A integrate of heavies accompanied Jos Mourinho in to yesterdays press discussion at the Nou Camp, wearing engineer black and ominous stares. The bodyguards competence be indispensable this dusk if the Inter Milan manager finishes what he has started.
With the tragedy crackling twenty-four hours prior to kick-off, hundreds of Barcelona fans collected to ridicule Mourinho when he arrived at the track where he once worked as translator to Bobby Robson.
I still have friends here, he said, but he is at the back of as knave of the piece, the man who threatens to designer the improved that would slice the climax of most appropriate group in the universe from Barcelona, the European champions maybe for usually a couple of some-more hours.
With Inter holding a 3-1 lead from the initial leg of this Champions League semi-final, Mourinho stands on the margin of an feat that would gloss over his repute each bit as most as his Champions League delight with Porto and Chelseas initial championship in 50 years.
But, standard of Mourinho, he could not conflict additionally framing this arise as most around what he can repudiate Barcelona.
To a pointy money coming in of breath from the Catalan press, Mourinho claimed that Barcelona had turn spooky with winning the prize this year quite given the last is at the home of their hated rivals, Real Madrid. The viewable import was that their mania was unhealthy.
For Inter it is a dream; for Barcelona the an obsession, he said. There is a difference. A mental condition is some-more pristine than an obsession. For Barcelona it is an mania called Madrid and Santiago Bernabu.
You can see it and feel it. I was here in 1997 and I lived a crater last at the Bernabu in between Betis and Barcelona. I accepted it all. It seemed similar to we won the World Cup. To have a Catalan dwindle in the Bernabu . . . the anti-Madridismo.
Mourinho combined that it wasnt a critique but of march he loves to personalise any rivalry, and the some-more sulphurous the better.
The disturb of knocking out an additional of his former clubs competence even surpass the wish he took from triumphing over Carlo Ancelottis Chelsea in the turn of 16.
There will additionally be measureless personal kudos. Barcelona are one of the most appropriate bar teams ever seen. Mourinho knows full well what it will contend about his vital luminosity should he triumph.
It would be a strong repartee to his critics in Italy, too, given the longing Inter have for this trophy. They have not reached a last given 1972 or won it given 1965. Massimo Moratti, the president, has outlayed as most hundreds of millions as Roman Abramovich perplexing to reach the last and he has been watchful far longer than the oligarch.
For Mourinho to broach would endorse the standing that creates him a expected aim for Real this summer; Manchester City and Liverpool, too, with maybe Manchester United not far behind.
I cant contend the my mental condition given I won the Champions League before, Mourinho said. But for Inter, the been over 40 years given they won the foe so the a mental condition for them.
If I can minister to assistance Inter reach a dream, the supporters reach a dream, assistance Moratti reach a mental condition . . . if I can minister a little, I will be really happy.
It is a calamity unfolding for Barcelona, where they are still stewing over the first-leg defeat. Mourinhos bent to Machiavellian antics has annoyed all kinds of rumours. Attention has been drawn to the surprising coming of Luís Figo on the dais at San Siro on a night when the compare officials happened to be Portuguese.
Rather some-more fantastic was the claim in one Catalan paper that Mourinho co-owns a grill with Olegário Benquerença, the arbitrate from that initial game. Where is this restaurant? Mourinho asked yesterday, nonetheless he cannot repudiate that his group did well out of the big decisions in Milan.
Diego Militos headed idea was offside and a outing on Daniel Alves seemed estimable of a penalty. And afterwards there was the counsel for Carles Puyol, the Barcelona captain, that manners him out tonight.
It is sufficient to have you empathize Frank de Bleeckere, tonights official, who already has both teams chirping in to his ear. With Thiago Motta, the former Barcelona midfield player, articulate about how his former team-mates love to dive we are used to saying them throw themselves about, he pronounced Mourinho attempted to fool around the great patrolman by claiming that his group would handle similar to angels.
The usually thing I pronounced to them when we had a assembly prior to we left Milan was that I longed for them to await the work of the referee, I wish them to fool around fair, I wish them usually to be concerned about personification football, Mourinho said. It is easy for the arbitrate if Barcelona wish to do the same.
An easy night is doubtful for any of the participants. Like ferrets in a sack, Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández and their team-mates will find to squirm afar from Inters warlike midfield. Grab an early idea and anything is possible, as even Mourinho admitted.
History is full of cases where a group that was 3-1 up finished up losing, he conceded. But one thing is clear; he doesnt design it to happen.
Barcelona (possible; 4-3-3) V Valds Daniel Alves, G Milito, G Piqu, Maxwell Xavi Hernández, S Busquets, S Keita L Messi, Z Ibrahimovic, P Rodríguez.
Inter Milan (possible; 4-3-2-1) J Csar Maicon, W Samuel, Lúcio, C Chivu J Zanetti, E Cambiasso, T Motta S Etoo, W Sneijder D Milito.
Referee: F de Bleeckere (Belgium).
Television: Live on ITV1 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45pm).
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