FCBARCELONA.CAT

31.05.2010 13:42

Mourinho versus Barca

Edgar Fornós

Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho has just been confirmed as Real Madrid boss for the coming season and Barca fans can look forward to some interesting battles both on and off the pitch.

Mourinho has taken on the might of FC Barcelona on ten occasions over the past few seasons, first with Chelsea and most recently with Inter Milan. The balance of power so far is slightly in Barca’s favour – 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats.

Recent disappointment

The last time Barca came up against one of Mourinho’s teams is still fresh in the memory. Less than a month ago Barca beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Camp Nou but failed to reach the Bernabeu final by just one goal.

The best memory

Between 2004 and 2006 Chelsea, managed at the time by Mourinho, met Frank Rijkaard’s Barca twice in R16 of the Champions League. The first time round, Mourinho led the Premier League outfit into the quarterfinals but the following year it was the turn of FC Barcelona, winning 1-2 in London and drawing 1-1 in the Camp Nou. Barca eventually went on to win the Champions League in Paris.

The jinx of Stamford Bridge

However, in terms of goals, spectacle and excitement, perhaps one of the most memorable encounters came in the 2004-05 season, when Chelsea beat Barca 4-2 in Stamford Bridge. Chelsea took an early 3-o lead but Barca fought back to make it 3-2, a score line that would have sent them through to the next round. However, a fourth goal from the home side sealed Barca’s fate.

Champions League clashes

In total, Mourinho coached Chelsea in six matches against Barca and Inter in four matches. This season, Barca played Inter four times; twice in the group stage (0-0 in the Giuseppe Meazza and 2-0 in the Camp Nou) and the two legs of the semi-finals, 1-3 in Italy and 1-0 in Barcelona. While in charge of Chelsea, the two sides met three seasons running, 2004-05 and 2005-06 in R16 and 2006-07 in the group stage.