There will be a number of fascinating one on one duels during AC Milan’s Champions League clash with Inter, and arguably the most decisive one could come in midfield.
As Calciomercato.com reports, the duel between the two compatriots Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Barella will see the heart and lungs of the Milan and Inter midfield square off against each other looking for supremacy.
They are two real workaholics given Tonali has 42 appearances for the season and Barella has 45, while they also have two different ways of interpreting the role of midfielder.
Both have the kind of intensity and dynamism but Tonali is geared more towards coverage and balance, while his opposite is expected to be more creative and decisive in the attacking phase.
Tonali is having a good season with 2 goals and 9 assists overall, but Barella has 8 goals and 9 assists and seems to have hit his stride in the Champions League, scoring against in the first leg and second leg of the quarter-finals.
In the iconography of the two fanbases, they represent the two souls of Milan and Inter, the two faiths of the city of Milan. Tonali is a boyhood Rossoneri fan who plied his trade at Brescia before earning his dream move, while Barella is more tied to Cagliari but has entered the hearts of the Nerazzurri fans.
They are also cornerstones for the Rossoneri and Nerazzurri projects. Since the outright purchase of Tonali in the summer of 2021, there have been no doubts about the future of the 23-year-old who last year renewed until 2027 with a pay rise.
The Inter star on the other hand has had expressions of interest from abroad but they are reluctant to consider a sale given his importance, linked to the Biscione until 2026.
The biggest difference between these two is that Barella is a f*ng crybaby and Tonali is a warrior.