Barella wants to end his career at Inter, developing a ‘different style of play’ for 2026-27 | OneFootball

Inter star Nicolò Barella admits he must change his style of play for the 2026-27 season and have a greater leadership role in the dressing room, with Cristian Chivu asking him to ‘act like a captain.’

Barella released an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport just a few days after the start of the Inter pre-season.

The Nerazzurri won a domestic double in the 2025-26 campaign and are preparing for the second season under Chivu.

Barella revealed what the Nerazzurri coach has been asking of his players in the first days of their pre-season.

“Improve even more compared to last year. We want to pick up where we left off, playing our best football,” the Italian midfielder said.

“It’s an intense training camp. Some handle it better, some get a bit more tired, some need more time to find their perfect condition.”

Barella added that Chivu asked him to “Help the team with my characteristics. Now that Lauti [Lautaro Marrtinz] is absent – I spoke to him before the final – I also need to make my presence felt a bit more, to act a bit like a captain. From the first day the manager arrived, he has always shown me incredible trust and treated me wonderfully.

“I’m heading into a season where I’m trying to develop a slightly different style of play, as my body sometimes responds differently,” Barella added.

“I’m trying to play in a ‘smarter’ way in terms of self-management, being more conservative. Our playing style, with the wing-backs helping us push forward, allows me to do this. I’m 29 now, not 23 like when I arrived.”

Barella joined Inter in 2019 from Cagliari, so he’s about to begin his eighth season at the Stadio Meazza. What is it like to be a reference point in the team?

“The players with more experience should always be, but young players can be too,” Barella said.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 17: Nicolo Barella of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“It’s a matter of hard work, of putting yourself at the team’s service. Regardless. I don’t feel I have to be a reference point at all costs, but if someone wants to talk to me, I’m happy. I don’t know if ‘example’ is the right word, perhaps more of an inspiration for my career here.

“Since I arrived at Inter, first with Conte, then Inzaghi, and now with Chivu, the objective has always been to win,” Barella added.

“Then there have been years when we were better and others less so. This year is the same. What’s different is that last season we won the league title and the Coppa Italia, and now, to do well, we need to win both again, plus the Supercoppa, as well as trying to go further ahead in the Champions League. It will be difficult; it will require a lot of energy, but those are our goals.”

The Nerazzurri were eliminated from the Champions League Round of 32 last season; what’s their objective in Europe in 2026-27?

“I’ll answer with another word: dream,” Barella replied.

“Getting so close twice and not being able to touch it is something that has never sat right with me. It’s a constant thought, but we know that, as President Marotta also said, compared to other teams that spend hundreds of millions in the transfer market, we always have to make an extra effort.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 17: Gianluca Gaetano of Cagliari is challenged by Nicolo Barella of FC Internazionale Milano during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“And we have done that, with our play, our ideas, and our desire to succeed. We’ve come close twice; we hope a third opportunity comes, and that it’s the right one.”

Inter have brought back Aleksandar Stanković from Club Brugge, while Petar Sucic is about to begin his second season at Inter after featuring at the World Cup with the Croatian national team.

“When Petar touches the ball, you realise he has football in his blood,” Barella said.

“He’s carved out an important role here and has become a starter for his national team, which has performed excellently in World Cups and European Championships in recent years.

“Alek has always been a mature lad, but even more so now,” Barella said about Stankovic.

“He left his comfort zone, which was Inter, and has grown a lot. He has great qualities, and I’m sure he’ll give us a hand this season.”

The Italian midfielder revealed that he treated himself with “a good bottle of wine, a 1999 Henri Jayer,” after winning the domestic double last season and confirmed he hopes to end his career at Inter: “Yes. Then it depends on how quickly I get old.

“I never thought I’d become the player with the most assists in Inter’s history, but I have,” he concluded.

“I never even thought about becoming vice-captain. But if you ask me if that’s what I hoped for, I’d say yes. Just as I’d like to become, for example, the player with the most appearances in this shirt, but I don’t dwell on it.

“When I arrived here, I just told myself: I’m going to play for Inter, give everything, and win everything. I could have done even better, but I’m proud of the journey so far.”