Barella on the front line after the derby: mea culpa and appeal to teammates against individualism

After the defeat in the derby, the Inter locker room experienced a direct and unfiltered confrontation. What Thuram had anticipated in the press conference on the eve of the Rotterdam match was real: the Nerazzurri players gathered to analyze their own responsibilities, and Gazzetta dello Sport reconstructs the behind-the-scenes of that internal debate.

According to the newspaper, among the slogans that emerged during the meeting there was an explicit statement: “We’re fed up with giving away matches.” This concept was shared by the entire squad, including Lautaro, who, although injured, took part in the group meetings in his role as captain. At the center of the discussion was the issue of “approach”: the false starts this season, according to what was discussed, would be linked to a lack of attention and concentration.

Among the leaders who spoke up without hiding was Barella, who admitted in front of his teammates that he misjudged the danger on the occasion of the 3-1, causing the free kick later converted by Moreira. Starting from that mea culpa, the midfielder emphasized how certain careless mistakes are not compatible with the team’s ambitions.

Not only technical errors: individualism was also targeted in the confrontation. Gazzetta writes that personal issues — such as contracts to be renewed, which may have unconsciously distracted players like Dimarco and Calhanoglu — will from now on have to be set aside. The same goes for discontent related to substitutions and exclusions, reported several times during this autumn: an attitude that, according to what emerged from the meeting, will no longer be tolerated.