Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho said zonal marking and defensive discipline were the keys as his side achieved what numerous others have failed to do in recent times ufffd stop Lionel Messi.
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho said zonal marking and defensive discipline were the keys as his side achieved what numerous others have failed to do in recent times ufffd stop Lionel Messi.
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| Failure? Barca's Lionel Messi |
Messi had scored 29 goals in his previous 29 matches prior to last night and the Argentina winger's breathtaking form this season has led to many hailing him as the world's greatest ever player, all at the tender age of 22.
But Messi had faced Mourinho sides on six previous occasions and failed to score in any of those matches. And six became seven as 10-man Inter defended with both heroism and cynicism to deny the Argentine and secure passage to the Champions League final in Madrid after a 1-0 defeat at the Nou Camp.
Above all, though, Mourinho's negation of Messi owed more to order and organisation, the Portuguese coach said.
"I am against man-to-man marking," he said.
"We defend as a team, in zones ufffd one man alone cannot stop Messi.
"You can't say it was (Esteban) Cambiasso that stopped Messi or that our midfield or our defence stopped Messi ufffd we worked together and playing in zones.
"Everyone knows their positions and we defended exceptionally."
