Mourinho receives water sprinkler gift recalling Barcelona clash ahead of Inter Milan tie

An Italian journalist turned the final moments of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho's press conference, ahead of the Champions League match against Inter Milan, into a lighthearted scene by presenting him with an unexpected gift that recalled one of the Portuguese manager's most famous memories with the Italian club.

According to a report by Spanish outlet eldesmarque, the journalist, a Mourinho fan, gave him a small toy water sprinkler as a good luck charm, which brought a smile to the Real Madrid manager's face.

The report explained that the gift evoked Mourinho's iconic celebration at Camp Nou with Inter Milan after eliminating Barcelona from the Champions League semi-finals in 2010.

The report stated: "An Italian journalist, a fan of the Portuguese coach, presented a water sprinkler as a good luck charm. This item recalls one of the most famous images of Mourinho's career—his celebration at Camp Nou with Inter Milan after knocking out Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final."

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The story is linked to a famous incident during that match, when Barcelona turned on the Camp Nou sprinklers in an attempt to prevent Mourinho and Inter Milan players from celebrating in front of the home fans after their victory.

The report added: "This win allowed Inter Milan to reach the final and denied Barcelona the chance to play the title match at Santiago Bernabeu, making it a significant result for Real Madrid as well."

Mourinho, now in his second spell with Real Madrid, is preparing to begin his Champions League campaign against his former club Inter Milan on Tuesday evening at Santiago Bernabeu.