Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni has decided to rest defenders Andrea Ranocchia and Walter Samuel for this afternoon's trip to Cagliari in Serie A.

Ranocchia and Samuel are on the substitutes' bench ahead of Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Roma.

A lengthy injury list means that Tommaso Rocchi is the only fit striker available to start, with Ricky Alvarez pushed forward to support him alongside Fredy Guarin.

Esteban Cambiasso and Walter Gargano both return from suspension to form an experienced central midfield pairing.

Cagliari recall Andrea Cossu and Nicola Murru after their respective bans, with Victor Ibarbo preferred to Mauricio Pinilla in attack.

Cagliari: Agazzi, Perico, Rossettini, Astori, Murru, Dessena, Conti, Ekdal, Cossu, Thiago Ribeiro, Ibarbo

Inter: Handanovic, Zanetti, Silvestre, Juan Jesus, Pereira, Gargano, Kovacic, Cambiasso, Guarin, Alvarez, Rocchi