Real Madrid secure deceptive win over Inter in Champions League opener

Real Madrid began their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. While the result provides a perfect start, the performance was far from convincing, revealing significant tactical vulnerabilities in Jose Mourinho's setup.

With Eduardo Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, and Arda Guler suspended, Mourinho faced a midfield crisis. His decision to deploy Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Fede Valverde backfired, as Inter Milan dominated the center of the park with a clear numerical advantage. The visitors controlled the tempo and built attacks with ease, leaving Madrid constantly on the back foot.

Real Madrid were reliant on the brilliance of Thibaut Courtois, who made several crucial saves to keep the deficit from widening. Conversely, the hosts capitalized on individual errors from the Italian side, with Kylian Mbappe and Fede Valverde punishing defensive lapses to secure the win against the run of play.

In the second half, a failure to convert chances kept Inter in the contest, and after Augusto pulled a goal back, Madrid were forced into a defensive retreat. The late introduction of Aurelien Tchouameni helped stabilize the midfield, but the overall performance remained worrying.

This victory masks underlying issues regarding squad balance and finishing. Relying on individual brilliance or opponent mistakes is not a sustainable long-term strategy for a team of Madrid's ambitions.