Few players in Inter’s modern history have been so hyped by fans and media alike as Gabriel Barbosa. Few players have been nursed into Italian football with such patience and care as Gabigol prompting critics to label him a YouTube sensation as when called upon he rarely left a mark. That is until today, at Bologna against the team he made his Serie A debut against this past September.
It was quite clear from early on in the match that this particular fixture would be one where Icardi’s poaching would be severely missed. This due to Bologna putting up a good fight as well as Inter having an off day meaning that the guests from Milano needed to be clinical when creating clear cut chances. Rodrigo Palacio showed that wasn’t to be the case when he missed a tap in with the goal gaping wide in the first half.
Perisic and Candreva had a decent first half where Joao Mario’s deep position in midfield more often than not meant that he and Gagliardini took each other out as they battled over same position. Eder looked sluggish and tired up front not to mention Palacio who seemed hungover. Safe to say, this was a match that had trap written all over it. Especially as Bologna seemed to work their way into the match more and more and felt as though they were getting closer and closer to drawing first blood which given the balance of the match would inevitably have meant a defeat for Inter.
This wasn’t to be due to what has now become a signature mark of Pioli, namely making changes that give immediate impact and change the match and result completely. The double substitution of Palacio and Candreva off for Gabigol and Banega was exactly what Inter needed. The former battling for and winning a 50-50 ball and then serving D’Ambrosio with a delicious pass which he squared for Gabigol to score his first goal since signing for Inter.
For several years Inter fans have waited for the new Inter to take off, to see the relaunch of Inter 2.0 claim their stake with the biggest in Italy before moving on to challenge Europe’s top guns. Many players have come and passed some failing, others not being given the chance but all have not been able to be able to carry the heavy burden of being Inter’s future. Today, at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, where Ronaldo scored his first goal for Inter in 1997, his compatriot Gabriel Barbosa may have just showed that the wait is finally over and that the future has already arrived.
