Nicolò Barella said Inter ‘proved we can play at the same level’ as Manchester City and their ambition is to reach the Champions League Final again in 2025.
It was a very balanced game at the Etihad, as the Nerazzurri had the chances to win it with Matteo Darmian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but also risked losing late on with two Ilkay Gundogan headers.
In the new format of the Champions League, a 0-0 draw away to the Premier League winners and one of the favourites for the trophy has to go down as a positive result.
“This team won the Scudetto last season and didn’t do enough in the Champions League, so this year we want to do more in Europe,” Barella told Amazon Prime Video Italia.
“We are growing, we earned experience along the way and that helps. We reached the Final two years ago, our ambition is to do it again, then in football anything can happen.
“Today against a very strong team we proved that we can play on the same level. In the end, incidents then decide the results.”
Barella dominated midfield in Manchester
Manchester City had won all their matches so far this season, whereas Inter have now drawn all three of their away fixtures at Genoa, Monza and the Etihad.
“I liked the attitude, because after a not very good performance against Monza, we could’ve come here with tension, but instead we gave 200 per cent and that is the mentality we need to go all the way.”
Inter also left Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the bench initially, keeping an eye on the upcoming Derby della Madonnina against Milan on Sunday.
The Rossoneri are in crisis, having lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“We were thinking only of this game, just as Milan were thinking only of Liverpool, but from tomorrow we can prepare for the derby in the best way possible,” concluded Barella.