If you asked football fans which club was the best in Serie A, you'd get a mix of answers: AC Milan, Juventus, and Inter.
But if you asked which was the strongest club, the answer would be different.
Nine out of ten would shout Inter without hesitation.
The club's full name is Football Club Internazionale Milano.
The name may be long, but they could be summed up in one word.
"Power."
From the 2005–06 season through last year, Inter won three consecutive Serie A titles, firmly establishing themselves as the strongest team in Italy.
Behind that success stood Italian manager Roberto Mancini.
However, being strong only in Italy posed a serious problem.
In the Champions League, his performances were lackluster, and he failed to quench the board's thirst for European glory.
His best result had been a quarterfinal finish three years ago.
Despite his achievement of three consecutive league titles, Mancini was eventually removed at the club owner's will.
After all, if you couldn't prove yourself in the Champions League, all the domestic glory meant little.
That was why José Mourinho now carried a heavy burden as the new manager.
However, ever since he took over at Inter, Mourinho had made the team even stronger, proving exactly why he was called the Special One.
Not just in the league, but in cup competitions as well, he continued his streak of success and reputation.
Recently, they had advanced from the Round of 16 in the Champions League with another strong win, and that momentum carried into the quarterfinals.
A few days earlier.
As soon as the semifinal draw was announced, Inter's technical team was busy gathering data on Real Madrid.
Of course, none of the remaining teams were weak, but the general consensus was that Manchester United and Barcelona were the strongest.
Some experts said this about the current Champions League:
[The 2008/2009 Champions League is more thrilling than ever. Any of the eight teams that made the quarterfinals could win it. But that doesn't mean there's no hierarchy.
In terms of raw strength, Barcelona is undoubtedly at the top, boasting a terrifying midfield and attack. Their tiki-taka tactics are practically art.
Second would be Ferguson's Manchester United, with the world's best defense, midfield, and attack.
Real Madrid and Inter come after that.]
"How ridiculous."
Mourinho, who had been reading the article, let out a dry laugh.
He had a completely different view.
"All they talk about is strength this, strength that. What exactly do they mean by strength?"
Had everyone forgotten that Real Madrid had defeated the much-praised Barcelona last December?
He couldn't understand what these so-called experts were watching to make such claims.
Sure, Real Madrid hadn't looked as sharp recently compared to the end of last year, but what mattered was that they had beaten Barcelona, and not just beaten them, but completely dominated them.
"Football isn't some video game. Just because you have better players or tactics doesn't mean you win."
Of course, having more technically gifted players increased your chances.
But if the teams were relatively even in quality, the team with better preparation would come out on top.
That was how Mourinho saw it.
"Real Madrid is by no means an easy opponent."
He had kept a close eye on Real Madrid's matches.
He knew their true capabilities and understood that they were even stronger when facing tough opponents.
So, he planned to prepare for them even more thoroughly than he would for Barcelona.
But before that, there was something else to take care of.
Click.
Press room at the Angelo Moratti Sports Centre.
Following the semifinal draw, a flood of interview requests came in, and Mourinho didn't shy away.
He called a press conference directly at the training ground.
The first question came from a journalist with a soft voice.
"Inter advanced to the quarterfinals with a massive 4-0 win in the second leg of the Round of 16, making it a 7-1 aggregate. Riding that momentum, you've now reached the semifinals. Don't you think a favorable draw played a part in that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, isn't it true? The teams you've faced so far were all relatively weak."
"I have no idea what you're trying to say. Look, I'm not that naive. No matter who the opponent is, I don't belittle them. My only goal is to lead Inter to victory."
True to his blunt personality, Mourinho laid his thoughts bare without hesitation.
Reporters often tried to provoke Mourinho with tough questions, and today was no different.
"Schuster already won back-to-back league titles. You also won back-to-back titles with Chelsea in the Premier League. That's why people are so curious about who'll come out on top. But recently, Inter has recorded one draw and one loss in the league. In my opinion, your current form is concerning. Are you confident you can beat Coach Schuster under these circumstances?"
Mourinho scoffed and gestured in disbelief.
"Do you even know who you're talking to? Is this really a room full of football journalists?"
He glared sharply at the reporter.
Then, in a calm voice, he replied.
"You know this already. I've achieved things that most managers can't even dream of. While others were still trying to prove themselves after 18 or 19 years in management, I did it within just three. Comparing me to Schuster is absurd. What do you think about that?"
When the journalist said nothing in response, Mourinho adjusted his suit and spoke gracefully.
"That's how you begin a proper comparison. Understood?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Next question."
This was exactly why Mourinho had accepted the press conference.
Usually calm, he sometimes used bold and aggressive interviews to make his point.
It was a media tactic he had learned from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
And, indeed.
Mourinho delivered the final blow just as planned.
When asked, "Do you believe you can beat Real Madrid?" he responded,
"Real Madrid is a historic club with the most Champions League titles. But their manager is an exception. Without experience, you can't even reach the final, let alone win. Unless you've won something as a player, maybe."
A bold statement.
As if they'd been waiting, the reporters furiously typed away at their keyboards.
By the next morning, his comments were headlining every media outlet.
Madrid, Valdebebas training ground.
Bernd Schuster, nicknamed "The Blonde Angel," was furious from the morning.
"That arrogant bastard!"
His usual calm and kind demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
And with good reason.
Schuster had spent 8 years at Barcelona, 2 at Real Madrid, 3 at Atlético Madrid, and 3 at Bayer Leverkusen as a player, yet had never lifted the Champions League trophy.
In other words, Mourinho had just jabbed at his biggest insecurity.
That provoked the nasty side from his playing days, buried under years of coaching.
He immediately called for a press conference.
He knew if he stayed silent, it would affect team morale.
As the press conference began, Schuster spoke with a stern expression.
His first words were explosive.
"José Mourinho is a disgrace to coaching."
The press room burst into murmurs.
Schuster didn't stop and waved a printed document in the air.
It was Mourinho's playing career résumé on an A4 sheet.
"Rio Ave FC, CF Belenenses, Sesimbra, Comércio e Indústria. These are the clubs Mourinho played for. Do you think any of these have ever reached the Champions League knockout stages? Absolutely not. And yet this man dares to comment on my playing career?"
A direct attack.
Schuster was clearly overly sensitive.
But the outcome was completely different from what he expected.
Most media outlets declared Schuster the loser of this exchange.
[Schuster brings out a printed résumé of Mourinho's playing career, falls right into Mourinho's provocation.]
[Schuster… the pinnacle of pettiness… 'pathetic' responses dominate public opinion.]
It was Schuster who had taken the bait.
He only realized it after calming down, but it was already too late.
The momentum the team should've gained had plummeted.
It was like a ship heading for its destination suddenly being struck down by its captain.
If this dragged on, it would inevitably affect their performance, even slightly.
At that moment, one player stepped up.
Ho-young.
He immediately gathered familiar journalists and held an interview.
"Even if a natural disaster hit us, we would still trust Coach Schuster. If the coach says something is right, then it's right. If he says it's not, then it's not. Nothing can break the trust in our team. Morale? Why would that drop? A ship with an experienced crew will reach its destination even through rough seas. And the match is coming up soon. It's time to stop with the pointless tricks and focus on training. We owe the fans around the world the best match we can give them."
Ho-young's interview caused another stir.
His words were powerful enough to redirect the media's attention.
The criticism aimed at Schuster quickly shifted into praise for Ho-young.
Raúl, Zidane, and Casillas also stepped up, helping steer the narrative away from the media ambush.
Milan, Inter's headquarters.
Watching the events unfold in real-time, Mourinho rested his chin on his hand and smirked.
"This kid…"
Using the media to break the enemy's morale was Mourinho's specialty.
But Ho-young had completely nullified it with a quick counter.
"Schuster has a solid disciple, I see."
He had thought the kid was just some football nerd, but clearly that wasn't the case.
This was shaping up to be a long-term rivalry.
"A mental battle with a kid that young. This could be fun."
Mourinho chuckled and stood from his seat.
He was receiving countless interview requests, but didn't overdo it.
Pushing too far could backfire.
What mattered now was meticulous tactical preparation to crush Real Madrid.
Soon after gathering the squad, he called out one player in particular.
"Patrick."
"Yes."
"Ho-young is your mark. Make sure he never shows up for another interview again."
Patrick asked back.
"Ho-young, sir?"
"That's right. Can you handle it?"
Patrick Vieira.
Two World Cups, one European Championship, three Premier League titles, one Serie A title, and a Confederations Cup.
A French and Arsenal legend. At 32, he was a veteran, but his tenacity and hunger to win remained strong.
And he responded without a moment's hesitation.
"Do you even need to ask?"
Confidence was a given.
He had never known self-doubt in his life.
(To be continued.)