The success in the Champions League against Shakhtar has reignited the enthusiasm of Nicola Berti, who spoke at length to Gazzetta dello Sport about Inter’s current moment, ranging from individual players to the defensive phase and the upcoming derby.

Among the most praised players is Nicolò Barella: “My absolute idol. He’s a true captain, I adore him,” said the former midfielder, also recalling the player’s growth since his early days at Inter: “When he arrived at Inter he was always a bit nervous, but then he became the commander we see today.” And again: “Those who criticize him don’t realize the matches he plays, the kilometers he covers. He just needs a few more important goals.”

Regarding other members of the squad, Berti had strong words for Francesco Pio Esposito: “He’s a genius. Esposito is the top for Inter.” He then mentioned Carlos Augusto, among the protagonists of the European night: “Diouf, whom I really like at the moment.”

Regarding Josep Martinez, Berti commented both on the decisive saves against Shakhtar and the incident that cost him a suspension: “On Tuesday, Pepo made three extraordinary saves after the blunders with Real and Bruges. Now it seems he’ll spend some time on the bench and that’s right, so he’ll come back rested and fired up for the derby.” On the incident itself he added: “He was provoked and unfortunately he fell for it. He’s a wonderful person. That episode reminded me of something similar that happened to me in a derby.”

No worries, however, about the absence of Lautaro Martinez: when asked if the Argentine’s unavailability was a problem, Berti replied with a firm “No, not at all.”

The former midfielder also recalled his bond with Fiorentina, the club he played for before moving to Inter in 1988: “They made me out to be a mercenary. And I’m not at all. They had sold me to Napoli, but there were also other teams like Milan, Juve. Then Inter came along and, with an Inter-supporting mother, I couldn’t say no.” Returning to Florence as an opponent, he confesses, “my legs shook like never before in my career.”

On the tactical side, Berti identifies defensive solidity as the area to work on: “Chivu needs to fix the defensive phase. The goals conceded are too many and it’s the only negative note of this start to the season.” When asked if the next matches against Fiorentina and Venezia should both be won, the answer was without hesitation: “Of course. They must.”

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