Italy, Barella: We want to win back the trust of Italians

The objective is as simple as it is difficult to achieve: “We want to win back the trust of Italians.” Nicolò Barella said this ahead of the decisive Nations League match against Turkey: “Leaving aside the first match,” the Italy and Inter midfielder continued, “this start has been positive, but we still need time. We have all shown that we want to do better than in recent years.”

And again: “It was a long and tiring training camp, with so many matches, and there is a bit of fatigue,” Barella explains. “These are commitments we must respect and we must be in our best shape. The Italy that is being born has personality and is hungry to find itself again. We must rediscover our enthusiasm.”

“Mancini is still the same guy who enjoys working with the players,” he explains. “We need to clear our minds after the disappointments of recent years in order to win back what we want. When you start your national team career by winning a European Championship and failing to qualify for the World Cup twice, you know the criticism will come and you have to find the strength to react. That night and the months after it were difficult, but in life and in football you always have to move forward. You have to face difficult things head-on to get back to where we deserve to be.”

Finally, on the draw against France: “In recent years, I have always been a starter, especially in the important matches. But this is a team sport and Italy is not Barella. I am available, the coach makes the decisions and I am ready for anything.”