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"EuroFootball.com" offers to read an article published by the BBC about Jose Mourinho's hardly repeatable achievement, to which a Lithuanian directly contributed.
This Saturday marks a special milestone for Madrid's strategist Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese, who has been in charge of four teams since 2002, is most likely to secure the fact that he has not lost at home for nine consecutive years.
The last time the "Special One's" players stumbled at home was on February 23, 2002, when "Porto" lost 2-3 to "Beira Mar."
And looking at this date, Mourinho has plenty to justify - the Porto team finished the match with two players sent off, and played shorthanded from the 25th minute, when Jorge Andrade received a red card. Deco also left the field in the 74th minute.
Lithuanian Edgaras Jankauskas directly contributed to the growth of this record. In the same year, he saved "Porto" in a match against "Belenenses" by scoring an equalizing goal in the 7th minute of referee-added time. The match ended 2-2.
Several times, the series was prevented from being disrupted by Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Esteban Cambiasso, Wesley Sneijder, equalizing scores with less than 10 minutes remaining before the final whistle.
BBC football analyst David Pleat described Mourinho as a "resourceful, imaginative, creative" coach who has changed football no less than legendary figures such as Valeriy Lobanovskyi, Bela Guttmann, Helenio Herrera, and Arrigo Sacchi, Rinus Michels, and Louis van Gaal.
Interestingly, they are all united by a common trait - they did not have impressive playing careers, and in Sacchi's case, didn’t even play at a professional level.
"If you were not successful as a player, you have to work much harder to make it as a coach," Pleat said. "Characters like Mourinho were willing to improve at a lower level to climb higher."
Mourinho is associated with the idea of "transition" football - the opponent is most vulnerable when losing the ball.
"When opponents take a corner, Mourinho always leaves three players outside the penalty area to avoid congestion in front of the goal. This allows the goalkeeper to easily come out to catch the ball and provides a chance for a counterattack," noted Pleat.
Tactics analyzing portal "Zonalmarking" editor Michael Cox added: "Mourinho most often uses two tactical schemes, which he switches quickly and without major complications.
Working with "Chelsea" and "Porto," it was 4-3-1-2 and 4-3-3, under "Inter" and now "Real" - 4-3-1-2 and 4-2-3-1. Although, I think that only once - at home against "Valencia" - was 4-3-1-2 used under "Real."
It is undeniable that Mourinho has succeeded in coaching ambitious and strong teams with top-class players. In addition, the owners of "Chelsea," "Inter," and "Real" were willing to invest huge sums in strengthening their squads.
But the fact that Mourinho has not lost even in 147 matches, celebrating 122 victories, cannot be diminished. His clubs scored 331 goals and conceded only 87.
It is worth noting that the midfielder is crucial to the Portuguese tactician. "Chelsea" had Claude Makelele and Michael Essien, "Inter" had Esteban Cambiasso, and "Real" had Xabi Alonso.
"They are like cricket captains who give instructions during matches," Cox added. "Everyone, especially Cambiasso, often spoke with Mourinho during the game."
True, in order for nine years without defeat to be consolidated, "Real" must not falter against "Levante" on Saturday. And in April, Madrid's team faces an even bigger challenge - "Barcelona."
