Former Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho remembers how he led the Italian giants towards a famous victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge while hurting himself in the process.
The Special One enjoyed two successful spells in West London, especially his initial one between 2003 and 2007.
But in March 2010, he returned to the Bridge as a conqueror at the head of a Black-and-Blue army.
That season, the Champions League Round of 16 draw pitted Inter Milan against Chelsea, making Mourinho the main protagonist in the story.
In the first leg, the Nerazzurri emerged victorious at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. Diego Milito gave the hosts the lead early on. After the break, Salomon Kalou drew the Premier League giants back on level terms, but Esteban Cambiasso delivered the first-leg winner for the Italians.
This result set the stage for a widely-anticipated second leg at Stamford Bridge. At the time, many were expecting Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea to turn the tide in their favour.
However, Inter booked their spot in the quarter-final with yet another win, this time courtesy of Samuel Eto’o who made it 3-1 on aggregate.
Inter Milan Beat Chelsea 3-1 On Aggregate In 2010 Much To The Delight Of Jose Mourinho
The Beneamata then went all the way to the final, overcoming Barcelona in a dramatic Semi-final doubleheader. The Milan-based giants completed a historic treble by beating Bayern Munich in the grand finale thanks to two unanswered goals from Diego Milito.
Nevertheless, the victory over his former club in the Round of 16 remains a special memory for Mourinho.
In a recent interview, the current Roma boss tells the story of his return to West London. He admits hurting himself while widely celebrating Inter’s triumph.
“During my time with Inter, I beat Chelsea in the return leg of the Champions League Round of 16,” recalls the former Porto tactician in an interview with ‘Federico Buffa Talks’ via FcInterNews.
“We had also won the first leg. In that match, Salomon Kalou scored and pulled off an over-the-top celebration.
“After the match, he came to apologize to me for having celebrated in that manner. But I told him that he didn’t have to. That’s the game.
“When we went to London, we had lost in Catania a few days before. I believe Sinisa Mihajlovic was their manager.
Jose Mourinho Describes His Inter Milan Treble-Winning Stars As “Mentally Strong”
“We had a horrible game but it helped us prepare for the big European clash against Chelsea [the second leg].
“The lads at Inter were mentally strong, always prepared to do battle.
“So before the second leg against Chelsea, I told them that I had never lost in that stadium.
“So I remained undefeated. But in the end, I hurt myself while celebrating. What a pain that was!”
That 2009/10 campaign witnessed the last European triumph for the Nerazzurri. However, Simone Inzaghi’s men came extremely close last season, only to succumb to defeat at the hands of Man City in the Champions League final.
But while the Italian giants will try their luck yet again this season, Chelsea aren’t competing in any European tournament this term after enduring a woeful 2022/23 campaign.
Sadly, the Blues are also experiencing a complicated start to the 2023/24 season, and they certainly aren’t the favourites to clinch the Premier League. The odds can be found on the UK’s top betting sites.
As for Mourinho, he’s also enduring a rough patch at Roma, with many observers already evoking the Special One’s so-called “Third Season Syndrome”.
Is The “Third Season Syndrome” Tag Fair? A Tour Through Jose’s Career
Much has been made of Jose Mourinho’s managerial appointments. His time served at Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Man Utd was met with fanfare initially, yet he wore out his welcome at all three clubs.
The 2010’s saw Mourinho at the height of his popularity in international boardrooms. Did he deserve to be dismissed in his third seasons?
The manager’s first stint at Chelsea was where he earned the “Special One” moniker. He certainly earned it after managing to win every domestic trophy available to a Premier League manager.
This was also when Chelsea went 64 consecutive home league games without tasting defeat. He won six trophies in three years and left more in part to the owner than his managerial record.
His time at Real Madrid saw his teams win a record-breaking number of matches in the 2011-12 season yet fall short time and again in the Champions League.
Toxic dressing room rumours again dogged him.
Jose’s last three-season stay at a club was with Man Utd. This reign was once more marked with trophies and tantrums. A Europa League victory and finishing 2nd in the Premier League were Mourinho’s main achievements here – the latter being one of his top triumphs.
It remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho is to avoid his “Third Season Syndrome” with Roma.
