Why Inter Need Nicolò Barella’s Best To Beat Barcelona In UCL Clash

After the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, Barcelona travel to San Siro for Tuesday’s return encounter, where hosts Inter will hope Nicolò Barella can help them reach the final.

The midfielder was rested this weekend, sitting out Saturday’s 1-0 win over Hellas Verona that kept up pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli. Now three points behind Antonio Conte’s men with just three games to play, there is a very real possibility that Inter end the season without a trophy.

Out of the Coppa Italia and trailing in the title race, the Nerazzurri have admitted that it’s possible skipper Lautaro Martinez will fail to recover from a muscle injury in time to face Barca.

Inter need Nicolò Barella to step up

That will place a greater reliance on other players, including Barella who remains their best and most effective threat in midfield. With the team in a somewhat barren run, Inter supporters would love to see the 28-year-old making a trademark surge into the box and bag a crucial goal.

They have seen him do so numerous times since he joined the Milanese giants from Cagliari back in 2019. Indeed, Barella has scored 18 goals in 201 Serie A appearances for Inter, while chipping in with no fewer than 38 assists as he constantly causes problems for opponents.

So far this term he has scored three times and added six assists, with his underlying stats showing just how much impetus he gives Inter’s attacking play. According to fbRef.com, Barella creates 4.02 shots per 90 mins for his side, a figure placing him in the 94th percentile among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

The same source shows that he sits in the 91st percentile for progressive passes received per 90 (4.32), the 94th percentile for progressive passes made (8.05) and the 89th percentile for progressive carries (2.34).

Back in December, that form saw Barella named to the Serie A Team of the Year for the sixth time, moving ahead of Juventus pair Gigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini for most selections for that honour.

Nicolò Barella needs to end UCL drought

However, if he is to have a similar impact against Barcelona, Barella will need to end a long streak of scoreless Champions League appearances. Having scored in both legs of the 2022/23 quarterfinals, he has since gone 22 games in UEFA’s elite competition without finding the back of the net.

Earlier that season he scored a superb goal against Barca at Camp Nou as well (see above) and helped Inter reach their first Champions League Final since the treble-winning 2009/10 campaign.

Simone Inzaghi and Nerazzurri supporters will be hoping to repeat that feat by eliminating Barcelona on Tuesday, and the first leg last week showed just how important Barella will be to that quest.

In a display that saw the Corriere dello Sport describe him as “the heart and soul of a vibrant Nerazzurri,” Barella made 22 ball recoveries, had four successful take-ons and was directly involved in the opening goal as he pass gave Denzel Dumfries time and space to cross for Marcus Thuram.

Blessed to have one of the most accomplished midfielders in the world at their disposal, Inter will certainly need the best of Nicolò Barella to help them overcome Barcelona and reach another Champions League Final.