Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella’s headed goal against Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday took him into the top five for goals among all midfielders in Serie A.
This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInter1908, who note that the 26-year-old joins Juventus’s Angel Di Maria, Lazio duo Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccangi, and Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski in all competitions.
Prior to Tuesday evening at the Estadio da Luz, Barella had never scored a headed goal for Inter, in 174 appearances for the club in all competitions since joining from Cagliari in all competitions.
The 26-year-old has proven to be fairly proficient at putting the ball in the back of the net with his feet, whether from range, on the volley, or as he showed against Udinese earlier this season, even from a direct free kick.
However, it was with his head that Barella scored against Benfica, giving the Nerazzurri an all-important opening goal in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg clash.
The goal was assisted by Barella’s teammate Alessandro Bastoni, reviving a connection that has already served Inter well in the past.
The defender has assisted the former Cagliari midfielder against Juventus in Serie A on the way to the title in 2021, against Barcelona in the Champions League in a 3-3 group stage draw in the fall, and then against Sampdoria in the league.
On all of those occasions, Barella scored with his foot, but against Benfica on Tuesday he showed that he can also meet one of Bastoni’s excellent crosses with his head.
This took the 26-year-old up to seven goals in all competitions for the season, equalling his record for most goals scored in a season which he set whilst playing for the Rossoblu.
Moreover, it also took the Inter midfielder into the top five for Serie A midfielders with the most goals across all competitions this season.
