Inter stifle Barca to reach Madrid.

There was a moment halfway through the second half of the European Cup semi-final that best encapsulates the devil and the detail of Jose Mourinho. Christian Chivu went down in apparent injury and went to the sideline for treatment. The special one left his technical area to deliver yet more instructions before he was accosted by the referee who reminded Jose to stay in his area. That was the Inter motto for the night.

It started as expected, Barcelona’s famed cerebral game adopted a more scatter gun approach as the rush for the goals that could level the tie began from the first minute. Inter sprung the first surprise with Mourinho replacing Gordan Pandev with Christian Chivu minutes from kick-off. Jose also summoned the sprit of the last man the take Inter to Champions League glory; Helano Herrera in his tactics to stop Barca. Lionel Messi was tapped and hassled every time he touched the ball with the Camp Nou screeching any time an Inter player had the audacity to tackle him. Pedro Rodriguez starting on the left flashed the first shot in anger after three minutes wide of Julio Ceaser’s goal. A crude challenge from Thiago Motta on Messi after ten minutes earned the Brazilian a yellow card, a card that was rendered meaningless by his subsequent red. Inter at this point were reduced to the scavenging of Diego Milito upfront, with Wesley Sneijder tolling manfully but struggling to make a mark. Barca were in complete control in the possession stakes but their clever narrow passing inevitably came unstuck in front of the durable Inter back-four. On two occasion’s Danni Alves managed to scurry free down the right and from the resulting crosses Pedro smashed a volley wide while Ibrahamovic managed to wriggle free from Samuel before being crowded out. The flash point of the red-card occurred soon after. Thiago Motta shielding the ball inside the Barca half raised his hand to the face of Sergio Busquets who fell to the ground dramatically, Motta received an unduly harsh straight red and his subsequent reaction-appearing to throttle Busquets-while not welcome was understandable in the face of such theatrics. Inter resumed their shape soon after and bar one coruscating moment from Messi, a turn and curling shot that was palmed wide, were comfortable going into the break.

The second half followed an eerily similar tone. Barca pressed, played their football and Inter defended with utter ease. Messi was dropping further deep in an attempt to gain some kind of penetrative control on the match but the result was that he and the equally subdued Xavi kept swapping passes with each other right in front of a diligent Estabian Cambiasso.. The woefully ineffective Ibrahamovic was substituted after an hour to give way for Bojan and it was the youngster who had the best chance of the half at that point meeting a lobbed Messi pass before heading wide with ten minutes left. Pep Guardiola now in desperation sent Gerard Pique upfront and it was the centre-half that restored hope for the Catalans when he latched onto a Xavi pass, spun quite wonderfully away from Ivan Cordoba before slamming the ball home. Barcelona now only needing one with five minutes to go suddenly began to find space. Both Messi and Xavi had shot’s saved by Caesar and deep in stoppage time Bojan had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for a handball in the build up.

That may have been harsh but no more so than the sending off. Inter saw out the game and had the prize of Madrid. Barca put on the water hoses at full time to douse the Italian celebration but one suspects Jose could have stifled them too if he wanted. He ran onto the turf at full-time, that is his area.

Europe awaits its blockbuster.

The mere prospect of Barcelona against Inter Milan in the semi-final of the champions league should be enough to sate any rabid connoisseur of the game but the sheer abundance of little duels, duels with bite and a history that form the sub-plot to this game give it the air of a blockbuster. How about one brother marking another? Gabi Milito, the durable Barca centre-half must deal with Inter's main poacher Diego. What about Zlatan Ibrahamovic going back to his old stomping ground? Or Samuel Eto'o back at his, eager to prove to Pep Guardiola that he was wrong in discarding him. Even Maxwell, Barca's quiet left-back is playing against his former club. These clubs have even met this year twice in the group stages. A bore draw in Italy was followed by a comfortable Barca victory. That, though is no form guide. The Inter of today are a different more believing beast. One that will not be afraid of Barca. All these sub-plots though, merely form the crust to the meaty center. The meeting of the special one and Jose Mourinho.

In six meetings against teams managed by Mourinho, Lionel Messi has failed to score. There are mitigating circumstances for this. Messi was a teenager when he faced Jose's Chelsea. He was also the reason Aisner Del Horno was sent off in one of those encounters. In his meetings with Inter this season Messi wore the look of an prized endurance runner keeping it cool for the opening laps and the salient point about records of course is that they are meant to be broken. Remember before Rome? Messi had gone eleven without scoring against English teams and couldn't score a header apparently. Mourinho will have a plan and it will have to be a clever one. Inter have no-one in the Cole or Evra mould to shadow Messi but they do have some grizzled South Americans who know all about him.

Of course Barca are more than Messi and Inter pose some serious threats themselves. Wesley Snejider's performance at Stanford Bridge was arguably the finest in this season's champions league bar the flea's against Arsenal. Milito, Pandev and Eto'o form a quick, intelligent triumvirate up front. Lucio has been the outstanding defender in the competition and in Julio Ceaser they have a goalkeeper of genuine class. Mourinho may follow the blueprint marked out by Espanol on Saturday. Press Barca, make Xavi work for his passes and try to choke any space around Messi. Barca only have a plan A. It just happens to be one of the finest ever seen. It will be interesting to see if Guardiola opts for Bojan or Ibrahamovic. The Swede is just back from injury and his more physical approach would suit Lucio who sometimes struggles against quicker more nimble attackers.

Like so many classic movies the setting is superb, the journey-for bus-bound Barca at least-is arduous. Brothers and comrade's will do battle while a general will try and stop the seemingly unstoppable. The Catalans to prevail but with a bloodied nose.

Team of the year

It is the award season after all so in that spirit here are the best eleven I have seen.

1: Pepe Reina: The one consistent source of brilliance for Liverpool this season. The Spaniard combines quick reflex's with a steadying influence on his defence. Add the fact he is probably the best penalty stopper in the world and his outstanding distribution and one could be forgiven for pondering if he should even replace Casillas in the summer.

2:Branislav Ivanovic: far from a vintage year at right back but the Serbian started the season well for Chelsea and has continued in that vein. For a natural centre-half his crossing and ability to get forward is up there with anyone in the league and is a threat from set-piece's

3: Patrice Evra: The buccaneering Manchester United man has dipped somewhat recently but that can be excused based on his lung-bursting efforts over the season. Consistently excellent.

4: Thomas Vermaelen: The Belgian has been a revelation at the heart of the Arsenal defence. Strong in the air, subtle on the ground, his prowess in the opposition box marks him out as a defender of genuine international quality.

5: Roger Johnson: His partner Scott Dann is unlucky to miss out but the former Cardiff man edges it. A stout, reliable defender with tremendous positional sense.

6: Darren Fletcher: The once derided "Scottish player" at Old Trafford has become an integral part in the champion's midfield. Not just a ball of ceaseless energy, Fletcher is adept in possession and is starting to look more comfortable in front of goal.

7: Cesc Fabregas: Far and away the most technically gifted midfielder in the Premiership yet it is the Catalan's ability to inspire and cajole a young Arsenal side that has stood out this year. A constant source of goals and assists.

8: Florent Malouda: The player seen at Lyon and glimpsed with France has finally found his feet in London. Pace, power and a devastating left foot.

9: Carlos Tevez: Welcome to Manchester indeed. Scoring goals while the work rate has remained.

10: Wayne Rooney: His importance to United has been brutally demonstrated in his absence. Footballer of the year.

11: Dider Drogba: Looked a beaten man under Scolari, but the goals and brute force have again flourished under Ancelotti.




Alternative team: Schwarzer, Corluka, Hangeland, Vidic, Cole, Pienaar, Lampard, Song, Modric, Bent, Zamora.

Louis ready to reign over Fergie.

The Allianz Arena glowed a malevolent red, two genuine greats stood opposite. Munich and United, two names that will echo each other through the ages. Van Gaal and Ferguson, two belligerent, brilliant managers had deployed their players onto the stage. It started with a bang, a long hopeful punt up the field was chased and won by the now revitalised Nani. Bayern's Argentinian centre-half Martin DeMichelis rushed out to meet the Manchester United man and promptly cut him in two. From the resulting free-kick DeMichelis completed the start from hell by slipping to leave Wayne Rooney with the simplest of chances. The camera cut to Van Gaal, He stared straight ahead with a slight twitch of his head. One could imagine him trying to suppress the rage within. For a man who has made discipline an art, this was a bird dumping on a fresh canvass.

However Van Gaal and Bayern re-grouped and took a deserved victory. The wily Dutchman short his best player in Arjen Robben pressed United's midfield high up the pitch. DeMichelis, normally a midfielder was stepping out from the back with ease thus squeezing the space in front of Wayne Rooney. It was a passable impression of Barcelona's destruction of United in Rome last May. Ferguson was flustered, he sent on Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia to try and regain some semblance of possession yet they actually ceded more to Bayern in the closing stages. The scoreline is certainly still manageable for United but in the absence of Wayne Rooney they look short of inspiration. They need to be quicker and perhaps more direct in possession to put pressure on a Bayern back line that despite Van Gaal's best efforts to conceal are vulnerable, particularly to pace. One senses Bayern will score though and if they do it would be a brave man to back against them advancing.