The last thing Barcelona need is the return of the bogeyman.

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho returned to the Nou Camp last night ahead of tonight's crucial Group F clash.

The European champions have pressing problems. Beyond the outbreak of swine flu that has accounted for Yaya Toure and Eric Abidal, the thigh and hamstring problems that, respectively, could rule out Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the fragile mental state of Thierry Henry lies the worry that defeat this evening could result in the holders being eliminated from the Champions League at the first opportunity.

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This is the kind of match that Uefa dreads and thought it had consigned to history when it moved to the lucrative group format. But the stirring exploits of Rubin Kazan and the stoicism of Dynamo Kiev have left group F wide open.

Inter lead by one point, but they will also be vulnerable if they lose and the Russian champions win in the early kick-off against Dynamo. Wins for Rubin and Inter would result in Barcelona being knocked out and leave them facing El Gran Clasico at home to Real Madrid on Sunday with considerable trepidation.

"I prefer to play Barca v Inter to a lesser game, just as I prefer Chelsea v Liverpool to Chelsea v Birmingham," Mourinho said. "Those are the games that worry me, when it's difficult to get the players motivated.

"We know that if Rubin win and we win, Barca will go out, but that can also happen to us.

"I like playing in Barcelona," Mourinho added. "When I land at the airport I always smile. I know they whistle at me but I like this city, I like this stadium.

"They're not top of their group any more, but they're still favourites to win the Champions League. They're the best team in the world, but we're not afraid of them."

Pep Guardiola must be emboldened by his feat of winning three trophies in his first campaign as a coach last season. He said: "We can win the game regardless of whether Messi or Ibrahimovic play. "We cannot go into the game thinking that without these two players we'll lose."

Fear of failure is more debilitating than any mythical monster, even Mourinho.

©The Times, London

3BARCELONA v INTER MILAN, SETANTA IRELAND, KO 7.45

- Matt Hughes