Former Bayern Munich and Inter striker Karl-Heinz Rummnigge believes that the Nerazzurri must treat securing a top four spot in the Serie A table as more important than the Champions League.

Speaking with Italian journalist Bruno Longhi, via FCInterNews, the German weighed in on what he feels Inter’s priorities must be over the rest of the season.

Inter will be looking at the Champions League as a massive opportunity for them this season.

After their heroics against Barcelona and Porto to reach the quarterfinals of the competition, Inter could feel that they have a real chance of reaching the final in ties against Benfica and then one of AC Milan or Napoli.

However, on the domestic front, Inter have a real challenge on their hands in the form of a top four race that they are in no way guaranteed to win following an awful recent run of results.

From the perspective of former striker, as well as former Bayern chairman, Rummenigge, the positive results in the Champions League are all well and good, but cannot come at the expense of focusing on a hugely important league campaign.

“It certainly hasn’t been an easy season for Inter,” the former striker said.

“We all expected more from them, at one point I thought they could win the Scudetto, but then the situation has just gotten worse and worse.”

Of the Coppa Italia semifinals against Juventus, Rummenigge argued that “It’s certainly intriguing, and even important for the team’s season, but above all the priority must be reaching a Champions League place in the league.”

“The team has to regain their confidence and get back to picking up points in the league,” he said.

“Then there’s also the Champions League which they’re still alive in, they’ve done very well in the group stage and against Porto, but above all else they have to be focused on reaching next season’s competition,” he said.

Regarding Inter’s Champions League quarterfinal tie against Benfica, Rummenigge said that “Inter certainly aren’t favourites there.”

“The Portuguese side are well-organized and play good football, they deserve great respect.”