Federico Valverde admits Real Madrid ignored Jose Mourinho's instructions vs Inter

Real Madrid secured a tense 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in their Champions League opener, but the performance left captain Federico Valverde frustrated. While the win was vital, the midfielder admitted the squad failed to execute the manager's demands during the second half.

Madrid took an early lead through Kylian Mbappe, who marked his 71st Champions League goal, before Valverde doubled the advantage following an error by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez. However, the game shifted after the break as the Serie A side applied heavy pressure, eventually pulling one back through Carlos Augusto.

Mourinho told us very clearly to keep the ball more, especially in their half, and to play more calmly. We did not do that. Federico Valverde

Valverde was blunt in his post-match assessment, urging his teammates to be more self-critical. He emphasized that the team's inability to follow the tactical instructions from Jose Mourinho led to a poor display that almost cost them the victory.

Despite the second-half struggles, the night was a historic one for Mbappe, who reached 71 goals in the competition in just 99 appearances. As Madrid shift their focus back to La Liga duties against Rayo Vallecano, Mourinho and his staff will look to use the second-half lapses as a vital learning curve for the season ahead.