If you were looking for a coach to hatch a plan to stop Lionel Messi, Inter's Jose Mourinho would be high on the list, writes DOMINIC FIFIELD
JOSE MOURINHO’S powers of preparation are to be scrutinised once again. The Internazionale manager had made considerable play of the painstaking analysis of his former Chelsea side ahead of the teams’ second-leg last month, a process that had apparently seen him watch the DVD of the first game seven times.
“The same match, stopping and going back over bits, over and over again,” he had said. He may as well have Lionel Messi’s demolition of Arsenal on a permanent loop in his office at the club’s training complex in Appiano Gentile from now on.
The man once recognised in Catalonia merely as El Tradutor has less than two weeks to conjure the answers that eluded Arsene Wenger and his helpless players at Camp Nou on Tuesday night. Barcelona have a reputation for fluid motion and grace in possession but now it was their attacking talisman’s sparkle that left the Gunners dazzled and dazed, with the humiliation played out to a chorus of “Mess-i Mess-i” bellowed to the heavens.
Mourinho touched down from Moscow to be greeted with tales of a phenomenon whom he must now eclipse.
There is, almost inevitably, a history between the two. Though the 22-year-old has not scored in six previous meetings against Mourinho’s teams, in 2006 his trickery induced a horrible lunge from Asier del Horno which had Chelsea’s Spanish full-back sent off before the interval and left the tie inexorably tipped towards the Catalans. Barca prevailed 2-1 that night, with the Portuguese apoplectic in accusations of his team’s tormentor. “How do you say cheating in Catalan?” he asked.
“Barcelona is a cultural city with many great theatres and this boy has learned play-acting very well.” Those comments are not forgiven. Barca’s support urged Mourinho to “go to the theatre” as the holders defeated Inter 2-0 in this season’s group stage last November, in which Messi was an unused substitute.
Regardless, the Italian side drew encouragement even in defeat that night. “Barcelona, as a team, are better than us,” Mourinho conceded. “But being beaten by them doesn’t mean we can’t beat them in the later stages. If I had to play them again tomorrow, I would already be ready. If you told me that Inter will face Barca in the semi-final, I will accept that now.”
That is precisely what has come to pass and Mourinho’s plan will be formulating. He will be aware of the success Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea had in asphyxiating the Catalans for long periods in last season’s semi-final second leg, an evening when Michael Essien’s dynamism and the relentless hassling and harrying of Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda stifled the visitors. Barca had no rhythm, with Messi thrust to the periphery, and ultimately secured salvation only through Andres Iniesta’s late flash of brilliance.
Wenger’s philosophy, admirable as it might have been, was very much to concentrate on how his own team could hurt Barcelona and, therefore, out-score them. That was bold but unrealistic.
Mourinho will be more pragmatic: the starting point for his game-plan is surely how best to suffocate his opponents. In Esteban Cambiasso, Thiago Motta and Javier Zanetti he boasts players of considerable experience who are willing to set their sights on destruction. Motta drove Didier Drogba to distraction in last month’s contest, with the Ivorian eventually dismissed for a stamp.
“Rest assured we’ll play another game,” Mourinho said on learning of Barcelona’s progress. “This is a mentally different team with confidence and ability. Inter has entered a new dimension.”
Their display at Chelsea proved as much. What had appeared a bold ploy of cramming attackers into the line-up had actually been designed to force the hosts’ marauding full-backs into their shells, in the knowledge that Chelsea lack effervescence at times in the centre when Essien is absent. Barcelona pose threats throughout their team, though it is in the invention of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi that they are most potent. Inter’s midfield may lack youth and pace but they are shrewd and, if needed, ruthless.
Barcelona recognise a very different challenge lies ahead. “If our centre-halves cannot make passes to our midfielders, or our midfielders do not supply our forwards, then Messi will not have as many opportunities,” Pep Guardiola said.
Starving the supply-line may be the most effective way of rendering the world player of the year a passenger.
Mourinho must now prove that much is possible.
Messi verdict
Five opinions on Barcelona’s gifted player following his performance against Arsenal
Tom Humphries
I TOOK a friend once to see Michael Jordan in the Chicago Bulls days. Jordan obliged with one of those sublime nights and I remember my friend observing afterwards that he couldn’t believe that the greatest player in basketball could be so much better than the second greatest.
And that is the only question left since Leo Messi dismantled Arsenal and put a massive exclamation mark after the incredible run of form he has enjoyed this season. Who is second best and why are they so far in the rear view mirror?
In a game grown stale with cynicism he makes boyish fans of all us again. On Tuesday, having digested Arsenal, he looked like he would enjoy a game of three-and-in on the way home.
Who gave him permission to make football look like fun again? Possibly the same wise owl at Barcelona who decided not to coach all the natural talent out of the little flea that arrived at the club’s door when he was 13.
He is the game’s pre-eminent genius and an unspoiled one. Not since the young Pele have we been able to say that about a player. How good was that? No. How great?
Brian Kerr
I FIRST saw Messi live at the Nou Camp four years ago against Real Zaragoza and I was surprised to learn he was only 18.
He had so much to his game even then. What we are seeing recently makes the future so exciting. Nigeria, Korea and Greece are in for a torrid time in June. He has become a phenomenon.
The range of the goals he is scoring is simply remarkable. Just look at the bravery he showed to pull right through the ball for the first against Arsenal.
For the second he just had to adjust his feet – but most players cannot do that – and then make room for a chip.
The third one was similar. He runs with the ball faster than others do without it and he can change from right to left with ease as we saw for the fourth goal.
But my favourite thing about Messi is he is an excellent link player. That’s probably the most remarkable aspect of this once-in-a-generation talent.
Mary Hannigan
THERE WAS a bit of the deja vu about Lionel Messi’s performance against Arsenal. True, it was hardly the first time he’d produced such a masterclass, but this particular one rang several bells. Finally, an intensive bout of brain-racking directed us to a rather wondrous two minute video of him on YouTube.
The opposing team kicked off, their two forwards hesitating for one second on the half-way line, sufficient time for Messi to steal the ball from their feet, weave his way up the pitch and score.
And that was only the start of it. Later, from deep inside in his own half, he set off, slaloming past opponents, skipping over a sliding tackle, and curling the ball home from the right. And on it went.
The thing, is though, that he was just five years old in the video (look up “Messi the incredible child”). That he could unto Arsenal, in a Champions League quarter-final, as he did unto his youthful opponents 17 years before – well, it’s still all child’s play for Lionel Messi. And the best thing of all, he’s still playing with the same joy.
Mark Lawrenson
IT WAS brilliant on Tuesday. The morning after people are pointing the finger at Mikael Silvestre but Messi has done that in La Liga all season.
He played through the middle, not on the right where he was positioned in previous seasons, and the boys either side of him, Pedro and Bojan Krcic, are going to be very good players, but Messi is the most experienced of the three and he is still only 22. He is currently the world’s best player, no argument. Can he be as good as Diego Maradona?
The World Cup and a comparison to what Diego did in 1986 will tell us that. Maradona was sensational and, true, the players are fitter now and defences more organised but in the old days the opening half an hour could be dedicated to taking players out. So it all levels out.
Ironically, Messi’s main hindrance in the quest to surpass Maradona is Maradona himself. During the South American qualifying campaign Argentina tactics gave Messi a sore neck as the ball went back to front so quickly. If he doesn’t build the team around Messi then Maradona must be mad.
Tony Cascarino
IT WAS the Champions League quarter-final, so everyone saw it, but Messi has scored three hat-tricks already this season, two of which were in succession against Valencia and Real Zaragoza (these three goals were stunning: one a header, one a powerful run and then a great curling shot) last month.
I don’t think he has recently played against a team as generous as Arsenal – who work so little at stopping the opposition from scoring goals. Arsenal give away possession easily and if they don’t get the ball back guys like Messi will make them pay. Messi was good enough to make them suffer on four occasions.
