Barcelona vs Inter: Pep, José, and the Era-Defining Semi-Final - Part One

Welcome to It Was What It Was. As Barcelona and Inter prepare to face off once again in this year’s Champions League semi-final, we look back at the original - a tie that shaped modern football. Pep Guardiola vs. José Mourinho. All-out attack vs. tactical defiance. Ideology, rivalry - maybe even good vs. evil? Fifteen years ago, Pep’s all-conquering Barcelona met Mourinho’s Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final that didn’t just decide who reached the final - it helped define a footballing era. In Part One, Rob and Jonathan set the scene: how Mourinho’s Inter came to challenge the most dominant team in the world, the tactics he used, the battles he fought in Italy, and how both sides arrived at this collision point chasing domestic and European glory. Part Two drops Friday, where Rob and Jonathan break down the epic semi-final itself. 00:00 Barcelona's Football Perfection 01:48 Mourinho vs. Guardiola: A Rivalry Begins 02:47 The Dark Side of Mourinho 03:25 Star Wars Analogies and Football Tactics 06:53 Mourinho's Seven-Point Plan 07:45 Mourinho's Philosophy and Evolution 08:43 Mourinho's Journey to Inter Milan 09:58 Cultural Expectations and Pragmatic Football 12:23 Mourinho's Press Conference Antics 13:44 Mourinho's Linguistic Brilliance 14:49 Mourinho's Training Philosophy 20:04 Key Matches and Tactical Shifts 21:16 Mourinho's First Season at Inter 22:27 Transfer Drama: Stars on the Move 23:51 Barcelona's Dominance and Challenges 26:40 Inter's Journey to the Semifinals 28:57 Mourinho's Tactical Mastery 32:29 Controversies and Confrontations 40:24 The Road to the Semifinals 43:57 Setting the Stage for the Epic Semifinal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.