The hype that surrounds Jose Mourinho is unprecedented. No matter where he goes, he will almost always be more in the news than the eleven players on the pitch and that was no different in the run up to this tie. His arrogant and cocky quotes are a media persons delight and he never disappoints. On a night when he sent out United with his cheating and diving Porto back in the day, he entered the conscience of the English people with a sliding celebration that probably left his sharp suit with permanent stains. The rest was proverbial history. How United fans would have loathed the sight of him repeating his celebratory antics tonight? Nightmares are made of this.
But it wasn't to be. The champions of Italy were sent crashing out tonight. United surely didn't go out all guns blazing. In fact they never really got out of the third gear at best. That in itself is the biggest transition from the teams of the past - they've learnt to win. It's not always pretty, but the ghosts of Madrid are well and truly buried now. On many a European nights have we seen ourselves on the other side of the show - being frustrated by teams who know how to hold the ball, who don't hesitate to be patient and pass it around all night till an opening emerges. We are that team now, totally confident on the ball, patient and a team with a plan B. Gone is the naivety of "I'll score 1 more than you" that often cost us dear in the past.
Today was one such educational step forward. Although there was the odd occasion when the urge to do a fancy step over or try a cute flick on took over, but mostly it was a mature display. This team has the experience now and no matter what happens from now on, they've show they belong up there with the best. The fact that once again there are four English teams in the last 8 of the CL shows that to be sitting atop the most difficult league in the world today means more than it did in the past.
There is an important league fixture against the scousers on the horizon. Going by the quotes, their camp is pretty confident after beating a 2nd grade Madrid side with the help of a blind referee. It bodes well overall for the tie. We need to start with Tevez and Rooney and get Rafael in for O'Shea. I think one of Giggs and Scholes will naturally be relegated to the bench for that one. It's got a cracker written all over it and although it won't change as much as it promised a few weeks back, a defeat for Liverpool will be the end of their league season and that would be a sweet enough reward.
