As FC Barcelona prepares to host Inter Milan in the first leg of their upcoming Champions League semifinal at the Estadio Olimpico Lluis Companys, with the return leg scheduled for San Siro, it brings to mind their last encounter at this crucial stage. While the teams have met more recently, notably in the 2022-23 group stage where Simone Inzaghi`s Inter advanced past Xavi`s Barcelona en route to the final, their most iconic semifinal clash occurred in the 2009-10 season.
That season saw José Mourinho`s Inter achieve a historic treble, winning Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and their first Champions League title in 45 years. The manager opposite Mourinho in that semifinal was Pep Guardiola, who was then at the helm of Barcelona.
Barcelona themselves were enjoying an incredible era. Under Guardiola, they had won their own treble in his debut season (2008-09), securing La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. A year later, they had the chance to repeat this unprecedented feat, with the added motivation of potentially winning the European trophy at the stadium of their bitter rivals, Real Madrid`s Santiago Bernabéu. To reach that final, they needed to overcome Inter and Mourinho.
The 2010 Champions League semifinal tie was legendary. The first leg in Milan saw Inter claim a 3-1 victory, with goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon, and Diego Milito, countering Pedro`s opener for Barcelona. The second leg, played at the Camp Nou on April 28, 2010, became one of the most memorable matches of recent decades. However, the rivalry between the two clubs, and particularly between their managers, predated this specific encounter.
The Summer of 2009
The 2009 summer transfer window witnessed one of football`s most surprising swap deals. Zlatan Ibrahimović had expressed dissatisfaction at Inter despite their Serie A win in Mourinho`s first year, following a Champions League Round of 16 exit. His agent, Mino Raiola, began talks for a move, with Ibrahimović seeking Champions League success. Barcelona, looking for a striker, entered discussions. Barcelona president Joan Laporta and then-Inter owner Massimo Moratti agreed a deal: Ibrahimović joined Barcelona for approximately $50 million plus Samuel Eto`o on a free transfer, valuing the total transfer at around $70 million. Inter had also been interested in Barcelona midfielder Aljaksandr Hleb, but when that deal fell through, they signed Wesley Sneijder from Real Madrid a few weeks later. Sneijder proved to be a crucial piece of Inter`s treble-winning squad.
Mourinho vs. Guardiola
The rivalry between the two managers intensified during the 2009-10 season, but their paths had crossed before. Mourinho had served on the Barcelona coaching staff under both Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal in the late 1990s, a period when Pep Guardiola was a player at the club. When Guardiola began his senior managerial career with Barcelona in 2008, Mourinho championed a tactical and mental approach often seen as contrary to Guardiola`s philosophy. The tension grew during the 2009-10 campaign, with Mourinho famously asserting that while winning the Champions League was just a dream for Inter, it was an “obsession” for Barcelona and Guardiola. The 2010 season is arguably considered the peak of Mourinho`s powers, both tactically on the pitch and psychologically off it, as he consistently found ways to unsettle opponents. The rivalry reached new heights when Mourinho took over as Real Madrid manager at the end of the 2009-10 season, becoming the central figure in the Clasico dynamic for years, although he couldn`t replicate his Inter success there.
Why Barcelona Couldn`t Fly to Milan in 2010
Before the first leg in Milan, Barcelona faced a significant travel challenge due to the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. The resulting ash cloud severely disrupted air travel across Europe, rendering flights unsafe. Unable to fly, Guardiola`s team was forced to undertake an arduous journey of approximately 1,000 kilometers by bus from Barcelona to Milan. This trip took around 14 hours over two days, including an overnight stop in Cannes, France, undoubtedly impacting the team`s preparation and fitness ahead of the crucial first leg.
What Happened in the Second Leg?
A week after their 3-1 first-leg defeat, Inter traveled to Barcelona aiming to secure their place in the final, facing a Camp Nou determined to witness a `remontada` (comeback). The atmosphere was electric even before kickoff. José Mourinho deliberately walked onto the pitch alone for the pre-match training, drawing whistles and jeers from the crowd, aiming to shift the focus and allow his team to concentrate. From the start, Barcelona pressed relentlessly, pushing Inter deep into their own half in search of an early goal.
Things looked promising for the home side when Inter`s Thiago Motta received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 28th minute. Moments later, Mourinho was seen speaking into Guardiola`s ear while the latter was talking to Ibrahimović. Years later, Mourinho revealed he said, “Don`t celebrate, it`s not over.” He proved to be right.
Despite playing with ten men for over an hour, Inter`s defense under Mourinho was incredibly resilient. Barcelona struggled to break through. They finally scored their only goal of the night in the 84th minute through center-back Gerard Piqué. Bojan Krkić appeared to have scored a second in stoppage time, which would have sent Barcelona through on away goals, but it was disallowed for a handball by Yaya Touré earlier in the move. Inter held firm until the final whistle, defending with virtually every player, including forwards like Eto`o, dropping deep. At the end, a triumphant Mourinho ran onto the pitch, finger pointed to the sky, towards the celebrating Inter fans. Most Barcelona players collapsed on the field in despair. Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés attempted to confront Mourinho during his celebration, foreshadowing the intense rivalry that would dominate Spanish football in the following years. To prevent Inter`s celebrations on the pitch, Barcelona even turned on the sprinklers. In his post-match interview, Mourinho famously declared, “This is the best day of my life, better than my first title, better than the Champions League won with Porto, for the fans, for my team. The best day ever.”
Who Played the Second Leg
FC Barcelona XI:
- Victor Valdés
- Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Gabriel Milito, Yaya Touré
- Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Seydou Keïta
- Pedro, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Lionel Messi
Inter Milan XI:
- Julio César
- Douglas Maicon, Lúcio, Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti
- Esteban Cambiasso, Thiago Motta
- Goran Pandev, Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto`o
- Diego Milito
(Note: Inter adjusted their formation significantly after Motta`s red card, moving to a highly defensive structure)
