The fans of Inter will have an extra reason to follow the Nations League match between Italy and Belgium tonight. For the first time, Luciano Spalletti will be testing Nicolò Barella in a new role in the Azzurri’s starting lineup.
Despite Simone Inzaghi often using him in the recent period in front of the defense, the coach seems to have totally opposite ideas: as announced in a press conference, the Inter midfielder will indeed be used even a few metres forward, behind the striker.
This sort of tactical twist ‘à la Nainggolan‘, the Belgian midfielder and close friend of Barella whom Spalletti had reinvented on the three-quarters at the time of Roma. Eyes are on this new experiment which, if successful, could in the future allow Inzaghi to deploy the Sardinian player as a three-quarter with Frattesi as a mezzala.
An interesting innovation that, considering the problems recorded by the second lines of Inter‘s attack in this first part of the season, could turn out to be useful for the Nerazzurri lineup. Spalletti, meanwhile, seemed quite sure: “We need a player who knows how to bridge the midfield with our restarts, Barella reflects this type of player and will be on the field. I consider him more of a three-quarter than a mezzala.”
