Midfielder Nicolo Barella has won praise for his all-action performance in yesterday’s Serie A draw between Juventus and Inter Milan.
Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport gave the 26-year-old a grade of 6.5/10 in the player ratings for the match published in today’s print edition, via FCInterNews.
Barella did not manage to bag a goal or assist yesterday.
However, the former Cagliari midfielder did have a decisive contribution.
It was Barella who found Marcus Thuram in space up against Juventus Bremer not long after the half-hour mark.
This allowed the Frenchman to set up Lautaro Martinez for Inter’s all-important equalizer.
And that pass to Thuram was representative of how Barella played, the Corriere argue.
Nicolo Barella Praised For Performance In Juventus Vs Inter Draw
In the view of the Corriere, Barella was the best Inter player yesterday because he always looked to be proactive.
It was not easy to do so against a Juventus team who were keeping Inter very much at arm’s length.
And Barella’s Nerazzurri teammates were not exactly pressing vehemently in attack.
But the Italian international was always looking to pass, dribble, or run off the ball in away that would allow his team to gain some kind of a foothold in the final third.
That was particularly the case in the first half.
But in the first few minutes of the second, Barella came close to setting up Marcus Thuram for a goal.
Whilst the end product was largely not there from Inter, Barella did his bit.
Another goal could have been the reward for the 26-year-old’s industry and technical quality in tight spaces and direct duels with Juventus players.
But even just Barella’s part in the goal that Inter did score was enough.
Unlike the rest of Inter’s midfielders, the Italian was at least able to leave his fingerprints on a telling attacking contribution.
