Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella proved that he could have a role as the future captain of the Nerazzurri with his display against Benfica in the Champions League yesterday evening.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInter1908, who highlight the 26-year-old’s all-action display in one of the team’s biggest matches of the entire season.
Last season, Barella wasn’t even on the pitch in either of Inter’s two matches during the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
The reason for this was that the former Cagliari midfielder had lost his temper and hit out at Real Madrid defender Eder Militao during the final group stage match of the season, earning himself a straight red card and a two-match suspension for the round of sixteen tie against Liverpool.
This, in a nutshell, was an illustration of the factors which have played against Barella potentially becoming Inter captain.
There is, the Corriere della Sera argues, nothing about what the 26-year-old contributes on the pitch that should cast doubt on his suitability to wear the armband in the future.
That was certainly on show against Benfica yesterday evening.
Barella scored a very well-taken opener, made an important clearance in his own penalty area, and did everything else in between.
However, the Corriere della Sera argues, the midfielder’s on-pitch performances aren’t all that make him a potentially natural inheritor of the captain’s armband from Samir Handanovic.
Barella’s attitude is one of constant intensity and drive, something which was certainly evident against Benfica.
The other side to this is the fact that, when things become difficult, the 26-year-old has an unfortunate tendency to lose his temper, including with his own teammates, something that would hardly befit a club captain of Inter.
However, there was none of that against Benfica yesterday, and so the Corriere della Sera argues that it was a glimpse of the kind of performance that could make Barella a future captain.
