Specialists are commonplace in football.
Essentially, the sport demands it. Simple concepts such as a position on the pitch and specific roles within a system cultivates specialism.
Dig a little deeper and you'll find specialist skillsets in specialist roles in specialist positions, tumbling down the rabbit hole in the football matrix.
Such specialisation has undoubtedly resulted in a demise of the multi-faceted midfielder, but there are still examples at the top level.
Perhaps the most pertinent is Manchester City's İlkay Gündoğan, inarguably the best player on the best team in the world at present. His range of production has helped put City in position to complete the treble.
Inter, the last team that can stop the historic feat, possess a player of a similar ilk — Nicolò Barella.
Likely to be the key in the Italian side's efforts to hurt Pep Guardiola's side, Barella has been labelled as a prototypical box-to-box midfielder for some time now.
Box-to-box might be a little misguided considering the relative dominance that Inter can exert over a fair amount of Serie A teams, but there is no doubt that the 26-year-old puts in work on the defensive side of the ball.
Barella ended a Serie A game against Monza in April with 15 ball recoveries in the attacking half, the most by any player in the league this term.
Although he'll be asked to defend from a much deeper position in the Champions League final, Serie A's best midfielder in 2022/23 can still be productive.
Nicolò Barella: The best midfielder in #SerieA💎 this season ✨#TOTS pic.twitter.com/SOn4mgElGo
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) June 3, 2023
The same can be said for the vast majority of Manchester City's opponents, but a quick transition from defence to attack will be the primary route to any chance of an Inter goal.
That is, however, an avenue Barella can facilitate with the requisite quality to boot.
Only five Serie A midfielders scored 6+ goals and registered 6+ assists in Serie A this season. Barella ended the campaign with the deepest average position of any of those players according to Opta.
Underlying data shows how he achieved such production.
Barella averaged 5.58 progressive passes received in the league this season, ranking in the 96th percentile for midfielders in that statistic.
Operating between the lines is an invaluable skill in the position, especially if there is output from an attacking perspective, and Barella provides it.
Per FBRef, he averaged 7.37 progressive passes and 2.62 progressive carries this league term, marked up in the 94th percentile for midfielders in both metrics.
As mentioned, it's not without end product.
Barella led all players in Serie A for shot-creating actions (SCA) from open play situations this season, logging a total of 103, seven more than the next best and an average of 4.17 SCA per 90 minutes.
Alas, Inter have their toughest task of the season in facing the juggernaut that is Manchester City.
Windows for the Nerazzurri to work within will be extremely limited. In order for Simone Inzaghi's side to succeed, Serie A's best midfielder will need to live up to his reputation and help take it box-to-box in transition.
Nicolò Barella is certainly capable, though. He's the key to Inter's slim Champions League final chances.
