Barella: 'Inter need to be more clinical'

Barella has impressed in Antonio Conte’s midfield this season and has so far appeared 31 times across all competitions, but admitted both sides were tired towards the end of the 2-1 win in the return to Serie A.

“I got kicked some. It happens. Both teams were a bit tired in the final moments of the match,” he told Inter TV. “Sometimes it’s understandable that a player arrives a bit late in a tackle. It’s football.”

Inter were up 2-0 at half-time after goals from Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, but Morten Thorsby kept the Blucerchiati in the game with an early goal in the second half.

“We must try to close it earlier. You have to close out these games,” he added. “Letting them continue until the end can be dangerous".