Roberto Mancini has dismissed Inter's Serie A title chances after a 3-3 draw at Verona on Sunday left his team 11 points behind leaders Napoli.
Inter were surprise pacesetters for much of the first half of the campaign but have won only two of seven league matches since losing to Lazio in their final game before the mid-season break.
From 3-1 down, Inter's fate might have been worse at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi had Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic not scored in the second half to earn a point.
But the draw brought little cheer for Mancini ahead of an away match against third-place Fiorentina next weekend.
"For third place we are optimistic, if we win against Fiorentina and climb over them," he said.
"The Scudetto? That it is now a closed story."
