José Mourinho is not talking to the media ahead of tomorrow’s match against Inter and Richard Hall recalls the Special One’s mind games in Milan, suggesting they could be productive for the Portuguese coach against his former club.
“It will be a pleasure to meet the coach of the Treble,” these were the words of Simone Inzaghi at his press conference on the eve of the match against José Mourinho’s Roma as he rightly gave his opponent the correct respect. The former Lazio coach will return to the capital to face his ex-arch rivals in a game where many face their past.
The most prominent is José Mourinho. All eyes will be on the Portuguese tactician in his first-ever match against the Nerazzurri. The game will be an emotional one for Inter fans too, who, for the first time, will challenge a man who brought so much to the club and a coach who will go down in history as one of the best.
It has been some time since the Portuguese coach was involved in this fixture (Roma-Inter) but whilst Inter memories are clear about that season, it seems many Roma fans have chosen to forget about 2010 and for a good reason. It was quite a different story back in May of that year. The Nerazzurri had drawn with the Giallorossi early on in the campaign and then suffered a defeat at the Stadio Olimpico in March. It had made José focus on them as he knew they would challenge his Inter side for the Scudetto to the very end, sparking just one of many wars of words in that campaign.
Mourinho’s first victory against Roma was a special one. It was the first trophy of the season as Inter beat the Giallorossi 1-0 in the Coppa Italia final. It was a blow for the Capitolines, but they were still in the running for the Scudetto as the race for the Tricolore had gone down to the last day of the season. Inter faced Siena, already confined to relegation, and it was rumoured that their President, Massimo Mezzaroma had offered his team €2m to beat the Nerazzurri. Mourinho seized on this, suggesting that Roma would pay their Coppa Italia bonus to Siena to motivate them to beat Inter.
“We have two difficult games left with Chievo and Siena, who do not deserve their ranking,” Mourinho told Corriere Dello Sport. “The President of Siena said he would be happy if they beat us and offered the same reward as if they stayed up, they will have extra motivation. And who knows, since Roma did not pay the reward for the Italian Cup then more money is available.” It was mind games that he loved so much. Inter beat Siena and then went on to win the treble.
For many, it is easy to dislike Mourinho, especially the brooding, deflecting and defensive side of him. But not in the black and blue half of Milan. Inter are still in his heart and it is no surprise that Mourinho not talking to the press before the game. Even if this started because of the controversial defeat to Bologna, he likely had this game in mind. The Special One had several run-ins with the media in Rome already this season, prompting one local radio station to boycott his press conferences.
The form Inter are in, suggests that they will make things tough for the Giallorossi but don’t be fooled. Mourinho may not be playing mind games as he did in 2010, openly and loudly, but he is playing them of a sort. He is protecting his relationship with Inter, but he plans to upset the apple cart this weekend, albeit as a silent assassin.
It will be no surprise if an unfancied and under strengthened Roma manage to get a result against the high flying Inter with a turgid but intelligent display. You can almost see the theatre being played out as Mourinho walks over to the Inter fans looking disappointed about his victory and, with almost a tear in his eye, waves at them and claps them. Then as he returns to the dressing room, he claps his new fans and, with a cheeky wink, disappears safely in the knowledge that he is loved and is still brilliant.
@RichHall80