Jose Mourinho Leaves Inter Milan's Champions League Fate in Ancelotti's Hands

As a grinning Hans Landa said to Aldo Raine; "I officially surrender myself over to you."

Those of you who have seen Quentin Tarantino's film "Inglourious Bast****," you will know precisely what I am getting at. Those who haven't, it is a highly recommended watch, but alas this is a sports website, and this is a sports article.

Having secured a victory at the San Siro, Jose Mourinho could well have mirrored the story of Hans Landa.

What happens next is all up to Carlo Ancelotti. Jose has got what he wanted, a win at the San Siro to take back to Stamford Bridge. This lead makes his team talk easy. "We do not need to score, but if we do, Chelsea are finished." A very comfortable position to be in, indeed.

However, in this position, he has surrendered the tactical initiative over to Ancelotti and his men. He has set them free of their handcuffs and given them their weapons back, so to speak.

A 1-0 win would have suited them a great deal better. The away goals advantage, if in anyone's favour, would be in theirs by the end of the tie.

The way the game will go in Mourinho's mind is as follows;

1. We sit back, Chelsea come flying out the blocks.

2. We defend well, get some possession, and then choose the correct moment to break.

3a. If we score, play the same as Chelsea will be chasing the game. If we score again, defend deeper and push Eto'o and Sneijder out wide to make breaking a great deal harder for the Chelsea defence to deal with.

3b. If they score, push the attack. Frustrate Chelsea by keeping the ball for long periods. Make them scared by scoring again or coming close.

4a. We win by a good margin.

4b. We win the tie.

Many will think this is the perfect game plan, and it may well be. The only problem with it is that it is obvious, as is the only real criticism of Jose Mourinho's management style.

Ancelotti has a squad full of adaptable, experienced, determined world class players. This gives him a variety of options tactically. He may well have Mourinho's number; not many other top-class managers have had as many showdowns with the Portuguese tactician. If he does, Inter could find themselves lying on the floor being branded with a symbol of their defeat.