MOURINHO: Circle of Hate

Tuesday April 28 2010: Real Madrid v Inter Milan: champions league semi final second leg:

For the self-entitled '˜Special One' it is simply a matter of '˜interpret this' as he races across the sacred Nou Comp turf, punching the air and ecstatic with joy. All attempts to prevent and calm by both Jose Mourinho's own staff and outraged Barcelona players fails as the Inter coach lets free the demons in a place where they spit out his name with venom.

Tonight Mourinho celebrates his Inter team eliminating Barcelona at the semi final stage, thus denying them the god sent opportunity to win the trophy at the home of greatest rivals Real Madrid. But this is personal, for many years Mourinho has suffered spiteful Catalan jibes which label him nothing more than a 'translator' who got lucky in the shadow of former Barca manager's Bobby Robson and Louis Van Gaal.

Their attempts to gall him at every opportunity, to keep him in his place have been a thorn in Mourinho's side. One which tonight under the Catalan stars, whilst a city weeps bitter tears of defeat Jose Mourinho is determined to ram back down their throats. The battles both fought and lost with his Chelsea team against Barcelona only heaped further flames to a fire which neither he nor the Catalans felt much need to extinguish.

The controversial, strange tales of sinister pro-Chelsea Russian voices threatening besieged referee Anders Frisk by telephone, whom was accused by Mourinho of basically plotting with Barcelona, saw an always frosty relationship develop into something resembling pure hatred. Now as the '˜Special One' taunts them from their own pitch, amidst strong rumours he is set to take over at Real Madrid next season, the circle of hate is complete.

As the Nou Comp watches on deflated and seething with rage, Jose's actions, here on a bitterly, depressing evening for Barcelona require little translation.

john ludden: cfieldsoffire@aol.com