Jose Mourinho recreated one of his most memorable celebrations at Camp Nou during the latest El Clasico, dropping to his knees almost 20 years after making the same gesture at the stadium.
The Portuguese coach first performed the celebration after Didier Drogba’s late equaliser for Chelsea against Barcelona in the Champions League on 31 October 2006.
He repeated it on 25 October this year, adding a new twist by sticking out his tongue in a gesture reminiscent of rock legend Mick Jagger.
The two moments are separated by two decades, but both carried the same message of defiance from Mourinho in a stadium where his rivalry with Barcelona became especially intense.
The night the celebration became iconic
The original incident came in a dramatic Champions League group-stage meeting between Barcelona and Chelsea, at a time when Mourinho’s footballing battle with the Catalan club was at its height.
Barcelona took the lead through Deco, now the club’s sporting director and at the time one of Mourinho’s trusted players at Porto, who had won the European title under the Portuguese manager.
Frank Lampard brought Chelsea level before Eidur Gudjohnsen restored Barcelona’s advantage. With the home side appearing set to claim victory, Drogba struck in added time to secure a 2-2 draw.
Chelsea had created more chances than a Barcelona side packed with Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho. The hosts were the reigning European champions under Frank Rijkaard, who was in Camp Nou’s presidential box two days earlier – before the stadium had been transformed into the Spotify-branded venue.
Mourinho had criticised the refereeing before that match, and reacted explosively when Drogba scored. He slid across the turf on his knees in the middle of Camp Nou, producing an image that went on to become one of the Champions League’s defining celebrations.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper that night was Hilario, with the club’s legendary number one Petr Cech absent after suffering a fractured skull in an injury that came close to ending his career.
The side also included Drogba, Arjen Robben, Lampard, Michael Ballack and a host of other leading players.
A familiar scene, with a new gesture
Almost 20 years later, Mourinho returned to his knees at the same ground during the latest Clasico.
The familiar celebration was accompanied by the exaggerated tongue gesture, creating another scene designed to provoke a reaction from the stands.
The image suggested that, for Mourinho, the atmosphere inside Camp Nou was once again playing the soundtrack he knows best: controversy on the pitch and unrest in the crowd.
