José Mourinho has unveiled what he considers to be the pinnacle of his tactical achievements, a moment that often slips the memory of many football enthusiasts.
Mourinho’s managerial journey began in 2000 with a brief stint at Benfica, but it was his time at Porto, marked by a Champions League victory in 2004, that propelled him into the spotlight and attracted the attention of Chelsea.
Since then, Mourinho has hoisted trophies at every club he’s managed, except Tottenham, but finds himself presently without a position after his recent dismissal from Roma.
During an appearance on the Vibe with FIVE podcast hosted by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, the 61-year-old delved into one of his most significant football moments: Inter Milan’s triumph over Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.
In a tactical masterpiece at Camp Nou, Mourinho’s Inter held off the Catalan giants, despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the match, securing a 1-0 victory and progressing to the final on aggregate, etching one of the modern era’s greatest triumphs.
However, Mourinho believes an even greater accomplishment preceded that infamous second leg — the first leg of the semi-final.
“No, because the first one when we beat Barcelona 3-1 was better. And people forget it,” Mourinho remarked.
“It was 3-1, and it could have been four or five. That was the match that took us to the final. And the second leg was a consequence of the first.”
In the first leg at the San Siro, Barcelona took the lead with Pedro’s goal in the 19th minute. However, Inter, spurred by Wesley Sneijder’s equalizer before halftime, rallied to secure a 3-1 victory, with Maicon and Diego Milito adding to the scoresheet.
Despite the potential for a more significant margin, the 3-1 win ultimately proved to be all Inter needed to advance.
