Italian midfield ace Nicolo Barella won the Best Midfielder of the Year award at the event organized by La Gazzetta dello Sport, thanks to exploits last season – winning EURO 2020 with Italy after an emphatic Scudetto charge with Inter.
Speaking at the event (via Football-Italia), he disclosed his thoughts on the Nerazzurri’s potential title repeat this season and the opportunity to face Liverpool in the Champions League Round of 16.
“It’s been an incredible year that all started with the defeat in the Europa League final (vs Sevilla). From that moment, we’ve started work that is continuing today,” he said. “There is more competition than last year but we know how to win because we’ve already done it, we have awareness and experience.”
Inter drew Liverpool in the first knockout stage of the Champions League, after a re-draw that didn’t go well with Inter CEO Beppe Marotta. Barella, who will be missing the 1st leg against the Reds due to a silly red card he picked at the Santiago Bernabeu, hopes he will be back for the return leg at Anfield.
He said: “We dominated in Madrid for the first 60 minutes, then I made a mistake and ruined our game. I hope I can be there for the second leg.”
The 24-year-old midfielder only recently extended his contract until June 2026 at the Giuseppe Meazza.
“I’ve always said that I want to stay at Inter, at least for now. I am happy to stay here, everyone has his own history. At the end of my career I’ll know if I made good choices,” he commented.