Champions League: Mourinho masterminds Barcelona defeat (Highlights)

Inter Milan 3 - 1 Barcelona

(0-1) 19' Pedro, (1-1) 29' Sneijder, (2-1) 49' Maicon, (3-1) 60' Milito

They could well point to an arduous 14 hour bus journey. Or even an atrocious display of refereeing from Olegário Benquerença. But the brutal reality of tonights Champions League semi-final is that Barcelona were second best to an inspired Inter Milan. Jose Mourinho won the battle of the master tacticians as Inter maintained a suffocating intensity in midfield and defence that was simply too much for Barcelona. Ex-Madrid man Wesley Sneijder was irrepresible, with the Dutchman a constant thorn in Barcas side, operating just behind the two strikers. Diego Milito showed incredible strength and composure, holding the ball and laying it off to teammates as Inter broke out of defence every time Barca misplaced a pass. Mourinho employed a 4-3-1-2 set-up and with Pandev, Cambiasso and Thiago Motta immense in restricting Barca to sideways passes, and Maicon an everpresent threat down the right. Barca were made to look average.

Xavi and Messi never got into their stride, but they were never allowed to as they were swarmed out by a sea of black and blue. Sergio Busquets and Seydou Keita looked like a lost souls as they repeatedly gifted possession to the Nerazzurri. As for Zlatan Ibrahimovic; the big Swede was quite simply non-existant. Lionel Messi kept plugging away but he just couldn´t shake off his countryman, as 38 year old Javier Zanetti put in a gargantuan shift. Pedro had got Barca off to flying start as he slotted in following a surging run from Maxwell down the left. But for Barca the fun stopped right there. Ten minutes later Diego Milito, who had already missed a couple of sitters, sucked in the Barca defence helped the ball onto the unmarked Sneijder, who made no mistake from close range. Shortly after the break Maicon took advantage of yet another Milito lay-off to slot in.

Barca needed to react but they were let down by the linesman as Sneijders misplaced header fell invitingly across for Milito to nod in from an offside position. Payback time perhaps for all those favours that Barcelona received from Tom Henning Ovrebo that fateful night at Stamford Bridge, almost one year to the day. Dani Alves was shown a yellow card for diving when it appeared a stonewall penalty. Pique was flattened late on. Not a peep from the ref. Inter committed countless fouls as they sought to break up Barcas rhythm, but it was the reigning champions who were on the receiving end of five yellow cards. Barcelona pushed late on, in search of a potentially priceless second away goal, but Lucio and Julio Cesar deprived them of that luxury with some superb blocks in the closing moments.

Barcelonas dream final at the Bernabeu is now hanging by a thread. The defeat, and the manner in which they were thoroughly outclassed, will mean they leave the Italian capital with their tails firmly rooted between their legs, but there is still hope. They will only need to repeat their home match against Inter in the group stages to reach the final. Mourinhos gladiators are a completely different side to the one Barca faced in November, but with Barca backed by a vibrant home crowd, Inter will have to be at their very best to stem the Blaugrana tide once more. Camp Nou....Your team needs you.

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