Chelsea 0 Inter Milan 1THE RETURN of Jose Mourinho was a grim reunion for Chelsea. Their former manager engineered a bold display in which Internazionale created the bulk of the chances. A goal from them was overdue before the outstanding Wesley Sneijder released Samuel Eto'o 12 minutes from the end and the striker shot emphatically beyond Ross Turnbull.
The occasion became ignominious when Chelsea’s Didier Drogba was sent off for stamping on Thiago Motta in the 87th minute.
This failure for the club in the last 16 of the Champions League, where it has been defeated in both legs, will raise questions about the extent of rebuilding that will have to be conducted.
Mourinho had come with the intention of making one last mark on Chelsea’s history. To be precise, what he had in mind was an ugly blot. His old club had not been eliminated at this comparatively early stage of the tournament since the spring of 2006. The means by which Mourinho intended to knock out Chelsea bore an element of surprise.
His position at Stamford Bridge had become untenable in the early autumn of 2007 because his pragmatic and almost world-weary style was no longer acceptable to owner Roman Abramovich.
Mourinho has not had a profound change of heart since then, but there was an unexpected emphasis on attack, with three forwards in the line-up because he suspected vulnerability in his former team.
It made sense for Eto’o to attack on the right when Yuri Zhirkov, who has to serve at left-back because of Ashley Cole’s injury, is more of a midfielder by disposition. Mourinho also had the stylish Sneijder to support the strikers. Oddly, the adventurousness brought about stalemate.
Chelsea were not co-ordinated before the interval and Inter did not look oppressed. The home side were more likely to make an impact through a piece of individualism, as when Drogba let fly and saw the attempt cannon off Maicon.
The Brazil full-back was part of the build-up that saw him link with Eto’o after 33 minutes, with Michael Ballack having to cover Diego Milito as the ball was pulled back into the centre. Such exhibitions of scrupulous defending are not a Chelsea speciality any longer.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti, despite having many of Mourinho’s men in the squad, had to show not just his outlook is fundamentally more enterprising, but also that it could put paid to visitors of this sort. Faced with such an agenda, Chelsea have lost some of their fixation with security and the defence is not iron-clad any more.
Mourinho’s summer dealings brought style to the Serie A club. He added to that with a bold selection here. When the side was knocked out by English opposition at this juncture in each of the past two seasons, they did not score a goal. There is a determination to break with that sterility.
The change was apparent in the 2-1 win over Chelsea in the first leg and it was Mourinho’s plan to put the opposition on edge with his trio of attackers. Chelsea had trouble achieving fluency in the first half, particularly when there was so much difficulty in making an impact on the flanks.
Attacks were messy and it was representative of the struggle when heated appeals were made for a penalty when Walter Samuel had his arms around Drogba.
It was essential for Ancelotti’s team to score, but the visitors would not permit themselves to be confined to their penalty area.
Indeed Chelsea had to be vigilant and Zhirkov impressed by clearing for a corner after Sneijder had backheeled the ball towards Goran Pandev. The Dutchman ought then to have had the credit for setting up an opener, but Milito’s shot from Sneijder’s chip was utterly miscued.
Ancelotti sent on Joe Cole but the side lacked rhythm. That was scarcely a defect that troubled Mourinho’s men. They could have been angry because they had not made enough of their superiority. There was a frantic tone when Ancelotti took off his left-back and add another striker in Salomon Kalou.
The struggle was as intense and nerve-racking as everyone had anticipated.
GuardianService
CHELSEA: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Alex,Terry, Zhirkov (Kalou 73), Ballack (Joe Cole 62), Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Carvalho, Sturridge, Belletti, Bruma. Sent Off: Drogba (87). Booked: Malouda, Drogba, Alex, Terry.
INTER MILAN: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Sneijder (Mariga 85), Motta (Materazzi 90), Pandev (Stankovic 75), Eto'o, Milito. Subs Not Used: Toldo, Cordoba, Quaresma, Santon. Booked: Eto'o, Motta, Lucio, Julio Cesar.
Wolfgang Stark (Germany).
