Jose Mourinho once experienced contrasting emotional levels at the Bernabeu in the Champions League. He and Inter Milan won the European championship here in 2010, but 2 years later they failed in the semi-finals when Real Madrid let Bayern Munich overcome them on penalties.
This time, Mourinho returned to Bernabeu as Real Madrid coach and had a 2-1 victory over Inter in the opening match of the Champions League. However, the 3 points obtained cannot hide the unconvincing performance of the home team.
Inter controlled the game overwhelmingly in the first half and overwhelmed Real Madrid in many indicators. At one point, Inter had 128 passes into the attacking area, while Real Madrid only had 15. However, Mourinho's team took advantage of the opportunity more effectively to create an advantage.
Los Blancos led 2-0 after only 23 minutes thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde. Mbappe opened the score in the 14th minute after putting pressure on Yann Bisseck to make a mistake. Less than 10 minutes later, Valverde took advantage of goalkeeper Josep Martinez's uncertain handling to double the gap.
The home team also had opportunities to increase the gap before the first half ended. Mbappe and Jude Bellingham both had opportunities, but could not take advantage of them.
In the second half, Real Madrid played better and created some more dangerous opportunities. However, Inter was the team that scored the next goal. In the 77th minute, Carlos Augusto scored, bringing the match back to a stalemate in the final minutes.
Thibaut Courtois became one of the important factors helping Real Madrid preserve the victory. The Belgian goalkeeper had 7 saves, of which Inter had 4 chances that Opta assessed as clear but were only converted into goals once.
Valverde, who was voted the best player of the match, also admitted that Courtois was the most prominent figure. "He saved us" - the Uruguayan midfielder said.
Mbappe also continued to show his ability to make a difference. After a disappointing match against Real Betis when he launched 7 shots and missed a penalty, the French striker immediately regained the feeling of scoring against Inter.
However, the victory against Inter cannot confirm that Real Madrid is ready to compete for the championship. Mourinho's team still lacks the ability to control the match.
Arda Guler's absence due to suspension also affects Real Madrid's ability to operate. The player, considered one of the best players in the team since the beginning of the season, cannot participate, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has to play in the unfamiliar central midfielder position.
Bernardo Silva is expected to help Real Madrid control the midfield better, but they have not yet found the necessary balance. This is especially clear when Inter continuously puts pressure and creates many dangerous situations.
Real Madrid has individuals capable enough to decide the match, from Courtois in goal to Mbappe in attack. But to advance to the Champions League final, Mourinho needs to create a team with better match control ability instead of relying too much on the moments of brilliance of the stars.
