Barcelona vs Inter: Pep, José, and the Semi-Final That Defined an Era – Part Two
04/25/25 • 50 min
Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.
It's time for Part Two of Pep vs Jose! 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.
Guardiola vs Mourinho. All-out attack vs. tactical defiance. Ideology, rivalry - maybe even good vs. evil?
Fifteen years ago, Pep’s all-conquering Barcelona met Jose's Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final that didn’t just decide who reached the final - it helped define a footballing era.
Having set the scene in part one, Rob and Jonathan relive the incredible semi-final battles, where Mourinho would ultimately dethrone Guardiola in an incredible second-leg at the Nou Camp - which saw a controversial sending off, late drama and an iconic pitch celebration.
If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate.
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:45 The Clash of Philosophies: Mourinho vs. Guardiola
01:32 The Tactical Battle Begins
04:32 The Volcano Eruption and Its Impact
10:24 First Leg Highlights and Analysis
13:18 Ibrahimović's Conflict and Mourinho's Mind Games
18:06 The Build-Up to the Second Leg
25:23 The Myth of the Decision
25:41 The Controversial Red Card
26:54 Conspiracy Theories and Psychological Influence
27:52 The Clash of Good vs. Evil
28:34 Tactical Fouling and Pep's Cynical Side
29:59 Marina's Critique of Barcelona's Tactics
31:37 Inter's Defensive Masterclass
34:13 The Struggle Against Possession Football
36:38 The Final Moments and Disallowed Goal
40:03 Marino's Triumphant Celebration
43:16 The Aftermath and Legacy
46:43 The Tactical Evolution in Football
48:58 The Importance of Non-Possession Football
50:28 Conclusion and Reflections
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.
It's time for Part Two of Pep vs Jose! 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.
Guardiola vs Mourinho. All-out attack vs. tactical defiance. Ideology, rivalry - maybe even good vs. evil?
Fifteen years ago, Pep’s all-conquering Barcelona met Jose's Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final that didn’t just decide who reached the final - it helped define a footballing era.
Having set the scene in part one, Rob and Jonathan relive the incredible semi-final battles, where Mourinho would ultimately dethrone Guardiola in an incredible second-leg at the Nou Camp - which saw a controversial sending off, late drama and an iconic pitch celebration.
If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate.
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:45 The Clash of Philosophies: Mourinho vs. Guardiola
01:32 The Tactical Battle Begins
04:32 The Volcano Eruption and Its Impact
10:24 First Leg Highlights and Analysis
13:18 Ibrahimović's Conflict and Mourinho's Mind Games
18:06 The Build-Up to the Second Leg
25:23 The Myth of the Decision
25:41 The Controversial Red Card
26:54 Conspiracy Theories and Psychological Influence
27:52 The Clash of Good vs. Evil
28:34 Tactical Fouling and Pep's Cynical Side
29:59 Marina's Critique of Barcelona's Tactics
31:37 Inter's Defensive Masterclass
34:13 The Struggle Against Possession Football
36:38 The Final Moments and Disallowed Goal
40:03 Marino's Triumphant Celebration
43:16 The Aftermath and Legacy
46:43 The Tactical Evolution in Football
48:58 The Importance of Non-Possession Football
50:28 Conclusion and Reflections
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
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.
Next Episode
The Man Behind Liverpool’s 20th Title - Arne Slot’s story
Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.
Liverpool wrapped up their 20th English league title at the weekend, so today co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper focus on the fascinating career of manager Arne Slot who has won the Premier League at his first attempt at Anfield.
Beginning with his unique upbringing in a football-centric Dutch Bible Belt town, we explore how watching his father coach from a young age shaped Slot's tactical mind, travel through his early playing days, his reputation as a tactician, and his impressive managerial stints that led him to win the Eredivisie with Feyenoord and now the Premier League with Liverpool.
On Friday, Jonathan and Rob will assess where Slot's Liverpool title winners sit in Liverpool's glorious history.
00:00 Introduction: A Coach's Son
00:40 Early Life and Background of Arne Slot
01:26 The Dutch Football Culture
03:01 Influence of Johan Cruyff and Total Football
05:02 Arne Slot's Youth and Early Football Education
07:11 Professional Career Beginnings
13:40 Tactical Innovations and Coaching Philosophy
21:58 The Early Coaching Journey of Arne Slot
23:14 Challenges and Successes at Cambuur
25:56 Influence of Pep Guardiola and Data Analytics
29:10 Rise at AZ Alkmaar
34:43 Success at Feyenoord and Coaching Style
43:45 Legacy and Future Prospects
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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