Inter coach Antonio Conte’s public outburst following the Nerazzurri’s disappointing 3-2 loss against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League earlier this week was instrumental in motivating the team against a defensive Hellas Verona yesterday, according to a report from today’s paper edition of the Milano based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
The report details how Conte’s comments on Barella – “Who can I ask for more? To Barella coming from Cagliari?” – may have been key for motivating the 22-year-old Italian midfielder, who once said “I would die for Antonio Conte.”
Barella scored a wonderful goal in the last minutes of Inter’s 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona yesterday, gifting a vital three points to his coach and the team.
The report also highlights the importance of Inter’s mental comeback following their mid-week defeat, as beating Verona just before the international break ends this tough period of games with a third league victory in a row, placing them top of the league table – if only until tonight.
Finally, the report touches on why Inter have struggled this month against smaller sides, conceding five goals in their last four league games against provincial squads. This may be because the Nerazzurri currently don’t have squad depth, an issue already publicly identified by the 50-year-old Italian coach.
Then there is also a slight lack of creativity, with Stefano Sensi’s injury and the fatigue suffered by Marcelo Brozovic, even if Barella stepped up to the plate yesterday.
