‘I’m leaving’ – Italian pundits argue over Barella-Iniesta comparison

Former Italian winger Massimo Mauro sparked a debate on Italian TV last night by comparing Inter and Italy star Nicolò Barella to Andres Iniesta.

Former Juventus and Napoli winger Mauro feels Inter star Barella can become as good as Barcelona legend Iniesta in the next few years.

“Given that he [Barella] has really improved in terms of personality, if he improves there [technically] I can see him become like Iniesta,” the 61-year-old said during Sport Mediaset’s Sunday night show Pressing.

Journalist Sandro Sabatini reacted sarcastically. “Ok, I am leaving,” he said.

“Sure, you can leave because you are a journalist and I was a footballer. I can guarantee that he can become on the same level as Iniesta,” replied Mauro. “Inter refused a high offer from an English club last summer for Barella.”

Corriere dello Sport editor Ivan Zazzaroni joined the dispute, saying he disagreed with Mauro and adding that he saw in the Italian midfielder “the evolution of Antonio Conte.”

“I don’t agree because Barella scores more goals than Conte,” concluded Mauro.

The former Italian winger played 307 Serie A matches between 1979 and 1993, scoring 14 goals. He played with Diego Armando Maradona at Napoli and Michel Platini at Juventus, winning the Serie A title twice, once with the Bianconeri and once with the Partenopei.