Barella Admits Inter’s Gritty Shakhtar Win Wasn’t Deserved But Crucial

FolioPitch.com – 22 October 2026 | Nicolò Barella was brutally honest in his assessment of Inter Milan‘s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night, conceding that the Barella Inter victory not that deserved but result was important thing sentiment summed up the mood in the Nerazzurri camp. The midfielder, wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Lautaro Martinez, acknowledged that the Italian side rode their luck at times but insisted the three points were all that mattered in their Champions League campaign.

Inter entered the match under pressure, having already suffered defeats to Real Madrid and Club Brugge in the competition, and the tension was palpable among the San Siro faithful. The home crowd had grown restless with a sluggish first-half display, and their frustration intensified when defender Alessandro Bastoni received two quick yellow cards, reducing Inter to ten men. Yet, as Barella later reflected, the Barella Inter victory not that deserved but result was important thing mantra perfectly captured the team’s mindset: winning ugly was better than not winning at all.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Inter found a way to break the deadlock. A long ball from Henrikh Mkhitaryan released Carlos Augusto, who kept his composure to round the onrushing goalkeeper and slot home. The goal sent a wave of relief through the stadium and ultimately proved decisive. Barella was quick to praise the Brazilian defender, calling him “an animal” and highlighting both his quality as a player and his character as a person. “Carlos is a lovely guy who deserves everything,” Barella told Sky Sport Italia after the match.

Shakhtar Donetsk, who had arrived in Milan unbeaten in the Champions League this season after a draw with PSV Eindhoven and a victory over AEK Athens, demonstrated why they are a force to be reckoned with. The Ukrainian side pressed forward in search of an equaliser, exploiting the spaces left by Inter’s ten men, but the hosts held firm. Barella admitted that the visitors’ quality and intensity made life difficult for Inter, and he reiterated that the Barella Inter victory not that deserved but result was important thing narrative was not merely a cliché but a genuine reflection of the night’s events.

“All Champions League games are difficult, Shakhtar confirmed they have quality, tempo and intensity,” Barella said. “Let’s be honest here, we needed this victory. Playing good football is nice too, but what mattered the most today was the result. I don’t know how deserved it was, but we’ll take it.” The midfielder’s candour was refreshing, and it underlined the sense of urgency within the Inter dressing room after a stuttering start to their European campaign.

The first half was particularly lacklustre, with Inter struggling to impose themselves and appearing tense. Barella attributed the sluggish start to the weight of expectation, suggesting that the constant talk of needing a win may have affected the players psychologically. “We were lacking some energy at the start, perhaps all that talk of needing the victory made us tense,” he explained. “We already said that our initial approach is something we’ve got to improve, as we have seen several situations where we even went 2-0 down. I too could’ve raised my voice more with my teammates, but this is a ‘problem’ at the moment and we’re working on it.”

Bastoni’s dismissal was a turning point that could have derailed Inter’s evening, but instead it seemed to galvanise the team. Barella described the moment as one where “your back is against the wall” and emphasised the importance of digging deep. “Being down to 10 is a big disadvantage in modern football, but Shakhtar quite rightly pushed forward trying to win the game, and we were able to make the most of a counter-attack,” he added. The goal from Augusto was a classic sucker punch, and it highlighted Inter’s ability to adapt and survive under pressure.

Looking ahead, Barella remains optimistic about Inter’s Champions League ambitions despite their inconsistent form. He acknowledged that the competition is of the highest level and that the team has targeted it in recent years. “The Champions League is something we have targeted in recent years. The level is very high, it is certainly a dream, but you can transform those into targets. We realise it’s not our best form in this competition, but we’ll try to do our best with the potential that we have,” he said. The Barella Inter victory not that deserved but result was important thing theme will likely resonate throughout the season as Inter seek to balance performance with results.

In conclusion, Inter’s win over Shakhtar Donetsk was far from a vintage performance, but it may prove to be a crucial one in the context of their Champions League campaign. Barella’s honest appraisal, encapsulated in the phrase Barella Inter victory not that deserved but result was important thing, serves as a reminder that in football, sometimes the end justifies the means. The Nerazzurri will need to improve their overall play if they are to progress deep into the competition, but for now, they can take satisfaction from a hard-earned three points that keeps their hopes alive.