Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella feels that the Nerazzurri have remained strong as a team even in spite of significant departures in the summer.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset, the 24-year-old emphasized that the Nerazzurri did well to replace the players who left in the summer, and that he believes that they are still a top team with a complete squad.

Inter sold Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain and Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea over the course of a few weeks during the summer, and many felt that these departures would be decisive for their season.

However, the team have instead enjoyed strong form across this season, making it out of their Champions League group for the first time in a decade and having a chance to go top of the Serie A table this evening.

Barella believes that this is partly because of the quality of the players who the club signed to replace Hakimi, Lukaku, and the stricken Christian Eriksen, and partly because of the work that they’ve done as a team.

“We certainly have the winning mentality that comes from the Scudetto and from being in top form this season,” he stated, “we also progressed from the Champions League group stage.”

He went on that “Top-quality players left but equally good ones arrived, we have a complete team in all positions: we are a great team and a great squad.”