Inter fined Nicolò Barella following the silly red card against Real Madrid. The midfielder reacted to a push by Eder Militao. He is now a risk of getting a two-game ban, which would force him to miss the Round of 16 entirely. UEFA will announce the decision on January 25th, a month before the next fixtures.
The sanction is part of the team rules. Barella was mortified for the mistake and apologized to his teammates, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The midfielder has been playing non-stop this season, and tiredness was likely a factor in his poor decision-making in that moment.
Simone Inzaghi weighed in after the game: “Barella made a grave mistake, but he is an intelligent player. He should not have done it, and he will now treasure the lesson for the future. It was just a blip. His gesture was very mild, but it was worth of the expulsion by the letter of the law.”
Inter will be very busy after the winter break and would not mind adding a player with similar traits to give Barella more rest. Matias Vecino, Arturo Vidal, and Roberto Gagliardini do not have the same motor. If one or two left, the Nerazzurri would resume chasing after Nahitan Nandez. The Uruguayan international often voiced his desire to leave Cagliari. He has a lofty price tag, but the two clubs have a tight relationship. An 18-month loan spell with an option to buy and the inclusion of Martin Satriano in the deal could do the trick.