Former Cagliari coach and Inter defender Gianluca Festa discussed Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella in an interview with Italian broadcaster Inter TV earlier today.
“I had the opportunity to train Nicolò both in the youth team of Cagliari and with Como in Serie D. Surely we are talking about a player with something more than the others, in running, dynamism, but also in the mental aspect.
“I must say that in these years he has grown and is growing a lot, especially on a character level. During the time with Cagliari, he was often an irritable and turbulent player, getting a lot of bookings. Now he has grown in this aspect, he has become a top player.”
The 23-year-old Barella, who is contracted to the Milanese club until 2024, has made 17 appearances across all competitions so far this season, for a total of 1304 minutes.
In that time, he has scored one goal and provided five assists.
The player is an incredibly core part of coach Antonio Conte’s tactical system, clear considering that he has not missed a match this season, despite suffering slightly from a swollen ankle in today’s fixture.
Inter are currently second in the Serie A table after 11 games, sitting with 24 points, two behind league leaders and intercity rivals AC Milan.
The Nerazzurri’s next game is against third place Napoli on Wednesday, an incredibly important game as both teams look to stay hot on the heels of the Rossoneri. The Partenopei have won four of their last five games domestically.
