Inter Milan midfielder Barella gave an exclusive interview, discussing his goals for the new season, his young teammates, and his regrets about the Champions League.
As a child, Barella had a habit of writing his wishes on paper, initially just for fun and betting. Some of these wishes later came true, while others he continues to pursue. Entering his eighth season with Inter Milan, he doesn't hide his ambition, hoping to replicate last season's double and achieve even more. He hopes it will be a memorable season, as enduring and rewarding as his favorite wine.
What demands did Chivu make of you?
“We did better than last season. We want to continue the form we had at the end of the season, which is to play our best football. This training camp was very intense. Some people adapted better, some were more tired, and some need more time to find their best form.”
What about you personally?
"I will use my strengths to help the team. Lautaro is not here now. I talked to him before the final. I also need to step up more and take on some of the captain's responsibility. The head coach has never made anyone doubt me. He has always trusted me a lot since the first day he came to the team and has been very good to me."
You've gone through many stages at Inter: initially a promising young player, then a surprise, then a key player, and finally vice-captain. Looking ahead to next season, where are you in that stage?
“I’m heading into a season where I want to play in a different style because my body sometimes reacts differently. I’m trying to play a little ‘smarter,’ a little more managerial, and a little more conservative. Our style of play makes this adjustment possible, and the wing-backs help us push forward more. I’m 29 years old now, not the 23-year-old I was when I first came here.”
At your age, coupled with seven years of experience at Inter Milan, you've become a role model for the team. What's it like to be seen as an example?
"Veteran players must always be like this, but young players can do it too. The key is work ethic and serving the team. In any case, I don't feel I have to be an absolute role model, but I would be happy if someone was willing to talk to me. So I don't know if 'role model' is the most appropriate word; perhaps it's more like an inspiration for my career here."
Are you surprised to see Stankovic back in midfield?
“He has always been a very mature kid, and he is even more so now. He has stepped out of his comfort zone and grown a lot. He is very talented, and I believe he will help the team this season.”
What about Masorin?
"He has excellent physical attributes and great technique. It's very difficult to find a player who combines both of these qualities."
What should fans expect from Pio, who was born in 2005 but whom you know even earlier?
"Although he is young, he has already proven himself to be very strong and important to both Inter Milan and the national team. So everyone is always talking about him. But once you do that, you get praised to the skies when you play well and criticized when you make a mistake. It's not easy, especially for a young player, especially in the current environment of Italian football, where the national team's performance is not ideal, which brings pressure. But I know him well, and I know he can handle it."
Inter Milan's Italian players will also help him in this regard.
“Yes, we will try our best to give him advice, because we have all experienced similar situations in our careers. And for us, Pio is a striker, he is different from others, he can decide the game, he has a great nose for goal, and his goals come suddenly. So we need to take care of him and protect him.”
What are your goals for next season?
“Since I came to Inter, first Conte, then Inzaghi, and now Chivu, the goal has always been to win. Of course, there have been seasons where we did better and seasons where we didn’t. This season is the same. The difference is that last season we won the league and the Italian Cup, and now if we want to continue to do well, we must win those two titles and the Italian Super Cup again, while also striving to do better in the Champions League. It will be difficult and will require a lot of energy, but that is our goal.”
How do you celebrate winning the double crown?
"First, spend time with your teammates, and then with your family and friends."
What gift did you buy for yourself?
"A fine bottle of wine, the 1999 Henri Jair."
When you think of the Champions League, what's the first thing that comes to mind?
"I would answer with another word: dream. I came so close twice, but never quite reached it, and that's something I've always held onto. It's a thought that's always been in my mind, but we also know, as President Marotta said, that compared to teams that spend hundreds of millions of euros in the transfer market, we always have to pay a little more. We did it, thanks to our style of play, our mindset, and our determination to reach the finish line. We almost reached it twice, and I hope a third chance will come, and that one will be a success."
You had a slump last season, but starting in early April, you scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists in 5 games. The real Barella is back. What happened?
“That scoring streak came after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup. When I hit rock bottom, it was the second time I had lost the playoffs, and you just have to keep going. A lot of thoughts flashed through my mind at that time. Later, together with my teammates, we started to think more positively. I stopped bottling everything up and realized that I couldn't let the bad things that had already happened affect me. After the Champions League final defeat and the World Cup blow, I picked myself up again. After that break, I scored against Roma. The hugs from my teammates, their happiness, and my smile returning... all of this helped me restart.”
Will you see Italy and Barella at the World Cup by 2030?
“This is what I want most in the Azzurri: to participate in at least one World Cup and really give it my all. My national team journey started with winning the European Championship, but then I missed two consecutive World Cups. First came the peak, then a decline, which made me feel incomplete.”
Have you become the Inter Milan player you aspire to be?
“I never imagined I would become Inter’s all-time leader in assists, but I have now achieved it. I also never imagined I would become the vice-captain. But if you ask me if this is something I once hoped for, I would say yes. Just like I wanted to be one of the players with the most appearances in this jersey, but I didn’t think too much about it. When I came here, I only told myself: I’m here to play for Inter, give everything, and win everything. I could have done better, but I’m proud of my journey so far.”
So you imagine yourself ending your career here?
"Yes. Then we'll see how fast I age."
