The Italian, who has never been past the quarter-final stage as a manager, has reached the last eight in two of his five attempts, seeing his Inter side beaten by fierce rivals AC Milan in 2005 and Villarreal the following season.Subsequent defeats in the last 16 to Valencia in 2007 and Rafael Benítez’s Liverpool in 2008, though, were enough to convince Inter owner Massimo Moratti that Mancini was not the man to deliver their first European crown in more than 40 years. Two seasons after Mancini was replaced by Jose Mourinho, Inter won the Champions League.
“It is an incredible competition,” said Mancini, when asked whether he feels he has something to prove on the continental stage. “Anything can happen. I had one season with Lazio [in which they failed to get past the group stage] and four with Inter. It is a fantastic competition, but I am not disappointed because I know you are either Barcelona and you can win every year, or every team can win."
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