Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella has the opportunity to once again earn the praise of his boyhood idol Dejan Stankovic when the Nerazzurri face Sampdoria in Serie A on Monday.
As reported in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Barella’s favourite player as a child was Stankovic, with the ex-Serbia international establishing himself as a hugely popular figure at Inter between 2004 and 2013.
Barella received an embrace for Stankovic, who is now Sampdoria coach, after netting a stunning goal in the first meeting between the two clubs in October, as he latched onto an Alessandro Bastoni lofted pass to rifle home.
However, that was the former Cagliari midfielder’s last goal for Inter, after a run of scoring in three consecutive league games, and Barella is determined to regain his scoring touch against relegation-threatened Samp.
Having struck five times in Serie A this season, in addition to a Champions League goal against Barcelona, Barella is one goal shy of matching his personal best of six, set with Cagliari in 2017/18, and will be keen to do so in front of Stankovic.
