It would be strange to refer to Jose Mourinho as an under-achiever. The 'Special One' has won the UEFA Champions League with Porto, the English Premier League twice with Chelsea and is on the verge of winning back-to-back Serie A titles with Inter Milan.
Now on the eve of his second-leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal versus Barcelona, Phil Minshull of BBC Sport writes about the title that Mourinho craves, not being able to celebrate with Porto, and the potential rematch with Louis Van Gaal.
It seems rather begrudging to say that 'The Special One' could be considered an under-achiever after twice winning the Premier League while at Stamford Bridge and also the Serie A title last season.
He is closing in on a second successive Serie A crown, too. Inter lead Roma by two points with three games remaining after the latter's shock 2-1 loss at home to an inspired Sampdoria.
However, it is the Champions League which Mourinho and Inter fans crave. A second success, after winning with Porto in 2004, will give the Portuguese's career the validation it needs and present him with another chance to savour victory on Europe's top stage.
He was unable to do that first time around, famously leaving Porto for Chelsea before being able to celebrate the triumph with his team and fans in the Dragao.
"I won the Champions League trophy but I never had time to touch it, I just kissed it," he said, upon his arrival in London. "I didn't have time to have my photo taken with it, that's why I want to win it again."
It did not happen during his time at Stamford Bridge but it may with Inter.
Joining the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2008 after a nine-month sabbatical, Mourinho revealed: "The challenge for me is simple. I always want to do well, always want to win. I don't need anybody else to establish the challenge for me."
He stopped short of promising outright to Inter fans that their glory days in Europe would return and they would finally regain the bragging rights from local rivals Milan.
However, winning the Champions League has clearly been top of his agenda. The last of Inter's two European Cup triumphs came in 1965, while their last appearance in a final was back in 1972.
By contrast, Milan have won two of their seven European titles in the last decade and also made a third final, that unforgettable game against Liverpool in 2005.
Inter's failure to match Milan in recent years ultimately cost Roberto Mancini his job, despite three successive league titles.
If Inter fall short on Wednesday, it could result in Mourinho being encouraged to leave the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, even if Moratti has to pay off some or all of the remaining two years of his contract.
Mourinho is widely believed to be the world's highest paid coach. A salary of €9.5m a year puts him in the unusual situation of being paid more than any of the players at Inter, including the likes of Samuel Eto'o.
Curiously, if both Inter and Bayern Munich fulfil the bookies' predictions and make the final, it could bring about an intriguing clash of personalities in the next few weeks.
Much has been written about Mourinho's relationship with Barcelona, but, if Inter and Bayern face off at the Bernabeu on 22 May, it will be the first time he has faced his former boss from his time at the Nou Camp, Louis Van Gaal.
Mourinho was Van Gaal's translator and assistant when the Dutchman became Barca boss in 1997 but, as an unwanted leftover from the regime of Bobby Robson, found himself surplus to requirements the following summer.
I wonder if Van Gaal has read the interview that Mourinho gave to Champions, Uefa's official magazine, in the summer of 2004 after taking over at Chelsea?
"During the day I worked as a loyal assistant but I arrived home to my wife a critic. I'd go on about how Van Gaal does this and if it were me, I'd do that," said Mourinho.
Now on the eve of his second-leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal versus Barcelona, Phil Minshull of BBC Sport writes about the title that Mourinho craves, not being able to celebrate with Porto, and the potential rematch with Louis Van Gaal.
It seems rather begrudging to say that 'The Special One' could be considered an under-achiever after twice winning the Premier League while at Stamford Bridge and also the Serie A title last season.
He is closing in on a second successive Serie A crown, too. Inter lead Roma by two points with three games remaining after the latter's shock 2-1 loss at home to an inspired Sampdoria.
However, it is the Champions League which Mourinho and Inter fans crave. A second success, after winning with Porto in 2004, will give the Portuguese's career the validation it needs and present him with another chance to savour victory on Europe's top stage.
He was unable to do that first time around, famously leaving Porto for Chelsea before being able to celebrate the triumph with his team and fans in the Dragao.
"I won the Champions League trophy but I never had time to touch it, I just kissed it," he said, upon his arrival in London. "I didn't have time to have my photo taken with it, that's why I want to win it again."
It did not happen during his time at Stamford Bridge but it may with Inter.
Joining the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2008 after a nine-month sabbatical, Mourinho revealed: "The challenge for me is simple. I always want to do well, always want to win. I don't need anybody else to establish the challenge for me."
He stopped short of promising outright to Inter fans that their glory days in Europe would return and they would finally regain the bragging rights from local rivals Milan.
However, winning the Champions League has clearly been top of his agenda. The last of Inter's two European Cup triumphs came in 1965, while their last appearance in a final was back in 1972.
By contrast, Milan have won two of their seven European titles in the last decade and also made a third final, that unforgettable game against Liverpool in 2005.
Inter's failure to match Milan in recent years ultimately cost Roberto Mancini his job, despite three successive league titles.
If Inter fall short on Wednesday, it could result in Mourinho being encouraged to leave the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, even if Moratti has to pay off some or all of the remaining two years of his contract.
Mourinho is widely believed to be the world's highest paid coach. A salary of €9.5m a year puts him in the unusual situation of being paid more than any of the players at Inter, including the likes of Samuel Eto'o.
Curiously, if both Inter and Bayern Munich fulfil the bookies' predictions and make the final, it could bring about an intriguing clash of personalities in the next few weeks.
Much has been written about Mourinho's relationship with Barcelona, but, if Inter and Bayern face off at the Bernabeu on 22 May, it will be the first time he has faced his former boss from his time at the Nou Camp, Louis Van Gaal.
Mourinho was Van Gaal's translator and assistant when the Dutchman became Barca boss in 1997 but, as an unwanted leftover from the regime of Bobby Robson, found himself surplus to requirements the following summer.
I wonder if Van Gaal has read the interview that Mourinho gave to Champions, Uefa's official magazine, in the summer of 2004 after taking over at Chelsea?
"During the day I worked as a loyal assistant but I arrived home to my wife a critic. I'd go on about how Van Gaal does this and if it were me, I'd do that," said Mourinho.
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