Jose Mourinho recently shared what he considers the pinnacle of his tactical success, and it's a moment he believes has slipped from people's memories.
Mourinho's managerial journey kicked off in 2000, with a brief stint at Benfica, but it was his time at Porto that brought him into the spotlight, clinching the Champions League title in 2004.
This achievement paved the way for his successful tenure at Chelsea and subsequent managerial roles, where he consistently secured silverware, except at Tottenham. His most recent stint at Roma came to an end last month.
During a recent appearance on the Vibe with FIVE podcast hosted by Rio Ferdinand, Mourinho reflected on one of his greatest feats – steering Inter Milan to victory over Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.
Despite being down to 10 men for most of the match, Mourinho's Inter held Barcelona to a 1-0 defeat at Camp Nou, securing their place in the final, eventually beating Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup after 45 years.
However, Mourinho highlighted another achievement that he believes was even more impressive – the first leg of that iconic semi-final. The masterful defensive performance set the stage for Inter's ultimate triumph, marking a defining moment in modern football history.
He explained: "No, because the first one when we beat Barcelona 3-1 was better. And people forget it.
"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."
Barcelona took the lead in the first leg at the San Siro, as Pedro scored within the first 19 minutes. However, Inter levelled the score before halftime, thanks to Wesley Sneijder's goal.
In the second half, Maicon extended the lead to 2-1 on the 48th minute, finishing Diego Milito's pass. Julio Cesar then made a crucial save to deny Rafael Marquez's header.
The decisive moment came when Milito headed the ball over the line from close range, securing a 3-1 victory for Inter. Although the margin could have been larger, the 3-1 win was enough for Inter to secure the victory.
