Jose Mourinho's default position is that he is always right, although he would have preferred to avoid this dramatic vindication of his judgment.

Before a game that could have eliminated the holders from the Champions League, the Inter Milan coach boldly proclaimed that Barcelona were still the best team in the world and that their odds of winning the competition should remain unaltered.

Mourinho was correct in all but one respect: after this demolition job the odds on Barcelona lifting the European Cup in Madrid next year will shorten considerably.

This was Barcelona's most complete performance since they cast aside the supine challenge of Manchester United in Rome in May, but in some respects it was even more impressive because it was achieved by their supporting cast. With Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench, and Yaya Touré laid low by swine flu, their stand-ins came to the fore to send out the message that Barca are still the team to beat.

beguiling

Gerard Piqué and the hugely impressive Pedro Rodríguez, artisans in a team of artists, scored the goals in a beguiling first-half performance that lived up to the club's finest traditions.

Mourinho stood motionless on the touchline as his players battled to avoid a complete humiliation, with his black overcoat reflecting his ever-darkening mood, although at least he managed a hint of defiance afterwards.

"Just because we lost tonight doesn't mean we can't win it," Mourinho said. "Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea all think they're favourites, but it's very early. Why can't we beat Barcelona later in the competition?"

This defeat will leave a bitter taste in the mouth for Mourinho, who was in the running for the job before Pep Guardiola was appointed 18 months ago, only to be passed over as the club sought a purer footballing vision spearheaded by a pure Catalan.

For all the flattery of his old club in the build-up, Mourinho would have liked nothing more than to knock out Barcelona in their own backyard. Unfortunately, the only thing he got right all week was the pre-match pronouncements.

Mourinho had said beforehand that the issue of Messi's fitness was irrelevant as Barcelona would play exactly the same way with or without him, a shrewd judgment that blew up in his face.

In Ibrahimovic's absence Thierry Henry was asked to lead the line, although, at this club, it is very much a notional role, as Andrés Iniesta and Rodríguez rotated around him in the manner of their illustrious predecessors -- Samuel Eto'o, Messi and Ronaldinho.

Mourinho had also described this Inter team as one constructed in his own image -- an allusion to their aggression -- but, for once, he will have not enjoyed looking at his reflection last night. Mirrors are often unforgiving tools and, on the Nou Camp's immaculate surface, all Inter's faults were laid bare. With Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta zipping the ball around at will, the visiting team looked old, slow, and, frankly, unable to compete.

Mourinho will have been particularly annoyed at the poor defending that led to the opening goal -- Júlio César, the goalkeeper, raced from his line to meet Xavi's corner before retreating almost immediately, leaving himself stranded.

Henry flicked the ball on and Piqué shrugged off Thiago Motta, who seemed determined to get hold of a souvenir shirt 80 minutes early, to score at the back post.

From this point onwards Inter resorted to a series of cynical fouls to stay in the game, but they could not cling on indefinitely and Barcelona scored a stunning second in the 27th minute.

Xavi's immaculate ball was followed by a first-time cross from Daniel Alves wide on the right, with Rodríguez finishing with a wonderful left-foot volley at the back post.

Inter now face a winner-take-all clash against Rubin Kazan in a fortnight, while Barcelona must draw against Dynamo Kiev to guarantee their own qualification from the tightest of groups.

Even Mourinho reluctantly conceded that this was a victory for football. "Barcelona were more than brilliant," he added with a grimace.

© The Times, London

- Matt Hughes