Barcelona can expect surprises says Mourinho

Pa
Wednesday 07 April 2010 10:24 BST
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Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has promised Barcelona they can expect a "completely different" performance from his side when the teams go head to head for the third time this season in the Champions League semi-final.

The Nerazzurri clinched their place in the last four of the competition last night for the first time since 2003 as Wesley Sneijder's early goal earned a 1-0 win at CSKA Moscow to complete a 2-0 aggregate quarter-final triumph.

Next up for Mourinho's men is a two-legged semi against Pep Guardiola's defending champions, who thumped Arsenal 4-1 at the Nou Camp last night thanks to Lionel Messi's masterclass to advance 6-3 overall.

The teams played home and away in the group stage, with a 0-0 draw at the San Siro followed by a 2-0 home win in Catalonia.

Mourinho said he would "love to repeat" the goalless stalemate in Italy and deny Barca an away goal, and warned they could expect a different Inter to turn up for the tie.

"Rest assured, this time we'll play another game - completely different," said the Portuguese.

"They will have the advantage of playing the return at the Nou Camp, but we will know how to treat the two matches."

Inter's quarter-final win ensured Mourinho achieved something his predecessor did not - Roberto Mancini's best run in the competition went as far only as the last eight.

He added on Sky Sport Italia: "It's five consecutive victories in the Champions League now; we are deservedly and comfortably through to the semi-finals.

"We can talk of a total change in Inter's history in the Champions League. This is a mentally different team with confidence and ability.

"This victory shows Inter has entered a new dimension - it's a Champions League Inter now.

"Whatever happens in the semi-final or the final, Inter will be full of confidence going into next season's Champions League.

"If we don't win it this year, Inter will win it in the next few years."

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky was left to contemplate what might have been after Sneijder's sixth-minute goal and an early injury to Vasili Berezutski - which forced the defender off after only 13 minutes - gave his side a mountain to climb.

"We had the objective of winning, but conceding a goal so early and the accident of Berezutski made our task a much more difficult one," he said.

"That said, I think we played well over the two matches against Inter. My players did everything they could."

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