Italy legend Marco Tardelli believes Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella is just drained and offers him the identical advice that he acquired from World Cup profitable coach Enzo Bearzot.
Barella is supposed to be one of many core members of the Azzurri midfield, however has been struggling for form and confidence recently, each at membership and worldwide degree.
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He has acquired assist from Calcio icon Tardelli, the person whose scream of celebration was the image of the 1982 World Cup triumph.
Tardelli recognises Barella wrestle
MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 04: Nicolo Barella of Internazionale warms up previous to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Cremonese at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 04, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“You can’t always be at 100 per cent, there are seasons and moments that are more difficult,” Tardelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It happened to me too. Physical and emotional fatigue, you never quite know why, but three negative months don’t change an entire career.
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“You just need to have patience and remember what Bearzot told me in Argentina.”
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 09: Curtis Jones of Liverpool controls the ball while beneath stress from Nicolo Barella of FC Internazionale Milano in the course of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Siro on December 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
While Bearzot was the coach who gained the 1982 World Cup, he was already in cost for the 1978 event in Argentina, when Italy reached what was successfully the semi-final, albeit in an uncommon format.
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“I will never forget it, in May 1978 I was falling to bits, I couldn’t even manage the easiest things,” defined Tardelli.
“Bearzot substituted me during a friendly before the World Cup in Argentina. I was so depressed, told him I understood if he no longer had faith in me, so he should leave me out.
“Instead, he replied straight away: ‘Marco, don’t talk rubbish. If you can’t manage anything else, then pass it to your teammate.’ What he meant was, just do the simple things, don’t try to over-do it.
“It all went well, that team was perhaps better than the one that took the World Cup in 1982.”
ROME, ITALY – JUNE 17: The Italian former participant ‘Azzurri Legends’ Marco Tardelli attends a interview throughout ‘Casa Azzurri’ at pratibus district on June 17, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
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Tardelli has extra advice for Barella, a participant who has usually been in comparison with the Nazionale legend.
“If I was Inter, I’d give him a month of just pure vacation. That’s enough to recharge the batteries.”
Italy nonetheless have to get into the 2026 World Cup, by way of Tuesday’s play-off closing with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I am sure we’ll get there, because Bosnia are not as good as Italy,” added Tardelli.
“Even if our team isn’t that strong, I get the feeling we’ll do well. I already felt it in 1982 and in 2006, because when there is pessimism and everything seems to be going against us, that’s when we react.”