Jose Mourinho achieved his latest European masterstroke as 10-man Inter Milan reached their first UEFA Champions League final.
Italians survive after Motta dismissal and late Pique goal
Jose Mourinho achieved his latest European masterstroke as 10-man Inter Milan reached their first UEFA Champions League final despite a 1-0 semi-final second-leg defeat at Barcelona.
Inter arrived at Camp Nou holding a 3-1 aggregate lead over last season's continental kings and they never truly looked in danger of surrendering that advantage in Catalunya, although Gerard Pique set up a tense finish with a superb late goal.
The first half was cagey before controversially exploding into life shortly before the half-hour mark when Inter's Thiago Motta was harshly shown a red card by referee Frank de Bleeckere for offering a gentle fending arm in the face of Sergi Busquets.
There was contact but, as Busquets offered a cynical glance from behind his hands when rolling on the floor in theatrical agony, the irony of the dismissal will not have been lost on Motta after he accused Barcelona of diving in the build-up to the match.
However, a numerical disadvantage in manpower did little to damage Inter, who maintained a tight defensive formation that stifled the guile of Lionel Messi and Xavi with relative ease.
The Serie A leaders continued to frustrate their hosts in the second half as Pep Guardiola failed to conjure a Plan B, before Pique created a nail-biting conclusion with a cool finish in the 84th minute.
Barcelona, though, could not find the necessary second on the night as a Bojan strike was debatably ruled out to mean that their 'obsession', in the words of Mourinho, of retaining their title in the Bernabeu came to an end.
Instead it will be Inter who take on Bayern Munich at the home of Real Madrid in late May for the right to be crowned Europe's best team as Mourinho edged closer to meeting the mandate that he was set when accepting his Italian job in 2008.
And for the 'Special One', who celebrated triumphantly on the pitch at the final whistle, it was vindication following a turbulent spell in Italy and his controversial departure from Chelsea, where he was unable to deliver a repeat of his remarkable Champions League success with Porto in 2004.
Needing a 2-0 win or better to advance, Guardiola opted for an attacking 3-4-3 line-up, with Yaya Toure alongside Pique and Gabi Milito at the back.
Provocative
Inter made a last-minute change with striker Goran Pandev, originally named in the starting XI, replaced by defender Cristian Chivu, with suggestions Mourinho was up to his trademark mind games, which had eliminated Chelsea in the last 16.
Such a move is only allowed if an injury has occurred and Inter could yet be asked to provide evidence to that effect.
As expected, Barca completely dominated the opening stages. The Catalans had around 80 per cent of the possession early on, but Inter were organised and looking comfortable.
Xavi brilliantly turned Wesley Sneijder on the edge of the area, but was unable to set up Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was hugely disappointing, as he has been for much of his debut season for Barcelona since leaving Inter.
Pedro then tried his luck with a shot from distance, but Barca were struggling for inspiration.
Mourinho, a former translator at Barcelona under Sir Bobby Robson, would have been content, but the Portuguese coach was less happy as his side went down to 10 men after 28 minutes.
In his pre-match press conference Mourinho had asked for protection from the referee,
