The things José Mourinho has said and done since arriving in Spain have, without doubt, dragged his reputation through the mud.However, last night he proved that his word is good on one thing at least.
"My teams are better in my second year at a club," he promised back in the summer of 2010, and so it has proven.
Having suffered a series of humiliations at the hands of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona over the last four years, Real Madrid came to the Camp Nou and enjoyed their first victory since Frank Rijkaard's final season – effectively sealing their first La Liga title since 2008.
It was a performance which must not, by any account, be denigrated because it wasn't the five or six-goal thrashing which Barcelona have occasionally handed out to Madrid in recent seasons.This was clever, athletic, clean, well planned and topped off with a winning goal of some magnificence.
From the outset Madrid asked Barcelona the key question: "if we let you have the ball in non-threatening areas and press you when you get near our goal – are you any fresher or more creative than you have looked in recent weeks?"
The answer was "No".
The statistics will tell that Barcelona (as at Stamford Bridge) had oodles of possession. The may as well have had oodles of poodles.
Victor Valdes made an error for Sami Khedira's goal – coming for a corner which was never his, then retreating, leaving himself unbalanced for the German's conversion.
The fruit of hard work is often inspiration and when Alexis Sanchez was thrown on in the second half for a patently tired and sore Xavi he scored within the blink of an eye.
It was a Keystone Kops penalty-box pinball goal but it gave life to the game, voice to the home fans - and absolute inspiration to the visitors. Like an elite boxer who has been hiding his best right hook, Madrid just unleashed one.
Mesut Ozil gave one of the passes of the season, Ronaldo erupted past Javi Mascherano and Valdes was beaten with panache.
The last time Mourinho won here he danced on the pitch, saluted the Inter Milan fans and almost had a fight with Valdes. This time he simply punched the air, turned and headed down the tunnel.
Barcelona have had their wings clipped, Madrid will be champions, and now it's time for the Germans.
Bring on Bayern Munich was almost tattooed on his forehead. After a job well done.
It is closing in on 10 long years now since Real Madrid reached a Champions League final which, happily for all Scots who love their football, was played out at Hampden Park and decorated by Zinedine Zidane's exquisite winning goal.
Such is the exuberant confidence in José Mourinho's current crop of talents that very few are taking seriously the idea that the 10th anniversary might not be celebrated with a return to the summit of European football.
Perhaps that is a mistake.
Bayern Munich are one big, sharp thorn in Madrid's side, have now won 11 out of their 19 meetings, outscoring Madrid by 32-24 goals, while three of the four semi-finals between the sides have been won by the Germans.
What happens next will be fascinating but the hoo-ha over the Champions League semi-finals has obscured some blasts from the past, a past closely tied to that brilliant spring evening at Hampden in 2002.
The good news is that with 50 days before the holders kick off their European Championship defence against Italy, Vicente del Bosque, a fantastic bloke by anyone's standards, has extended his contract to take in the World Cup in Brazil.
But during an interview related to that announcement Del Bosque, a marquis following Spain's World Cup triumph, admitted he was pretty ticked off with Iker Casillas.
The Spain captain had revealed that he's still annoyed at the way he dropped out of the Real Madrid team under Del Bosque just as his club could see the holy grail of another Champions League final.
Del Bosque's put-down was: "Casillas told a story which I didn't like and I wish he'd kept to himself. There are some things you say in jest and there's a time to be serious. We both had some blame to share back then and the numbers he has racked up under me for Spain speak for themselves."
It comes as fears grow for Spain at the Euros due to yesterday's Clasico and what bad feeling might flow from it, and the prospect that there might yet be a Clasico Champions League final in Munich.
Another factlet is that Raúl, who is in blistering form and scored that Hampden night, has decided to leave Schalke. It's likely to be a good financial decision whether he ends up playing in the USA, or more likely Dubai or Qatar.
So immense has his final-season performance been that Del Bosque has been asked about recalling Raúl to the Spain squad. Leaving out Raúl was Luis Aragonés' great work, deciding to keep him out was the shrewd bet of Del Bosque, a man who admires Raúl and made him Madrid captain.
"We are keeping all options open," Del Bosque said. How he handles his next meeting with Casillas, Raúl and any players left out of his Spain squad will be interesting.
But he is an elegant, calm, smart man. He will heal the Clasico wounds, he'll handle Casillas and Raúl won't go to the Euros – all part of what has made him so successful. His participation on the international scene for the next couple of years is most welcome.
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