- guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 April 2010 22.17 BST
Maicon celebrates scoring Internazionale's second goal against Barcelona. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
José Mourinho's march towards another European Cup final took a giant stride last night as his Internazionale side overcame the holders, Barcelona, in a pulsating semi-final first-leg.
As expected, the Spanish side dominated possession – 65% in each half – but Inter showed huge self-belief to come back from going behind to a Pedro Rodríguez goal to win the tie and leave Barcelona needing to score at least twice at Camp Nou to go through next Wednesday.
Previous Inter sides would have crumbled after Barcelona went ahead, but Mourinho's team are made of sterner stuff and have the club's first European Cup final since 1972 in their sights. "[When I came] I had a team that was frightened of playing," said Mourinho, who won the competition in 2004 as manager of Porto. "Now we have won against the best team in the world. If we don't win it this year, then we will win it next year. Or another year. Inter has changed."
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• Richard Williams: Inter add style to substance
• Read Barry Glendenning's minute-by-minute report
• In pictures: the best images from the San Siro
• Much more Champions League news and comment
Barcelona left feeling aggrieved at refereeing decisions, two in particular. Diego Milito appeared to be offside when he scored Inter's third goal and the visitors felt they should have had a penalty when Dani Alves went down under a Wesley Sneijder challenge in the 83rd minute.
Mourinho and Xavi also clashed in the tunnel after the match, when the Barcelona midfielder reportedly insinuated that Inter's coach had benefited from having a fellow Portuguese as referee.
The coach admitted that he responded by telling Xavi that he did not know how to lose. "But these things are normal in football," he added. "It was nothing. They are accustomed to winning and then it is hard to lose. I know, I am a bit like that. When you are used to almost always winning."
Mourinho was gracious in victory. "Barcelona are truly a school of football," he said. "I want Inter to improve and to learn from them, and to be like them."
Inter were leading 2-1 when the defining moment of perhaps this season's most absorbing Champions League match arrived. Lionel Messi collected the ball on the right in acres of space, with one opponent between him and a clear run on Júlio César's goal. But the 36-year-old defender Javier Zanetti waited a moment and then pounced to dispossess his fellow from Argentinian. The roar of the home fans recognised it for what it was, the embodiment of how Mourinho has instilled into his combative Inter side not to be intimidated by reputations, at home or abroad.
The Barcelona goal was the Inter's defence's only serious lapse of the night. When Maxwell broke easily down the left, Esteban Cambiasso trailed in his wake and let him steam into the Inter penalty area, expecting Lúcio to intervene.
But the Brazilian defender held off and Maxwell cleverly twisted to send a reverse low cross back into the area, where Pedro drove home from 16 yards past Júlio César.
Inter showed huge character to remain composed and combative, and on the half hour they were deservedly level. Barça's defence was caught flatfooted – and it would prove not to be the first time, as approach-work down the right ended with Milito in possession with his back to goal on the edge of the Barcelona area. He slid the ball wide to set up Sneijder in acres of space and the Dutchman comfortably slid home a low drive.
Early in the second half, Barcelona's defence was caught out again by some quick thinking by Milito. The Argentinian raced on to a ball on the right of the area and chipped it inside, where Maicon came galloping in to bundle home at the second attempt.
Worse was to follow for Barcelona. The selfless Samuel Eto'o, playing more as a winger than a striker, chipped in a floating cross from the right of the Barcelona area. Outnumbered by three defenders, Sneijder and Milito, both eluded their markers, then the Dutchman's downward header bounced up kindly for a foraging, perhaps offside, Milito to gratefully nod home.
A downcast Pep Guardiola later admitted his defence's frailties. "We could have been more concentrated," the Barcelona coach said. Digesting his biggest Champions League defeat, he added: "It can happen, especially when you are playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, especially versus Inter. They have very fast forwards."
He defended the lacklustre performance of Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front. "It was difficult for Ibrahimovic as he has been 16 days without playing. It is not his fault that we lost."
Mourinho said the tie is balanced at "50-50". "Two things can happen. We can go there and play and get through to the final. Or we can play and lose and return with our heads held high."
