Nine lives Bayern meet Mourinho's Inter magic (News Feature)

By John Bagratuni May 18, 2010, 6:02 GMT

Hamburg - Bayern Munich used up their nine lives as they simply refused to die and were rewarded with a place in the Champions League final.

Their opponents on May 22 in Madrid, Inter Milan, struggled in the group stage but thanks to masterly tactics by coach Jose Mourinho were unstoppable in the knockout phase of the tournament.

Munich also had troubles early on and were in danger of going out in the group stage after an opening 3-0 win against Maccabi Haifa was followed by a 0-0 home draw with Juventus Turin and two defeats (2-0 and 2-1) against Girondins Bordeaux.

But Ivica Olic then gave a first taste of what was yet to come with his 1-0 winner against Haifa and was on target again in a stunning 4-1 victory away to Juve in a do-or-die match for survival.

A last-minute goal from Miroslav Klose (from an offside position) saw Munich beat Fiorentina 2-1 at home in the round of 16. The Italians led 2-0 and 3-1 in the return leg, but goals from Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben made for a final score of 3-2 which saw Munich through on the away goals rule.

The quarter-final against Manchester United followed a similar pattern with Olic striking in injury time for a 2-1 home win. United stormed to a 3-0 lead at Old Trafford but Olic and a stunner from Robben in the second half saw Munich through.

'Now we can start dreaming,' said Robben.

The semi-final with Olympique Lyon was easy by comparison. Robben provided the 1-0 home win and Olic's hat-trick in France gave Munich a 4-0 aggregate win as club president Uli Hoeness praised 'an almost perfect display of football.'

Inter, for their part, flirted with disaster in the group stage as well.

A 0-0 draw with holders Barcelona, a 1-1 at Rubin Kazan and a 2-2 at home to Dynamo Kiev saw them winless at the halfway mark. Late goals from Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder gave them a 2-1 win in Kiev but a 2-0 defeat in Barcelona meant the Italian champions had to beat Kazan in the final game which they duly did, 2-0.

Next on were Mourinho's former club Chelsea. The underdogs Inter rose to the occasion, winning 2-1 at home from Milito and Esteban Cambiasso, keeping Chelsea's attack at bay at Stamford Bridge and in fact winning 1-0 there from Samuel Eto'o.

'I learnt we can beat anyone because Chelsea are not just 'anyone', they are one of the best. We can (beat) anyone left in the Champions League; we can do it,' said Mourinho.

Two 1-0 victories against CSKA Moscow saw the Nerazzurri into the semis for another date with Lionel Messi's Barcelona.

Mourinho's statement proved prophetic as Inter won the first leg 3-1 from 1-0 down thanks to Sneijder, Maicon and Milito. Inter then had Thiago Motto sent off early, no shot on the Nou Camp goal and Barcelona enjoyed 80 per cent of possession, but Sergio Busquets' lone late goal was too little for Barca to make the final again.

'My side are a team of heroes ... This is bliss. To get here after playing Barcelona four times and Chelsea twice. If Inter don't win it this time they will do it next year - we have a European dimension now,' boasted Mourinho.

Inter now seek a third title in the elite event after a double in ancient history, 1964 and 1965. But they will face a resilient Munich side in search of a fifth crown, following a 1974-76 treble and another win in 2001.