Inter midfielder Niccolo Barella has full trust in his captain Samir Handanovic ahead of this evening’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the San Siro.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Amazon Prime, as reported by FCInterNews, the midfielder gave his thoughts on participating in the Champions League and projected confidence against this evening’s group stage opener.
Barella has participated in two Champions League campaigns since joining Inter from Cagliari in the summer of 2019, though he has experienced disappointment on both occasions, going out in the group stage.
However, the 24-year-old believes that the Nerazzurri are ready to make a more positive impression this time around, and that their confidence as Italian champions will be a big factor in allowing them to play their football and get the results that they want.
“A lot of good things have happened since that match with Slavia,” he said, speaking of his first ever match in Europe’s top competition, “a Scudetto and a European Championship. Now it’s the beginning of another Champions League and we want to go through.”
In the past we’ve gotten a big unlucky, but this time we want to go through,” he went on.
Of his backheel to assist Lautaro Martinez against the Merengues when they met in last year’s group stage he said, “We hope to do something even better this time around. They are a great team but we will try and play our football in front of a wonderful crowd.”
Asked about whether he could eventually become Nerazzurri captain, Barella said that “The captain is Samir [Handanovic], for us he is the dressing room leader.”
