UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL, FIRST LEG:Inter Milan 3 Barcelona 1
JOSE MOURINHO'S march toward another Champions League final took another giant stride forward last night as his Internazionale side overcame reigning champions Barcelona 3-1 in a pulsating semi-final that more than lived up to its billing at the San Siro.
As expected, the Spanish side dominated possession – 65 per cent in each half – but Inter showed huge self belief to come back from going behind to a Pedro Rodriguez goal on the quarter hour to level with a Wesley Sneijder goal that sent the teams in level at the interval.
Barcelona’s defence was caught flatfooted once again early after the re-start by some quick thinking by Inter’s striker Diego Milito, who had badly scuffed wide from only six yards just a minute before Barcellona’s opener in the first half.
This time, however, the Argentinian made amends by racing onto a ball on the right of the area and quickly chipping it inside where team-mate Maicon came galloping in to bundled home at the second attempt to put the Italian side ahead.
The San Siro exploded, with visions of their nerazzurri heroes reaching their first European Cup final in over a quarter of a century.
But Josep Guardiola’s side didn’t panic, and instead began showing the patient possessive build-up that is such a hallmark of their play.
Yet as Inter’s South American defensive line remained steadfast, even Messi the magician was reduced to taking snapped shots from the edge of the area.
When he was dispossessed by fellow team-mate, Inter captain Javier Zanetti, just before the hour mark, it seemed a psychological turning point.
It was not to be Messi’s night after all.
Instead of sitting on their lead, as they had tended to do in the match against Chelsea earlier in the tournament, Inter went for broke.
The indefatigable Sneijder played out of his skin, not content with giving Daneil Alves an awful night on Barcelona’s right flank, he was seen carrying here, threading through there, and even tackling back.
Just after the hour mark Mourinho’s men grabbed what could prove the pivotal goal of the tie.
Sameul Eto’o, playing more as a winger than a striker, crowned a wonderfully selfless performance when he chipped a floating cross from the right of the Barcellona area.
Outnumbered by three orange-shirted defenders, Sneijder and Milito both eluded their flatfooted markers, when first the Dutchman managed a downward header from the far side of the six-yard area, which then bounced up kindly for a foraging Milito to gratefully nod in the loose ball at Valdes left post.
The Barcelona defenders raised their arms for the offside and to be fair they had a good case. However, there was no flag.
Barca desperately tried to break back into the game, but Inter held their shape, with Cambiasso in midfield and Thiago Motto and Walter Samuel in defence ensuring that goalkeeper Julio Cesar was rarely troubled.
Everything is set for a tantalizing secong leg in Barcelona next Wednesday.
Guardian Service
INTER MILAN:Julio Cesar, Maicon (Chivu 74), Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti, Motta, Cambiasso, Pandev (Stankovic 56), Milito (Balotelli 75), Sneijder, Eto'o. Subs not used: Orlandoni, Cordoba, Muntari, Materazzi. Booked: Eto'o, Stankovic.
BARCELONA:Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Puyol, Maxwell, Xavi, Busquets, Keita, Ibrahimovic (Abidal 62), Messi, Pedro. Subs not used: Pinto, Marquez, Bojan, Henry, Milito, Toure Yaya. Booked: Busquets, Puyol, Pique, Keita, Dani Alves.
Referee:Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal).
