As the first half came to a close, the score remained unchanged, with Inter Milan holding a two-goal lead.
Mourinho calmly turned and walked into the players' tunnel.
Once everyone had returned to the locker room, he stood in front of the squad, opened his hands, and quietly asked,
"Who here believes that they cannot be beaten?"
The players exchanged glances. They had endured immense pressure throughout the first half, and the reasons behind conceding two goals were painfully obvious. The most straightforward explanation was the difference in quality between the two sides, both in attack and defense.
There was no excuse they could hide behind. No one answered.
Mourinho continued calmly.
"You need games like this. You really do."
He paused, looking around the room.
"To be honest, I'm glad our opponent today is one of the best teams in the world. If I had a choice, I'd rather face a team like this."
Several players looked up.
