Mourinho: ‘Inter my best memory’

By Football Italia staff

Jose Mourinho describes his 2010 Champions League win with Inter as his best memory in the competition.

The Manchester United manager has lifted the trophy twice, once with Porto and once with the Nerazzurri.

“My best memory?” Mourinho considered, speaking to the Daily Mail.

“The victory with Inter, that final [against Bayern Munich]. With Porto it was a team of young people, a team of people with many years in front of them.

“If I didn't win that year then we probably would not have left. After that victory I was leaving — everybody was leaving — but if we did not win that Champions League we would have stayed at Porto a couple more years.

“And we would have then won it because we were a very good young team.

“Inter was an old team, a team of people who wanted to do it for their whole career. There had been frustration after frustration.

“That final was the last chance for [Marco] Materazzi, [Francesco] Toldo, [Javier] Zanetti, [Ivan] Cordoba, [Esteban] Cambiasso. It was an old team. It was now or never. That really was a crazy journey.

“And the President [Massimo Moratti], he was President for years and years and never, never, never. Also for the fans, because Inter had not been European champion for over 50 years.

“Everything put things into context. It was a dream that everyone was chasing. Probably not me because I won it before. But for all of them... it was a last chance to reach their dream.

“It was just the end of a generation. I think the club would chase and chase and chase until they got it because it was everyone's dream. But for this group that was it.”

Mourinho’s Inter beat his old side Chelsea on the way to the final that year, but they almost went out to Dynamo Kiev in the Group Stage before late goals from Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder.

“With Inter we were almost out in the group phase. We scored at Dynamo Kiev in the 89th minute.

“If we didn't score in the 89th minute then we are out at the group stage. Then we go through and win the competition... you need the details in your favour, especially when it goes to knockout.

“Well that was not just 89! It was 86 and then 89. We needed to win and we are losing. We were losing 1-0, we equalised in the 86th minute and we are still out... and then score in minute 89. Then we're through!”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow