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How a manager banded together a collection of gifted rejects with a point to prove then defied history to win the lot
Of all the enduring images from Inter’s triumph in the 2010 Champions League final, one stands apart from the rest. Inside the Santiago Bernabéu, a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich provoked scenes of joyous release: Diego Milito sprinting toward the fans with arms outstretched; Esteban Cambiasso doing laps of honour in Giacinto Facchetti’s old shirt; Javier Zanetti balancing the trophy on his head.
Outside, however, a different story would be told. As Inter’s players bounded on to the team bus later that evening, their manager, José Mourinho, slipped into a separate car of his own. And then he jumped straight out again, running over to hug Marco Materazzi. The two men folded into one another, and wept. Continue reading...