Bayern vs Inter: the final nobody expected

Barcelona’s hopes of winning back-to-back European trophies were crushed by Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side last night, and in doing so they have set up a final which few would have predicted at the start of the tournament. It is testament to the coaching abilities of Mourinho and Bayern Munich manager Louis Van Gaal that their sides will be facing off for Europe’s most coveted trophy in what should be an intriguing final.

It seemed to be widely accepted that Pep Guardiola’s Barca side would steamroller their way to a second successive title, and even beyond them there appeared to be more likely candidates to lift the trophy once the draw was made: Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea all supposedly had strong prospects.

However, suggestions of superiority in the Premier League and La Liga have been made to look daft by the astute tactics of Mourinho and Van Gaal, helped out most notably by a couple of players who were deemed surplus to requirements during last summer’s Bernabeu revolution: Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.

And ironically, this is where they will meet on the final on May 22nd. Inter are being installed as the early favourites for the title, and rightfully so given their current form and the manner in which they have reached the final. However, like Mourinho, Van Gaal has won this competition before and knows what it takes to go all the way. And as the old adage goes: never write off the Germans.

April 29, 2010