Mourinho upbeat ahead of Barca test

Jose Mourinho is confident his Inter Milan team can beat Barcelona in their upcoming UEFA Champions League match. Inter have had a less than spectacular start to the season and made hard work of seeing off Parma today.

“Will we be starting on equal terms? Yes, of course, at the first minute it will be 0-0,” he said. “Barca are a team who have been close sighted for four or five years. They have practically always the same players, they change one player for another but it is still the same structure as when they were the Champions of Europe. We have five new players and are building a team, but I think we can win this game.”

Wednesday’s match will also see the return to the San Siro of Zlatan Ibrahimovic who moved to Barcelona in the summer in a deal in which Samuel Eto’o moved the other way, while Inter also received €45m.

Mourinho said ” A player who gave me as much as Ibra will always be in my heart. But I am someone who forgets quickly and now I’m thinking about my players. I’m pleased with his work in Barca, but I am very happy with my players.”

Mourinho was also asked about former AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti’s impressive start to his time in charge at Chelsea, where he has won his opening five games. He quoted “He has beaten my record of opening victories in the Premier League? He can never beat my record, I won a title in England after 55 years.”