Barella: ‘Bodo/Glimt deserved it, but Inter target is the Scudetto’
Nicolò Barella admits Bodo/Glimt ‘deserved to go through’ to the Champions League Round of 16, but Inter’s ‘target is the Scudetto and that has been the case since the start.’
The Nerazzurri knew they needed something special to overturn the 3-1 first leg defeat in Norway, and felt that it was entirely within their capabilities to do so at San Siro.
However, despite dominating possession and numerous chances, they were toothless in attack and made fatal errors in defence, above all Manuel Akanji to give away the Jens-Petter Hauge opener.
Hakon Evjen added a second, with Alessandro Bastoni mere consolation on a corner, as Inter were eliminated 5-2 on aggregate.
Barella cannot argue with Inter exit
“We conceded a goal with an individual error, it happens in football, but the most difficult thing was to break the deadlock and we didn’t do it. Bodo deserve congratulations, they beat us home and away, so clearly they deserved to go through,” Barella told Sky Sport Italia.
Inter had been Italy’s best representative in Europe in recent years, reaching the Champions League Final twice in the last three seasons under Simone Inzaghi.
They hadn’t gone out this early since Antonio Conte failed to get past the group stage in 2020-21, but back then they were given access to the Europa League, whereas this is the end of their continental campaign.
“There is disappointment because we never hid from our desire to compete for every tournament. We tried, they did better, but this is the difference when you don’t go through by a point because they awarded a penalty at the 90th minute. Without that, we’d have avoided two games and a trip to Norway, but this is the new Champions League.”
Barella was referring to the failure to finish in the top eight after that controversial Liverpool penalty, awarded for a light Bastoni tug.
They have to put all their focus now on Serie A, where they are 10 points clear at the top of the table, and the Coppa Italia semi-final against Como.
“Our thoughts were to go all the way in every competition, which we’ve done more or less consistently for years now,” added Barella.
“Last time we went out to Atletico Madrid and won the Scudetto, this time we went out to Bodo and are 10 points clear. Naturally, the target is the Scudetto, but that has been the case since the start of the season.”