Jose Mourinho: Decoding his managerial Champions League winning campaigns
Jose Mourinho is one of the top coaches from this era and his success in European competitions is second to none. The Portuguese tactician has managed some of the greatest clubs in the world and has guided some of them to European glory. He has won two UEFA Champions League titles along with one UEFA Cup, Europa League and Conference League crowns. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Known for his pragmatism and on-field antics, Mourinho will be remembered for a long time even after his managerial retirement. His ability to win trophies with teams with a strict budget is something that very few managers have mastered in this day and age. Mourinho has won five European trophies which includes two UCL crowns with FC Porto and Inter Milan.
Mourinhos' historic UCL triumph with FC Porto
The Portuguese tactician won his maiden UEFA Champions League crown with FC Porto in the 2003-04 season. It was an indeed exceptional season for the Dragons as they won the Primeira Liga over SL Benfica. Porto won 25 out of 34 matches, with seven draws and suffering two defeats. They lost 2-1 against Benfica in the final of Taca de Portugal.
Breaking down their 2003-04 UCL campaign
Porto finished second in their UCL group behind Real Madrid. The Dragons registered three wins and two draws. They only lost to Real Madrid. They defeated Manchester United, Lyon and Deportivo la Coruna to reach the final. They defeated Monaco 3-0 in the final. Deco was the joint-highest assist provider with six assists while Benni McCarthy was Porto's highest goalscorer with four goals.
Mourinho's iconic treble with Inter Milan
The 2009-10 season for Inter Milan will always be iconic in their club's history as they won the treble under Mourinho's tutelage. The Nerazzurri won the Serie A over AS Roma by just two points. They finished with 24 wins, two draws and four defeats. Inter defeated Roma in the finals of Coppa Italia. Ultimately, they won the UCL final against Bayern Munich.
Breaking down their 2009-10 UCL campaign
Inter Milan finished second in their UCL group behind Barcelona, they registered only two wins and three draws while suffering a defeat against the Catalans. They defeated Chelsea, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona to reach the final. The Nerazzurri defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final. Diego Milito with five goals was Inter's leading goal-scorer while Wesley Sneijder led the assists charts with six assists.
A look at Mourinho's UCL stats
Mourinho has managed 145 UCL matches registering 77 wins, and 35 draws while suffering 33 defeats. Only four managers Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Alex Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger have featured in more UCL matches. They have also registered more wins than the Portuguese.
Mourinho has won three other European titles
Mourinho's first European title came with FC Porto when he won the 2002-03 UEFA Cup. The Dragons defeated Celtic FC in the finals. He won the Europa League with Manchester United in the 2016-17 season. The Red Devils won 2-0 against Ajax in the finals to lift the cup. Mourinho's latest European title came with Roma when he won the Conference League 2021-22 season.
