Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has played down claims that his side’s chances of reaching the Champions League final (Inter 2/1, Barca 4/11 To Qualify) will be boosted by opponents Barcelona having to travel 600 miles by coach to Italy for Tuesday’s semi-final first leg.
Reigning champions Barca were forced to take to the road for the San Siro showdown on Sunday afternoon due to air travel restrictions in force across Europe caused by the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano.
However Mourinho feels the Spanish Primera League giants will not be too affected for the game given that they enjoyed an overnight stop in the French resort of Cannes en-route to Italy.
He said: “I don’t think it will matter. It is their body, their mind that has to respond.
“If it happened to me, I would try to transform a problem into motivation, something to enjoy, to have the squad together due to a difficulty.
“It doesn’t seem like a drama to me.”
Mourinho also acknowleged that Barca’s Argentinian international Lionel Messi (Messi 8/11 Anytime Goalscorer) deserves ’special attention’, but ruled out man-marking the player, who has scored 40 goals for his club in all competitions this season.
“Above all let’s see how they play because I don’t know,” Mourinho added. “None of us know. He could play right, left, centre. We don’t know.
“What we know is that he is an important player and football, for me, is not about marking man to man. It’s not for me.
“It is not one against Messi and 10 v 10, it will be 11 v 11, although he deserves special attention.”
Barca managed to draw at Inter in Group F earlier in the competition before winning the return match 2-0 at the Nou Camp and Mourinho admitted they were ‘far superior’ in that game. However he does not feel that will have any bearing on their semi-final (Inter 19/10, Inter 11/8, draw 23/10 90 Minutes) meeting.
“In the [second] game in the group, Barca showed that they are far superior. They won easily, deserved to win and in that game we were not capable of responding to them,” he said.
“But that was November, many months ago. They have followed their path, we have followed ours and it seems like we are a lot better than we were in November.
“I accept that they are favourites – this does not offend me – but I think it’s 50/50.”
Mourinho doubts coach trip effects
Reigning champions Barca were forced to take to the road for the San Siro showdown on Sunday afternoon due to air travel restrictions in force across Europe caused by the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano.
However Mourinho feels the Spanish Primera League giants will not be too affected for the game given that they enjoyed an overnight stop in the French resort of Cannes en-route to Italy.
He said: “I don’t think it will matter. It is their body, their mind that has to respond.
“If it happened to me, I would try to transform a problem into motivation, something to enjoy, to have the squad together due to a difficulty.
“It doesn’t seem like a drama to me.”
Mourinho also acknowleged that Barca’s Argentinian international Lionel Messi (Messi 8/11 Anytime Goalscorer) deserves ’special attention’, but ruled out man-marking the player, who has scored 40 goals for his club in all competitions this season.
“Above all let’s see how they play because I don’t know,” Mourinho added. “None of us know. He could play right, left, centre. We don’t know.
“What we know is that he is an important player and football, for me, is not about marking man to man. It’s not for me.
“It is not one against Messi and 10 v 10, it will be 11 v 11, although he deserves special attention.”
Barca managed to draw at Inter in Group F earlier in the competition before winning the return match 2-0 at the Nou Camp and Mourinho admitted they were ‘far superior’ in that game. However he does not feel that will have any bearing on their semi-final (Inter 19/10, Inter 11/8, draw 23/10 90 Minutes) meeting.
“In the [second] game in the group, Barca showed that they are far superior. They won easily, deserved to win and in that game we were not capable of responding to them,” he said.
“But that was November, many months ago. They have followed their path, we have followed ours and it seems like we are a lot better than we were in November.
“I accept that they are favourites – this does not offend me – but I think it’s 50/50.”
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