Nicolò Barella will have to settle for a place on Inter’s bench tomorrow when he faces his former side Cagliari, according to Tuttosport.
Antonio Conte is expected to choose between Barella and Matias Vecino on the right-hand side of Inter’s midfield, with Stefano Sensi and Marcelo Brozovic guaranteed to start.
Barella will nonetheless be overcome with emotion at the Sardegna Arena, having spent 13 years tied to the Rossoblu before leaving in July.
“He hasn’t convinced properly at Inter so far,” TS reported this morning.
“Whereas Stefano Sensi has become a reference point for the Nerazzurri in the space of a few weeks, having been signed as back-up for Marcelo Brozovic, Barella still hasn’t reached peak fitness.
“This is due in some part to his duties with Italy’s first team and under-21 side back in June, his shortened summer holidays and the preseason preparation he completed rapidly in sweltering temperatures while on tour in Asia.”
Barella has not appeared comfortable when playing on the right of Inter’s midfield three, with Conte preferring to keep Sensi on the left-hand side due to his good form.
Inter signed the 22-year-old to play on the left but he has not had much chance to do so because he has always been playing catch-up with his fellow countryman.
“The fact Cagliari have a dynamic but not particularly physically powerful midfield might play in his favour tomorrow,” the paper concluded, suggesting Conte could yet opt to pick him in the starting XI.
