The 'Special' one's comments about the current Barcelona side, made in the build up to this weeks big Champions League (Man City v Barca, for those who live in caves), show that maybe, just maybe, Mr Jose Mourinho is getting through to the Manchester City players.
The comments stating that this is the weakest Barcelona side in 'many, many years', were taken by some to merely be an attack on, arguably, Mourinho's most hated team. However his comments were more an attack on Pellegrini and Manchester City. All Mourinho's comments did were pile psychological pressure on the Man City rich kids, pressure which I feel stopped them dominating Barcelona in midfield and pressuring the back four. In my opinion City showed Barca far too much respect. They should have been harassing and chasing the ball for 90 minutes, just as the Barcelona front 6 did every time City had the ball in defence/midfield. Once City broke past the Barca front 6 of Messi/Sanchez/Fabregas/Iniesta/Xavi/Busquets they looked dangerous and Barca exposed, however City were not good enough to move the ball in the half a second of free time each player had. Yet, with Barca pressing the ball so high up the pitch in numbers City failed to exploit the space between midfield and defence, with Silva, made for this job, stuck out wide left. Bad tactics from Pellegrini. Now in plain view is evidence that Pellegrini might not be handling the situation so well, with his wild, rash attack on the referee. He can expect a letter and fine from FIFA very shortly.Back to Mourinho's comments I felt before the game Pellegrini would prove me wrong, show his class and experience. He has let me down in the aftermath of the game. He has let himself down. Even Mourinho would not make comments so rash, he would do it in a calculated, sneaky and intelligent way, just as his comments preceding the match were. Following Mourinho's comments I was sure Pellegrini would be able to swipe them aside and install the confidence required in his players. Almost like if you were a child playing on the swings in the park, and some kid starts making fun of you, but you know you are alright because your Grandad is there to say 'Don't worry about it! That guys a, idiot!' Unfortunately what Pellegrini has demonstrated after the match is that he is more of a Grandad who has a brandy on a evening and shouts at the television.
Mourinho is more sly than this. His comments ensured he won either way. Had City beaten Barca, he would simply point out that his comments were correct and that City would perhaps have not beaten the Barca side that Mourinho managed to overcome when manager of Inter Milan, yet with Barca beating City it shows that City are still not strong enough to dominate Europe and, hopefully for Mourinho, providing Chelsea with the psychological edge to win the Premier League. What we have learnt are that Barcelona are still a force to be reckoned with in Europe, Mourinho's mind games might be working and the only way for City to re-install their claim as a European contender is to and win at the Camp Nou. Hardly the easiest of tasks. Still I wouldn't want to be City's opponents on Saturday.
