Barella says Italy omission against Turkey did not disappoint him: ‘This is not tennis’

Nicolo Barella says he was not frustrated by being left out of Italy’s Nations League match against Turkey, insisting football is a team sport rather than an individual contest.

Italy are preparing to face Turkey again in the fourth round of the Nations League on Monday, with the two sides meeting as they seek to improve their positions in the group.

“I am not old, but I have played a lot of matches and had to learn how to listen to my body,” Barella said at a news conference.

“When you play 70 matches in a year, you will not have the same energy and sharpness that you had at the age of 23. But according to the statistics, I am still one of the players who covers the most distance.”

Barella, who plays for Inter, said he still had one particular area to improve for the national team.

“The only thing I am missing with Italy is scoring some goals. That is the aspect where I am still behind,” he added.

He also rejected the idea that he had been unhappy about his absence from the previous meeting with Turkey.

“I was not frustrated by being left out against Turkey, because this is a team sport and not tennis,” he said.

Barella praised Mancini for creating a calm atmosphere within the squad, while acknowledging the difficult experiences Italy have faced in recent years.

“The best thing about Mancini is that he gives us a feeling of calm. We have been through some very difficult and negative experiences in recent years,” Barella said.

Italy are third in the group with four points, while Turkey are bottom without a point. France lead the standings on seven points, with Belgium second on six.