Making old friends new foes Feb 24, 2010

If tonight’s UEFA Champions League game between Inter Milan and Chelsea was a dish, the cooking of it would be a steamy affair, and yet the dish itself would be somewhat bland.

For the first time since he left London’s Stamford Bridge in September 2007 for the slightly warmer post at the San Siro in June 2008, “The Special One”, as Inter coach Jose Mourinho is known, will come up against his old employers.

And, before a ball has been kicked, it’s already the tie of the Champions League, thus far, as far as the neutrals are concerned.

While Karim Benzema’s return to Lyon in Real Madrid colours may have left a few OL supporters with knotted knickers, Alexander Hleb’s reunion with Barcelona last night was noteworthy only in that he once played for the Spanish giants. And while there was much flash and dazzle around David Beckham’s footballing reunion with Manchester United, the club that made him, it doesn’t even begin to compare with the vitriolic atmosphere that tonight’s game will be played in.

Before there are any misconceptions about why there might be a slightly poisonous atmosphere at the San Siro on Wednesday night, the Chelsea players Mourinho worked with, by and large, all still adore the wily tactician, as do the Chelsea faithful. Under Mourinho, Chelsea enjoyed their most successful period in recent times.

Two League Cups, an FA Cup and two league titles during his two and a bit years as Chelsea manager has firmly cemented The Special One’s status as a cult figure among the Blues faithful.

But, despite this deserved status, Chelsea fans will find it difficult to know exactly how to greet their former hero.

Ever the one to indulge in a little psychology before a big game, Mourinho has already pointed out the Blues’ failure to achieve anything since his leaving.

What makes the cooking of tonight’s game even more steamy is that current Chelsea coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has coached Inter Milan’s fiercest rivals, AC Milan.

To say that the two have enjoyed a cordial relationship in the past would be missing the truth by so wide a margin you could drive a decently sized planet through it. While Mourinho, if my assessment of the man’s character is correct, is probably revelling in winding Ancelotti up, Ancelotti would probably enjoy watching Mourinho squirm like a bug under a magnifying glass on a hot day, if the opportunity was presented to him.

Despite the fact that no additional seasoning is required, what makes the smell of tonight’s game even more mouth-watering is that both managers will be under enormous pressure to claim this season’s coveted trophy.

Mourinho made his name winning the UEFA Champions League with an unfancied Porto side in 2004. It was the reason he was hired to replace Claudio Ranieri as the Blues’ manager. However, two years at Chelsea without so much as an appearance in the final, let alone a stab at the trophy, ultimately led to Mourinho and Chelsea parting ways.

Ancelotti’s success with AC Milan at the UEFA Champions League is why he’s been chosen as Chelsea’s coach. Inter, who have won the Italian Serie A for the last four seasons running and are on track for a fifth title in a row, have woefully underperformed in the UEFA Champions League.

For both coaches, it’s a must-win game, but the importance of the clash for both teams suggests it will be a cagey affair.

So while the steam from the cooking is there for everyone to see, the dish itself will probably be an anti-climax in comparison.