Inter Milan Superstar Showcased Why Guardiola Was Keen To Bring Him To Man City In MOTM Performance | OneFootball

Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella produced a Man of the Match display against Man City, showing why Pep Guardiola has been eager for his services.

The two sides started their Champions League campaigns in a top showdown at the Etihad Stadium that ended in a draw. Both teams had their chances, but neither managed to score.

Simone Inzaghi’s men did well to maintain their composure at the back and launch counterattacks.

For his part, Barella played an instrumental role in both phases of the match.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (via FcInterNews) puts it, the Italian proved why Guardiola is such a big fan of his.

The Spanish tactician reportedly tried to lure the Sardinian to Manchester in the summer of 2023, but to no avail.

The manager’s admiration for the Euro 2020 star may have increased following last night’s brilliant display.

The pink newspaper hailed Barella as the best player on the pitch at the Etihad. He earned a rating of 7.5/10.

Nicolo Barella Was The Man Of The Match In Man City Vs Inter Milan

Francesco Acerbi received the same grade after keeping Erling Haaland quiet. The same goes for Inzaghi for his exploits on the sidelines.

Yann Sommer, Yann Bisseck, Alessandro Bastoni and Piotr Zielinski weren’t too far behind. They each earned a note of 7/10.

Carlos Augusto, Hakan Calhanoglu and Mehdi Taremi all took a 6.5/10 grade. On the other hand, Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, Benjamin Pavard and Denzel Dumfries are right behind with 6/10.

The only Nerazzurri star to receive a relatively low grade is Henrikh Mkhitaryan who replaced Zielinski in the second half. The Armenian veteran received 5.5/10 on his return to the English shores.