Diego MILITO steals the show from MESSI

I swear I'm not being biased towards Diego MILITO here. You can ask anybody who watched Inter beat Barcelona 3-1 on Tuesday and they'll surely tell you I'm right in saying he was the difference-maker at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium.

Even without watching the match, by just taking a look at the stats you'll have enough information to prove me right: Diego MILITO - 1 goal and 2 assists.

It was a strange game. It looked like Barcelona had the edge and were about to demolish Inter when MAXWELL went past Esteban CAMBIASSO and then crossed to PEDRO who scored a little bit before the 20-minute mark. 1-0 to Barcelona and the very important away-goal already in the bag for the Catalans.

But Inter reacted. It's true that Diego MILITO missed a couple of good chances but the third, he wasn't going to let it go. He didn't take it himself. Instead, he controlled a ball that came through the floor from the right (courtesy of ETO'O) and surrounded by three Barcelona defenders, he unselfishly decided to pass it wide to the left for an open Wesley SNEJDER who scored past Víctor VALDES.

That was the score after the first half and Inter came out strong in the second. Determined to win it.

Only three minutes into the second half, Lionel MESSI had the ball on the right in an attacking position. In my opinion, he was clearly fouled. He even stood still thinking the ref gave him a free-kick. Instead, the referee waved play on and that really hit Barcelona because on the counter-attack, MILITO was launched on the right and he wrapped the ball as a present for MAICON to score Inter's second of the night.

Barcelona kept going forward (as they always do) and Inter hit them again. Only this time, the Italians made the Blaugranas taste a little bit of their own medicine. Why? Because Thiago MOTTA did what GUARDIOLA's men always do. He recovered the ball very near the opposing area and then fed it to ETO'O, who crossed it for SNEJDER to head it towards Diego MILITO (who was in an offside position) and the rest was history.

MESSI was pretty much controlled throughout the entire game. He did force Julio CESAR into making a great save and then won a header in the box that almost turns into a glorious assists for PIQUE, but between Julio CESAR and LUCIO they prevented the former Manchester United defender from scoring.

The other Argies?

As some of you are pointing out, Javier ZANETTI was sublime. He started as a left-back and never had a problem with PEDRO and/or MESSI. Then MAICON got injury (colliding with MESSI) and as CHIVO got introduced by MOURINHO, Il Capitano was sent to play in his natural right-back position. It goes without saying that he excelled there too. Wonderful game from ZANETTI and I echo those voices of concern. I will be devastated if he doesn't make it into our World Cup squad.

Esteban CAMBIASSO. He was at fault in Barcelona's goal. He let MAXWELL run past him and couldn't chase him. His passing was a little bit shaking tonight, but his marking was spot on. He had the unpleasant task of interrupting the circuit between XAVI and MESSI and he never stopped running and getting his body in the thick of the action.

Walter SAMUEL. Very solid at the back. Zlatan didn't touch the ball. SAMUEL had a great game and it's good to see his recent form as he will be much needed in South Africa.

Gabriel MILITO didn't play but he looks set to start at the Camp Nou because Carles PUYOL saw a yellow card and got suspended.

For the MESSI doubters...my advice is to keep quiet and to remember he didn't have the best of games at the Emirates against Arsenal in their QF first leg. You all know what happened later. I'm not saying he will do the same next week against Inter, but the boy has it in him and it'll be up to him and GUARDIOLA to sort out the trap MOURINHO placed around The Flea. Can he do it?