Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana will confront his past when he returns to the Camp Nou to face his former team Barcelona.
This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, who note the significant of the fixture for the Cameroonian, for whom the Blaugranas were an important stage in his development.
Onana arrived at Barcelona’s youth academy in 2010, having been spotted by the scouting network of legendary former Blaugranas and Inter striker Samuel Eto’o.
The Cameroonian never made an appearance for the Catalans’ first team, but instead made the switch to Ajax, where he played for the youth team and then broke out into the first team.
Onana was a key figure for the Dutch giants for several season, coming in for significant praise during their memorable run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019.
However, an unfortunate doping ban significantly slowed down Onana’s progress, and he has had to wait some time to really regain his momentum.
However, a summer switch to Inter looks to have opened up a new chapter for the 26-year-old.
Onana did not go straight into the Nerazzurri’s starting eleven at the start of the current season, but he has made the most of opportunities given to him in the Champions League.
Over the weekend, the Cameroonian made his first ever Serie A start against Sassuolo, and the sense is that this is only the first of many.
The 26-year-old has not always had a straightforward path to the top, but the feeling is that now he is on firm footing in an environment where he can truly thrive.
By coincidence, this big moment for Onana personally coincides with a return to a stadium which had been a big stepping stone for him in his earlier career, and he is expected to start there.
The match will be a huge one in the context of the Nerazzurri’s season, and for their keeper it will have a special personal significance.
