Roma point has Mancini looking for Champions League

Inter stopped Roma's winning streak at eight games in Italy's top flight on Saturday after a 1-1 draw in the Italian capital that saw Ivan Perisic strike in the 53rd minute for the visitors and Radja Nainggolan level six minutes from time for the hosts.

It left Mancini's men, the 2010 winners who last competed in Europe's premier club competition in 2012, fourth at 12 points behind leaders Juventus and still five behind Roma.

Although Fiorentina, in fifth place at one point further behind, are also in contention for the league's third Champions League qualifying spot, Mancini has a feeling it could go down to Inter and Roma.

In Italy's top flight, teams who finish equal on points are separated by the points scored in head-to-head matches, then by goal difference in those games, then by general goal difference.

If Inter finish tied for third place and level on points points with Roma, they would go through because they beat Roma 1-0 at the San Siro earlier this season.

"For the Champions League, if we finish level on points with Roma we can go through because we have the advantage in our head-to-head games," Mancini told Mediaset.

With AC Milan now 12 points behind Roma and virtually out of the Champions League race, the pressure is arguably growing on Mancini. 

But the Italian, who won seven trophies including three consecutive league titles in his previous spell at Inter (2004-2008) called for "patience".

"If we won every game from here, we'd surely qualify for the Champions League," added Mancini.

"But we have to be patient, everything's wide open. We have eight games left, not two or three, so there's still a long way to go."