MILAN, Italy, Sept 30, 2008 (AFP) - Inter Milan will be looking to put Sunday's derby defeat to AC Milan behind them when they entertain free-scoring Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Inter lost under Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho for the first time as a rare header from Ronaldinho gave Milan the three points in a 1-0 victory.

It leaves Inter, Italian champions for the last three seasons, only fourth in the Serie A table.

They will welcome this Group B clash as a way to bounce straight back in a competition the club's hierarchy is desperate to win.

The Italians have won the competition only twice and have not even reached the final since 1972, whereas cross town rivals Milan have lifted the continent's premier trophy seven times and been in three finals in the last six seasons.

European failure was one reason Inter president Massimo Moratti replaced Roberto Mancini with Mourinho at the end of last season, despite Mancini guiding Inter to three titles in a row.

Inter bowled out to Liverpool in the Champions League second round last time out, losing at home and away and having a man sent off in both matches.

They started this group campaign well, though, with a 2-0 win in Greece against Panathinaikos but disciplinary problems have dogged them already this season.

In six league matches they've already had three players sent off.

They cannot afford to lose players against Werder who, despite opening their European campaign with a hugely disappointing 0-0 home draw against Cypriot minnows Anorthosis Famagusta, have recently hit the goal trail, registering 10 goals in their last two league matches, including a 5-2 rout away to German champions and giants Bayern Munich.

Inter's Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been trying to play down the importance of Sunday's derby loss.

'We're only at the beginning of the championship and it's the result at the end that counts,' he said.

'We need to keep on going as we have done recently with the same commitment, the same determination and I assure you we'll finish top of the pile.

'We want to win every match and that's what we're working towards. On Wednesday we have a Champions League match and that's where we'll start.'

To do that, Inter will have to be defensively sound against a team scoring at will.

However, while Bremen have notched 10 goals in those last two games, they have also conceded six, including four at home to little Hoffenheim.

It seems that coach Thomas Schaaf is more worried about his own defence against Inter than confident in what his strike-force can accomplish.

'The goals will give us self-confidence but we're not naive,' Schaaf said after Saturday's match. 'We know we'll have to improve a great deal defensively when we play Inter.'