Inter Milan and Jose Mourinho Prove There Is Strength In Numbers

It was a match-up deserving of a final as the story lines leading up to the return leg of Barcelona vs. Inter were endless.

Jose Mourinho, once a translator at Barcelona under Sir Bobby Robson, returns to the Camp Nou to get revenge on his former employers. There are even rumors swirling that “The Special One” could come to Spain as the next manager of Real Madrid, making his rivalry with the Blaugrana a yearly affair.

After Carles Puyol picks up a suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards, enter Gabriel Milito to mark his brother Diego, the star man from Inter’s victory in Milan. The two played for archrivals in Argentina (Gaby for Independiente and Diego for Racing), but a Champions League Semifinal with the whole world watching is another story.

Let’s not forget about the battle for the starting right back position on Brazil’s World Cup squad. Hardly the sexiest position, but when it involves two marauding fullbacks like Maicon and Dani Alves it is hard to turn away.

And, of course, the biggest side story of all: the return of Samuel Eto’o to the club that shipped him and 46 million euros to the San Siro in return for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. (Thiago Motta also returned to Catalonia, but with slightly less fan fair).

Barcelona, the holders and favorites, entered on the rocks following a shocking 3-1 defeat at the San Siro and in need of at least two goals.

Then, the match started—and although it contained all of the intensity and drama deserved—the spectacle of football was lacking, thanks largely to a despicable act of play acting from Sergio Busquets that got Thiago Motta a second yellow and completely changed the outlook of the match.

Mourinho was forced to become even more defensive than he had initially planned, but with a collective team effort of monumental proportions, Inter kept the Catalans off balance.

In goal, Julio Cesar was sensational as usual, particularly in the 33rd minute when he pulled off a world class save from Messi, who stifled nearly every time he touched the ball by the likes of Zanetti, Samuel, Cambiasso, Chivu (who slotted along side the Argentine in midfield following Motta’s expulsion) and even Eto’o (who played like an auxiliary left back), whose sacrifice for the team deserves as much praise as the goals he has scored this season.

While Ibrahimovic was vastly off the pace, giving the ball away on a Barcelona break away on 35 minutes and when he had Alves streaking freely off the right, Eto’o showed just how valuable he can be to a team in quandary, hassling Barca players off the ball and attempting to use his pace to spark the counter at any chance, a trait not possessed by the often sluggish Ibra.

When Ibrahimovic did find space, he was quickly closed down by Lucio and Walter Samuel, who threw himself to deny the Swede a clear look at goal just before 40 minutes.

In the second half, Guardiola replaced the younger Milito with the more attacking Maxwell in order to break down Mourinho’s defensive wall, but the improvements were minimal, and although Dani Alves found some space down the right to whip in crosses, the majority of Barcelona’s chances came sprung from long range efforts from the likes of Pedro and Yaya Toure and a few fruitless appeals for penalties.

After the hour, Guardiola was forced to reshuffle again, and withdrew the unproductive Ibra in favor of Bojan, a change the former Barcelona youth team coach should have made a week ago in Italy.

Ibrahimovic was supposed to have brought a “Plan B” in tight games to Barcelona, but for the second consecutive week he was vastly off the pace.

Busquets was also withdrawn, proving yet again that he is a better actor than player, in another change that should have been made last in Milan, but the ever pensive Mourinho countered Guardiola by bringing on the combative Muntari for Sneijder in an attempt to congest the middle of the even more, but also leaving Milito completely isolated up front.

At the end, Barcelona finally found the net on a brilliant piece of skill from Pique on a play that may or may not have been off sides. In any event, the drama that ensued was worth the wait.

Barcelona will feel hard done after Bojan's goal was negated by Yaya Toure’s hand, but after all of the calls that have gone their way for the last few seasons (including today) Barcelona will have to accept defeat as Chelsea did last season.

They can also look at their inability to break down Inter, despite a few gilt-edged chances gone by the wayside 

Mourinho’s team barely managed a shot, but the odds were against him after the shocking refereeing decision. It should be viewed as a brilliant team effort by Mourinho’s men who proved yet again that defending is still an art.

Even a man down, Inter’s men covered for one another and left everything they had on the table. A more united defense you cannot find in world football.

The man of the match cannot go to just one player, but to the whole back line and midfield who did everything possible to keep Barcelona off the score sheet.

From Julio Cesar, secure as ever, to Eto’o and Miltio, Inter summed up what it means to win as a team, thanks in a large part to their manager, who for better or for worse, continues to overshadow whatever team he manages.

For Barcelona, there is still the chance of domestic glory, although they will not get a chance win the ultimate prize on their archrivals turf. Guardiola will have to look at some of his own decisions, particularly from the first leg, when evaluating the tie, while Mourinho will feel he picked Guardiola’s pocket, not only in taking away Barca’s ticket to the Santiago Bernebeu, but in using the money he received for Ibrahimovic to help bring in Motta, Milito, Lucio, Sneijder, and of course Eto’o.

After losing in the San Siro, Guardiola complained about the pitch, saying he would water the Nou Camp, but he obviously forgot which is why they turned them on afterwards, because it certainly wasn't to rain on Jose's party, was it?