Such was the thunder of Sunday night’s enthralling Milan derby,
it seemed for a moment that even the one-man theatrical production
that is Jose Mourinho might be drowned out, lost for words, even.
The Special One soon scotched those notions.
Once Mourinho had digested the unforgettable drama of Inter
Milan’s nine-man 2-0 triumph, a victory that took Inter nine points
clear at the top of Serie A and on the way to a fifth consecutive
title, he quickly looked into next month and the Champions League
knockout stage against Chelsea, his much-treasured former club.
Inter-change: Jose Mourinho has warned his old club
that his side are better than last year
‘We know we have a super opponent,’ he said. ‘But Chelsea know
they don’t have an easy job with us.’
Sunday will have shown Carlo Ancelotti that. Chelsea are not AC
Milan, who were wooden and creaking at the San Siro, but Mourinho’s
theory is that, compared with last March when Inter meekly exited
the Champions League at Old Trafford, his team have improved by a
dimension.
‘This team is better than last year,’ said Mourinho. ‘It’s much
better. If everybody is in good shape we have more solutions. Of
the team that played today, (Samuel) Eto’o was not here, (Dejan)
Stankovic was not here, (Cristian) Chivu was not here. So even with
some problems we’re a team with more solutions. We are a better
team.’
Kings of the city: Inter were too much of a match
for David Beckham and co in the Milan derby on Sunday
Mourinho, 47 today, then added: ‘This is now my team, a team in
my image.’
Given his record of rebuilding sides at Porto and Chelsea, Inter
deserve increasing respect. They qualified from the toughest
Champions League group, which included Barcelona, FC Rubin Kazan
and Dynamo Kiev. Since losing to Barcelona in November, never mind
at Manchester United last March - when Mourinho had been at Inter
only nine months - there has been progress.
Goran Pandev, creator of the first on Sunday and scorer of the
second, has arrived from Lazio after a long contractual dispute.
Pandev cost nothing - so far. With Eto’o away with Cameroon, Pandev
partnered Diego Milito and the give-and-go chemistry between them
overwhelmed AC Milan’s defence.
Behind them, Wesley Sneijder formed the base of an attacking
triangle. There was a touch of Deco about him. Sneijder cost
£24million when he joined Real Madrid. The fee was half that when
he moved to Inter, and despite his foolish dismissal, Sneijder,
Pandev and Milito gelled dangerously when together. None were in
Manchester last March and there was a degree of movement not seen
when Zlatan Ibrahimovic led Inter’s line.
‘Year after year you change things according to your needs and
your own philosophy,’ added Mourinho. ‘I have in attack the kind of
players I like, players who can hold the ball and play football,
not just score goals. A player like Sneijder is a player we didn’t
have last season. Lucio is better in the air than previous
defenders. The team has more of a chance of success.’
Mourinho described his record against Ancelotti as ‘OK’ and said
that his knowledge of Chelsea’s squad - and theirs of him - means
‘nobody has an advantage’.
Beaten AC Milan boss Leonardo, described Inter’s
counter-attacking as ‘brilliant’, but there could be no such praise
for his own team.
Sir Alex Ferguson leads Wayne Rooney and Co to the San Siro
three weeks today and Ferguson left there on Sunday surely
satisfied United can overcome Milan.
There may yet be one last hurrah from a set of Milan players
whose best days are behind them but, from Andrea Pirlo to Gennaro
Gattuso, to David Beckham and Ronaldinho, the lack of pace was
obvious. At least Alessandro Nesta is due to return to the back
four.
On the bench were Clarence Seedorf, Filippo Inzaghi and Kakha
Kaladze, part of a different era, it feels.
This is Mourinho’s Inter city for now.