Like him or loathe him you have to give Jose Mourinho and his Internazionale player’s maximum credit for upsetting the odds and humbling the mighty Barcelona last night.
The fact that this was Pep Guardiola’s heaviest defeat since being at the helm of the Catalan club is a testament to the strength of Inter’s performance, and does justice to the superiority they evoked over their Spanish counterparts, especially as the margin of victory was attained after going a goal down.
Throughout the match the Nerazzurri midfield muscle stifled Barca’s pretty patterns, suffocating the supply line to Leo Messi. The side that obliterated Arsenal were never likely to be given the freedom the Gunners granted them, but what was only part of the story. Three goals were scored, in truth, more could have been added as Mourinho’s men executed a perfect game plan, breaking-up then breaking, seizing upon the wilderness behind Barca’s backline to frequently raid and trouble Victor Valdes’s goal. The reigning European champions may have been drained of playing resource and energy after a gruelling cross-continent coach dash, but they were second best here. Their freedom to move more restricted by Mourinho’s tactics, than any Icelandic volcano.
However, as the tectonic plate of Inter collided and submerged that of Barcelona, eulogies towards the Special One have erupted more than Eyjafjallajokull itself. As per, the hyperbole reaches overdrive whenever Mourinho is concerned. Ignoring his sides stumblings in Serie A, the Portuguese coach is once again being lauded as the finest tactical mind of the generation, his part in potentially dethroning the Catalan giants has been referenced to lunar travel in the Italian media, whilst back in blighty, all of his previous failings have been ignored as the patron saint of tactical geniuses prepares for another shot at European glory. So, let us put this into perspective.
It’s difficult to take gloss off his 2004 Champions League win with Porto, but lest we forget if it wasn’t for the stray flag of a linesman and the Teflon coated gloves of Tim Howard, things may have been different. Mourinho’s slide down the Old Trafford touchline would have been a slump towards the dressing room. Porto then went on to beat Lyon, Deportivo la Coruna and Monaco on their way to lifting the pot, with the heavy hitters of Juventus, Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea all imploding en route. You can only beat what is put in front of you, and it wasn’t Mourinho’s fault the more established sides succumbed, but this wasn’t exactly the tactical masterplan it is so often perceived.
Changing scene, and on the back of this success, Mr Abramovich came calling and equipped Mourinho with the most powerful side around, splashing out over £100m to bolster a side who had just finished second in the Premier League and gotten to the Champions league semi’s under the much maligned Claudio Ranieri. The 2004/05 season was an unprecedented success for the West Londoners, Mourinho guiding them to their first league title in fifty years - doing so with a record points haul – and adding a league cup and another European semi as well.
Again, what we tend to ignore is the strength of the league back then, just six years ago. Arsenal had gone the previous term unbeaten but had essentially peaked, Manchester United were the weakest they’d been for years, at the infancy of another Ferguson creation, and alongside the raw Rooney and Ronaldo, their squad contained the likes of Kleberson, Alan Smith, Liam Miller, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Quinton Fortune. Beyond the front-runners the quality was debateable, Liverpool finished fifth, similar to United, hindered by an ordinary roster and the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester City – all strengthen of late – were not on the scene. Mourinho could not have timed his arrival any better, yet, the most elusive prize eluded him. Luis Garcia’s ghost goal knocking the Blues out on a ground where they would also fall short on penalties two seasons later. Unfortunate? No. In almost four hours of football over two legs at Anfield, one goal would have probably put Chelsea through to a final, yet for all the misfortune Chelsea had no inspiration to hit the back of the net just once. Add to that the notion of Robert Huth lumbering around up-front at the Camp Nou the year before as Chelsea were well outclassed by Barcelona, and over three campaigns and three exits, there were three very un-special exits. In seven away games in the Champions League latter stages, Mourinho mustered victory in just one – away to Valencia.
Soon to be off and away to Italy, and a familiar remit was put to Mourinho. The European Cup, Inter had been without one since 1965. Arriving in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal which decimated their main rivals, the Nerazzurri had already claimed three successive Scudetto, so when another was added and Inter rolled over meekly to Manchester United, few were impressed. This was his season to deliver and in fairness, in putting out Chelsea and being in such a strong position to do the same to Barcelona, Mourinho has given a typically two-fingered salute to his detractors, this writer being one such. But does he really deserve the accolades and adulation he has been garnished with on the back of these two wins? His domestic triumphs at Porto, Chelsea and Inter have been at clubs where he has been afforded the best playing stock at fortunate times, yet his record in Europe has been more miss than hit for a Coach of such perceived brilliance.
Good, yes. Special?
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