Not sure that Nicolò Barella has let his Airpods spit out a lot of times The Balance Sheet Neg’ Maroons. However, it is an understatement to say that since his last time in the jersey of the Nationaltime has passed and many things have changed. Since his exit at the hour mark from a humiliation inflicted by Switzerland at Euro 2024 in the German gray, Spalletti’s Italy has gotten back on its feet without him. It beat France and Israel twice, conceded a draw against Belgium which it should never have conceded as it was so superior, and above all redisplayed the face of a first-rate nation. And Barella in all this? Absent, to get back into shape and then because of discomfort in his hamstrings, he who nevertheless shines with his regularity and his extraordinary athletic physique. The time has therefore arrived for him to jump on the bandwagon and slouch in first class on this transalpine TGV, determined to crisscross Europe with as few stops as possible. There National only needs one point against Belgium this Thursday in Brussels or against the Blues on Sunday at San Siro, to definitively punch their ticket for the quarter-finals of the League of Nations. On the scale of what Italy is, this is not an achievement either. But over the past ten years, it’s an accomplishment worth noting.
Barella behind Retegui?
What is striking about this Italy which has successfully returned to school, even beyond the successes, is its way of playing. The fluidity that emerges from Spalletti’s eleven is reminiscent of that of the best teams in Serie A, Gasperini’s Atalanta, defending champion of the Europa League or even Inter, reigning champion and finalist of the Champions League in 2023 Technically very fair teams, very strong in transitions and enhanced by the talent of the famous Inter base which replaced the historic Juve base in the selection: Alessandro Bastoni is now. indisputable behind, Federico Dimarco the same on the left piston, Davide Frattesi shines with his complementarity with Mateo Retegui in the selection… And then only Barella remains. If the Tonali-Ricci-Frattesi trio proved itself during its first outings in the heart of the 3-5-1-1 sky bluethe place behind Retegui is perhaps the one that poses the most problems for Spalletti today.
We need a player who can act as a link between the midfield and the team’s restarts, who can change positions with others and who has attacking skills. Barella has a bit of all of that.
So why not Barella? In any case, this is the miracle recipe put on the table by the former Napoli technician at a press conference, on the eve of the match against the Red Devils: “ We need a player who can act as a link between the midfield and the team’s restarts, who can change positions with others and who has attacking skills, Spalletti said. Barella has a bit of all that: others can do it too, but we have Barella. And for what I’m asking, I see Barella more as a trequartista (playmaker, Editor’s note) and Frattesi, who is still very good at slotting in, more like a midfielder. »
Barella knows how to pass… and also score
If the Italian coach is so sure of his move, while Barella has never really occupied this position so high up on the pitch over the long term, it is above all for his versatility and his technical accuracy. But also by his ability to be decisive: Barella, each season with Inter, is decisive 9 and 17 times, either by the goal or by the decisive pass, in all competitions combined. With his 10 pawns registered in 57 selections, that is already as many as Gianfranco Zola or Antonio Cassano. He is even the fourth best Italian scorer in the selection (in activity) behind Ciro Immobile, Andrea Belotti and Mario Balotelli who already belong to the past.
It’s true that Belgium is one of my favorite victims.
And then, as if that wasn’t already enough, Barella and Belgium are a beautiful one-sided love story. « I was talking about it with my teammates, it’s true that Belgium is one of my favorite victims, smiled Barella who scored 2 of his 10 selection goals against the Belgians. However, every match has its own story, obviously if I score and have a good performance I will be happy. But I repeat, it is the coach who will make the choices, I will be ready at any time. » If Italy will not be able to count on Samuele Ricci, injured and replaced numerically by the excellent Nicolo Rovella from Lazio, it will be able to count on a Barella eager to be part of the adventure. Belgium, which finds Romelu Lukaku unlike the first leg, is warned.
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