For what it’s worth, I thought Mourinho got it absolutely right over two legs. CFC never looked like winners in either game. Yes, English refs might have given penalties for some of the rugby tackling in the Inter box. But that doesn’t change the fact that Drogba et al were consistently outmuscled and outsmarted by that formidable back line of Maicon, Lucio, Samuel and Zanetti. And Anelka was invisible throughout.
Ancelotti must surely have been thinking, “This squad is on its last legs”. Compare Lampard as playmaker with Sneijder – no contest. And Ballack should hang up his boots at the end of this season, if not earlier: he just takes up space on the team sheet.
I couldn’t help feeling pleased for Jose. Ironically he beat his old team with a display that was far more vigorous and even sexy than the CFC he took to the top in the mid-Noughties.
Consolation prize? Barca tonight against Stuttgart. Anyone who caught Messi’s sublime hat-trick against Valencia on Saturday must feel the mouth watering…
