Mourinho refuses to hide Madrid’s flaws: limitations acknowledged, victory delivered

José Mourinho offered a strikingly honest assessment of Real Madrid before the Champions League meeting with Inter. The Portuguese coach admitted that his team still had difficulties in the build-up and certain limitations, without presenting those problems as an excuse.

A few hours later, Madrid opened their league-phase campaign with a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu. Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde scored for the hosts, while Carlos Augusto pulled one back for Inter.

MOURINHO MAKES HIS PRIORITIES CLEAR

Asked by Movistar+ whether the team’s development might be more important than collecting points immediately, Mourinho delivered a typically direct response.

“If you offer me a good performance and a defeat, like against Betis, I don’t want it. I prefer to play badly and win. Obviously, playing well and winning is the ideal,” the Real Madrid coach said.

Mourinho nevertheless stressed that Madrid must improve as a team, control matches more effectively and create more chances. He described Inter as a major test for a side that has not yet found complete fluency in possession.

It was not an attempt to lower expectations. Mourinho identified the weakness and then demanded the qualities required to overcome it: character, cooperation and the ability to respond collectively when a match becomes uncomfortable.

MADRID COULD NOT RELY ON COUNTERATTACKS ALONE

Mourinho highlighted Inter’s physical power, the attacking involvement of their wing-backs and the threat carried by their forwards. Sitting too deep and waiting exclusively for counterattacks, he warned, would place Madrid under enormous pressure.

The plan therefore required possession and initiative despite the shortage of natural organisers in midfield. Mourinho explained that Federico Valverde offers a different profile, while Brahim Díaz can drop into deeper areas and support combination play. Trent Alexander-Arnold was also selected to operate through central positions.

Yan Diomandé, meanwhile, was being introduced more carefully after arriving near the end of the transfer window. Mourinho viewed the winger’s pace as a potentially valuable weapon later in the game, when tired legs could create additional space.

THREE POINTS AND A CLEAR AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT

The match supported Mourinho’s pre-game diagnosis. Inter produced strong spells, and Madrid did not always progress the ball with the control their coach ultimately wants. The hosts were nevertheless ruthless when the opportunities arrived, worked hard without possession and protected their lead with help from Thibaut Courtois.

A 2-1 victory does not instantly remove every limitation, but it gives Madrid the most important reward available in the Champions League league phase: three points. Mourinho is not pretending that his team is already the finished article. The encouraging part is that Madrid can defeat a demanding opponent while the rebuilding work continues.