Nicolo Barella’s magnificent form at Inter is even surprising some of his former teammates.
The Italy midfielder has been a dominant force in Antonio Conte’s side since joining from Cagliari in 2019, scoring three goals and 10 assists in all competitions so far this season.
Joao Pedro spent several years playing alongside Barella in Sardinia and admits he did not expect such a fast adaptation period.
“You could see immediately Barella was an out-of-the-ordinary player,” he told Corriere dello Sport in an interview for Friday’s print edition.
“What surprises me is the way in which at his age (24) he’s taken control in the Inter team.”
The Brazilian also spoke about Radja Nainggolan, who is on a season-long loan from Inter and could potentially re-join the Rossoblu on a permanent basis in the summer.
“Radja is someone who never leaves others in hot water,” Joao Pedro added.
“If we can keep him happy he gives us a lot, although this was already a strong team.”
Cagliari dropped back into the relegation zone on Wednesday after Torino leapfrogged them with a dramatic come-from-behind win over Sassuolo.
Leonardo Semplici’s side will visit Inter at San Siro on April 11, at which point the Nerazzurri should reportedly have played their rearranged fixture against Sassuolo (on April 7).