Football Talk - Inter transformed - Mourinho - 07/04/10
Jose Mourinho believes Inter have been completely transformed after securing their place in the Champions League semi-final.
A Wesley Sneijder goal in the second leg of their quarter-final with CSKA Moscow was enough to earn Inter a 1-0 win that put them through 2-0 on aggregate. Mourinho will face Barcelona in the next round but, with Inter reaching the last four for the first time since 2003, he believes they are ready to step up to the challenge.
"We have put together five consecutive wins and reach the semi-final in a thoroughly deserved manner," he told Sky Italia. "You can talk about a complete transformation in the history of Inter in the Champions League. This team now has confidence and the right mentality. It is a Champions League side. Now anything can happen.
"We can win the trophy or not but, in any case, from now on, when Inter set foot in Europe, it will be a totally different affair. The team has changed its mentality. It reaches fixtures with a sense of security, solidity and defensive strength. The squad has matured and now wants more."
Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 and reached the semi-finals with Chelsea in 2005 and 2007, losing to Liverpool on both occasions.
"It is my fourth personal semi," he said. "I won once, lost on penalties and another time lost because there was a goal that wasn't a goal. Now we'll see what happens. We have two dreams at this stage: to reach the final and to win it. The dreams are alive."
