Inter Stats – Nicolò Barella’s season in numbers

MILAN – Nicolò Barella arrived at Inter in the summer of 2019, and since then he’s cemented his place in the heart of the Nerazzurri’s midfield. Antonio Conte has consistently picked him in the box-to-box midfield role that requires attributes such as running and tackling but also incisive passing and finishing, all of which the midfielder from the class of ’97 possesses.

To date, Barella has made 29 appearances for Inter: 20 in the league, four in the Champions League, three in the Coppa Italia and two in the Europa League. The Sardinian midfielder’s contribution is always strong in terms of output: he has an average of 54 passes played per game, with a pass success rate of 84%, as well as winning 66% of his tackles. This highlights one of Barella’s best attributes: his willingness to go and engage in duels to win back possession of the ball.

Barella has also shown that he’s not just useful in breaking up play, and his contribution in the offensive parts of the pitch has been crucial. He’s scored three goals, all of which have come in the same goal under the Curva Nord at San Siro. They have been three crucial goals too: the first was in his Champions League debut for the equaliser against Slavia Prague; the second was a wonderful right-footed shot from outside the box into the top corner to earn a 2-1 win against Verona; and the third was the one that granted Inter access to the Coppa Italia semi-final following his right-footed shot, again from outside the box, and again to make it 2-1, against Fiorentina that time. Overall, Barella’s 26 shots on goal this season have been more than dangerous.

However, it hasn’t just been about shooting. Barella has already provided six assists this season. Four of them in the league: in the season’s opener against Lecce, in the first fixture of the Derby for Lukaku’s goal to make it 2-0, in the 4-3 win against Sassuolo and then in Udine when he again set up Romelu Lukaku. He also provided two assists in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 against Cagliari when he set up both Borja Valero and Romelu Lukaku.