Mourinho outshines Sir Alex at Old Trafford
It was one of the individual performances of the round – and it came before a single ball had been kicked. José Mourinho produced a star turn as he addressed the media on the eve of his FC Internazionale Milano side's second-leg showdown with last-16 rivals Manchester United FC.
Famous dash
It was five years ago this very week that Mourinho embarked on his famous dash down the Old Trafford touchline after FC Porto snatched a last-gasp equaliser to send United crashing out of the UEFA Champions League in a 3-2 aggregate defeat. It proved the start of a compelling rivalry between Sir Alex Ferguson and the cocky Portuguese coach 21 years his junior but seemingly as good as anybody at outwitting the United manager.
Impressive record
In his three years in charge at Chelsea FC, Mourinho suffered only one defeat in ten meetings with United, outscoring Sir Alex 2-1 in Premier League titles in that period and also overseeing a 1-0 FA Cup final win over the Mancunians in May 2007. Little wonder Mourinho sounded so happy to be back at Old Trafford yesterday. "It looks like home because for four years I came here a lot of times – for the Premier League, the League Cup and FA Cup. It has become a part of my life. I even know the groundsman," he joked.
'Never the same'
The Inter coach looked back to that "crucial moment" that proved a launch pad for Porto's 2004 UEFA Champions League triumph – and the subsequent exodus of star names like Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and, of course, Mourinho himself. "I can say that Costinha's goal was probably the goal that opened for me doors in England," he said. "It was a goal that gave us a chance to win the Champions League and our careers were never the same again." Not surprisingly, Sir Alex had a less warm recollection. United "were the better team" that night, he insisted, and it was a "time of rebuilding" for his team anyway. "Football is a strange game," he added, "and tomorrow it may be even stranger."
'A detail, a mistake'
Could Mourinho – beaten just once in five trips to United – really get the better of Sir Alex again? The Portuguese believes "a goal, a detail, a mistake" will decide a tie that remains delicately balanced after a goalless first leg. And like five years ago, another 1-1 draw would send Inter through. Looking beyond tonight, Mourinho may want United's scalp but he talked down suggestions that he might one day succeed Sir Alex as their manager. "He's top, he's strong, he's happy, he loves it, he wins. Let him stay 20 years more." Entertaining stuff but it remains to be seen whether Mourinho is still smiling at the final whistle.
