The Serie A leaders visit the Friuli with a 18.00 UK time kick-off and a setback could allow Juventus to close up the title race.

“During international duty Vincenzo came up to me and asked me to promise we’d beat Inter,” grinned Quagliarella in the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I like Jose Mourinho, but I confirm we want to open up the Scudetto battle and make this as entertaining as possible. We’ll do all we can to make Vincenzo happy.”

Journalists have asked whether Quagliarella is particularly inspired to help Juve because he could be joining them next season.

“Anyone who thinks that would be wrong, because I play for Udinese and owe a lot to this club. I was a failure when they took me from Torino, then they paid a lot of money to buy out the other 50 per cent of my contract from Sampdoria.

“I have another three years left on my contract and it never entered my mind to ask for a transfer. I would do it if I was unhappy, but everything is going very well.”

The Friulani are the only Italian side left in Europe and will face Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup quarter-final next week.

“Udinese have the potential to reach the Final and even win the trophy. Losing Antonio Di Natale is a heavy blow, but I am putting a lot of faith in Alexis Sanchez. He can get past his man with disarming ease.”

Sanchez won’t be playing against Inter due to a ban, which also rules out Maurizio Domizzi, while Di Natale, Damiano Ferronetti, Andrea Coda, Fernando Tissone, Aleksandr Lukovic and Samir Handanovic are also injured.