According to reports, 15 years ago, Inter Milan under Mourinho managed to eliminate one of the most fearsome versions of Barcelona in recent years from the Champions League. It was April 2010, and the Italian team traveled to Camp Nou after winning the first leg 3-1 at San Siro. A defeat that dealt a heavy blow to Pep Guardiola’s team.

The dismissal of Thiago Motta before the 30th minute heightened the excitement of the duel. In the end, Inter, despite being reduced to 10 men, overcame Barcelona and reached the Champions League final—a final held at Santiago Bernabéu.

Mourinho’s players celebrated their qualification right there at Camp Nou, albeit with the sprinklers on. Now, 15 years later, the Special One looks back on a memory that forever changed the trajectory of Inter and his own career: winning in Europe and then signing with Real Madrid.

Mourinho told Marca: “No words can describe that moment. The feeling we had after the game was something only we experienced, and it will stay in our minds forever. It couldn’t have been more epic. The first leg in Milan was flawless, and then the Camp Nou match…”

A Precise Strategy to Destroy Barcelona

Inter had special preparations for this duel. The technical staff even quarantined themselves for 24 hours in Milan’s training camp to find the best solution. They focused on identifying the weaknesses of Barcelona’s formidable team at the time and entered the pitch with a clear message to the players: We are ready to qualify.