THE MIND-GAMES, DEATH THREATS AND INDIVIDUAL GENIUS OF CHELSEA VS BARCELONA IN 2005

[Vesper 28,767]

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2019/03/06/the-mind-games-death-threats-and-individual-genius-of-chelsea-vs-barcelona-in-2005/

Brushing aside the obstacles of Victor Valdés and the stadium sprinklers, José Mourinho sprinted across the Camp Nou pitch, his arm aloft in celebration as he looked to locate the pocket of Italian fans who had made the trip across the Mediterranean. The Internazionale manager had just inflicted the pain of defeat on Barcelona and was determined to demonstrate just how much satisfaction triumph over the Catalans had provided him.

The scene was reminiscent of one that had taken place five years earlier in 2005. Mourinho, cloaked in his grey trench coat, strode across the Stamford Bridge turf with a clenched fist raised to salute the home supporters. The Chelsea boss had just witnessed his side overcome Barcelona in a tie that produced managerial mind games, tunnel fracases, allegations of skullduggery, controversial red cards, stunning goals and, sadly, heinous death threats. 

Previously, a second-round Champions League fixture between Chelsea and Barcelona would not have carried the level of hype and expectation that had grown in the lead up to this encounter. It was the events of the summer in 2003, though, that had set the clubs on a continental collision course as they underwent a revolution in their respective quests to establish themselves as the number one force in European football.

Barcelona had been floundering since the turn of the millennium. Failure to land silverware in any competition since 1999, Los Cules’ barren run coincided with several disastrous managerial and player recruits as Real Madrid, Deportivo and Valencia left the Catalan giants in the shadows in LaLiga.

It took the arrival of Joan Laporta, a Catalan lawyer who won the club presidential elections that summer, to change the fortunes of the club. Laporta’s first significant moves were to bring in Frank Rijkaard as head coach and secure the signing of Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho from Paris Saint-Germain. Following a difficult start, Rijkaard had taken a struggling patchwork of a team and moulded them back into contention for LaLiga by the end of his first season in charge.

snip

[Unionjack 7,531]

14 hours ago, Vesper said:

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2019/03/06/the-mind-games-death-threats-and-individual-genius-of-chelsea-vs-barcelona-in-2005/

Brushing aside the obstacles of Victor Valdés and the stadium sprinklers, José Mourinho sprinted across the Camp Nou pitch, his arm aloft in celebration as he looked to locate the pocket of Italian fans who had made the trip across the Mediterranean. The Internazionale manager had just inflicted the pain of defeat on Barcelona and was determined to demonstrate just how much satisfaction triumph over the Catalans had provided him.

The scene was reminiscent of one that had taken place five years earlier in 2005. Mourinho, cloaked in his grey trench coat, strode across the Stamford Bridge turf with a clenched fist raised to salute the home supporters. The Chelsea boss had just witnessed his side overcome Barcelona in a tie that produced managerial mind games, tunnel fracases, allegations of skullduggery, controversial red cards, stunning goals and, sadly, heinous death threats. 

Previously, a second-round Champions League fixture between Chelsea and Barcelona would not have carried the level of hype and expectation that had grown in the lead up to this encounter. It was the events of the summer in 2003, though, that had set the clubs on a continental collision course as they underwent a revolution in their respective quests to establish themselves as the number one force in European football.

Barcelona had been floundering since the turn of the millennium. Failure to land silverware in any competition since 1999, Los Cules’ barren run coincided with several disastrous managerial and player recruits as Real Madrid, Deportivo and Valencia left the Catalan giants in the shadows in LaLiga.

It took the arrival of Joan Laporta, a Catalan lawyer who won the club presidential elections that summer, to change the fortunes of the club. Laporta’s first significant moves were to bring in Frank Rijkaard as head coach and secure the signing of Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho from Paris Saint-Germain. Following a difficult start, Rijkaard had taken a struggling patchwork of a team and moulded them back into contention for LaLiga by the end of his first season in charge.

snip

I know theres times I can forget what we did together with Mou and he has done his best to totally fuck up the relationship we had together since he went Manc but there was times I totally loved the guy.

Yes we ended up getting fed up with the antics we had seen before, the smoke and mirrors, the them and us, creating a shitty atmosphere.

But when he celebrated or he had our backs when the shit was flying I really did feel he was one of us.

This brought back a flood of memories. Mou gave the lads that mentality of being winners. We were fuckin brilliant.

Even tho that all you usually see in the Ronaldinho goal.

 

 

 

 

[Kafyodop 1]

impressed