As FC Barcelona prepares to host Inter Milan in a forthcoming Champions League semi-final clash, attention is naturally drawn back to the last time these giants met at this crucial stage of the competition. While there have been more recent encounters, such as in the 2022-23 group stage where Inter ultimately progressed at Barcelona`s expense before reaching the final against Manchester City, the 2010 semi-final tie stands out as a truly legendary event. It occurred during the memorable 2009-10 season, a campaign where Jose Mourinho`s Inter achieved a historic treble, securing the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and, most notably, their first Champions League trophy in 45 years.
Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona were experiencing a golden era, playing breathtaking football and accumulating silverware. Having already won a treble in Guardiola`s inaugural season as head coach in 2008-09 (La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League final against Manchester United), they were on the verge of an unprecedented feat: repeating the treble, with the added incentive of potentially lifting the European Cup at the home stadium of their bitter rivals, Real Madrid, the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Their path to the final required them to overcome the formidable challenge posed by Inter and their manager, Jose Mourinho.
The semi-final lived up to its billing as a legendary encounter. The first leg in Milan saw Inter emerge victorious with a 3-1 scoreline, thanks to goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon, and Diego Milito, overturning Pedro`s early opener for Barcelona. The second leg, played at Barcelona`s iconic Camp Nou on April 28, 2010, would become etched in football history as one of the most dramatic games of recent decades. However, the deep-seated rivalry between the two clubs, particularly personified by their managers, had been simmering long before the semi-final kicked off.
The Summer of 2009 Reshuffle
The preceding summer transfer window in 2009 witnessed one of football`s most unexpected swap deals. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had reportedly grown restless at Inter despite their Serie A success, expressed a desire for a new challenge and Champions League glory. Barcelona, in need of a central striker, entered negotiations. The complex deal saw Ibrahimovic move to the Camp Nou, with Barcelona`s beloved Samuel Eto`o heading in the opposite direction to Inter, alongside a significant cash sum. This transfer significantly altered the dynamics of both squads. Inter also sought to sign Barcelona`s Aljaksandr Hleb, but when that fell through, they turned their attention to Wesley Sneijder from Real Madrid, a signing that would prove pivotal to their treble success.
Mourinho vs. Guardiola: A Tactical and Psychological War
The managerial duel between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola was a defining feature of the tie, although their paths had crossed years earlier when Mourinho was part of the Barcelona coaching staff while Guardiola was a player. By 2010, they represented contrasting footballing philosophies. Mourinho masterfully engaged in psychological warfare, famously contrasting Inter`s Champions League aspirations as merely a “dream” while labelling Barcelona`s as an “obsession.” This period is often cited as peak Mourinho, blending tactical genius with mind games to unsettle opponents. The rivalry would only intensify when Mourinho took charge of Real Madrid shortly after the 2010 semi-final, becoming the focal point of the Clasico battles for years to come, though he couldn`t replicate his Inter success in Europe with Madrid.
Travel Chaos: The Volcano Incident
An extraordinary factor impacting Barcelona`s preparation for the first leg in Milan was the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. The massive ash cloud it generated caused widespread disruption to air travel across Europe, leading to numerous flight cancellations. As a result, Barcelona were unable to fly to Milan and were forced to embark on an arduous road trip. The team traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) by bus, a journey that took around 14 hours spread over two days with an overnight stop. This unconventional and exhausting preparation was far from ideal ahead of a crucial Champions League semi-final.
The Dramatic Second Leg
A week after Inter`s 3-1 first-leg victory, the stage was set at the Camp Nou for the return leg. Inter arrived aiming to defend their significant advantage, while Barcelona and their passionate supporters were fervent in their belief in a `remontada` – a comeback.
The atmosphere inside the Camp Nou was electric, hostile, and intimidating. Jose Mourinho deliberately walked onto the pitch before his players during the warm-up, drawing the full force of the crowd`s whistles and jeers onto himself, seemingly to shield his team. From the opening whistle, Barcelona pressed relentlessly. The match took a dramatic turn in the 28th minute when Inter`s midfielder Thiago Motta received a second yellow card, reducing the visitors to ten men for the majority of the game following a tangle with Sergio Busquets. Moments after the red card, Mourinho famously confronted Guardiola on the touchline with the defiant words: “Don`t celebrate, it`s not over.” He was absolutely right.
Despite being a man down, Inter produced a defensive performance of heroic proportions, marshaling their ranks and frustrating Barcelona`s attempts to break through. Barcelona finally found a way past the resilient defence in the 84th minute through Gerard Pique`s clever finish. The tension reached fever pitch in injury time when Barcelona substitute Bojan Krkic appeared to have scored the crucial second goal that would send them through, only for it to be controversially disallowed for a handball by Yaya Toure in the build-up. Inter held on desperately, with forwards dropping back into defence, until the final whistle. The celebrations were instantaneous and immense for Inter. Mourinho sprinted across the pitch with his index finger raised towards the Inter fans high in the stands. Barcelona players collapsed in despair, while goalkeeper Victor Valdes even attempted to physically restrain the celebrating Mourinho. In a final, seemingly petulant act, the Camp Nou sprinklers were turned on, allegedly to disrupt Inter`s celebrations on the pitch. Jose Mourinho`s post-match reaction perfectly encapsulated the magnitude of the victory: `This is 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.`
Second Leg Lineups
FC Barcelona XI:
- Victor Valdes
- Gerard Pique
- Gabriel Milito
- Yaya Toure
- Dani Alves
- Xavi
- Sergio Busquets
- Keita
- Pedro
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Lionel Messi
Inter XI:
- Julio Cesar
- Maicon
- Lucio
- Walter Samuel
- Javier Zanetti
- Esteban Cambiasso
- Thiago Motta
- Dejan Stankovic
- Christian Chivu
- Wesley Sneijder
- Samuel Eto`o
- Diego Milito
Dominic Ashworth