Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti admits boss Jose Mourinho has proved him wrong by taking a side reduced to 10 men through to the Champions League final (Inter 8/15 Outright).
The Serie A giants will contest the showpiece with German side Bayern Munich at the home of Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu, on Saturday May 22 (Bayern Munich 9/4, draw 9/4, Inter Milan evens – 90 Minutes) after overcoming holders Barcelona in the semi-finals.
Inter went down 1-0 on Wednesday night at the Nou Camp thanks to Gerard Pique’s composed late strike, having had midfielder Thiago Motta harshly sent off following a tangle with the theatrical Sergio Busquets.
But Mourinho’s men dug in and mounted a tremendous rearguard action to stifle Barca superstars Lionel Messi and Xavi, and in the process go through 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a 3-1 first-leg victory in Italy the week before.
And Moratti has revealed that he actually discussed the issue of a red card in Europe with former Chelsea boss Mourinho earlier in the campaign.
“Not long ago I told Mourinho that I believed that it would be impossible to play down to 10 players and progress in a Champions League game,” Moratti told Inter Milan’s website.
“But instead, it is possible and that is thanks to great character and a fantastic team that Inter has proved to be.
“We played with 10, against the world champions and in their stadium. Yet the players knew what to do in every episode, playing with intelligence.
“I have to compliment everyone because this achievement gives me infinite happiness.”
Inter’s progression at the expense of Barcelona did nothing to help Mourinho’s relationship with the fans of a club he served as a translator and assistant boss between 1996 and 2000.
And the Portuguese, who also dumped the Catalans out of Europe during his time with Chelsea, admits he will never return to take the top job at the Nou Camp despite the fact he plans to coach for “23 more years”.
The 47-year-old said: “I’m not stupid enough to think that this hate can be turned into love.
“I respect Barca and I’ll never forget what the club gave me in the four years I was here, but something has been created around me that is hard to make positive.
“It is clear that I will end my career without having coached Barca.”
On the night Barcelona saw a second goal chalked off for handball earlier in a move finished by Bojan Krkic, a strike which would probably have sent them through on away goals.
But afterwards boss Pep Guardiola paid tribute to Inter’s defence and called his own side’s European campaign a “success”.
He said: “I know we’re Barca but when nine players are defending inside the opposition box it’s not easy.
“Sometimes attacking seems a lot harder than defending. We tried, but they defended well.
“We won’t be looking for excuses. Every player, every coach and every team plays how they want to and it’s not for me to judge.”
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