 58th minute before the same player hit another chance wide, then Ryzhikov pulled off a superb stop to deny Alvaro Pereira.

With Inter increasingly pressing for an equaliser, Jonathan narrowly missed the target then Phillippe Coutinho saw his right-footed shot from just inside the box saved by the keeper.

Coutinho brought two more saves out of Ryzhikov in the last 10 minutes before Rubin effectively ended the contest when Rondon fired high into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

After Gargano had come close from long range, substitute Rondon grabbed his second after being played in by a Karadeniz ball from the right channel.