Who: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan What: Champions League league phase Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain When: Tuesday, September 8, at 9pm ( ) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from ahead of our live text commentary stream When Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, after leading the Italian outfit to Champions League glory, he was at the peak of his powers. The Portuguese coach claimed an historic treble with Inter, clinching Serie A in the last week of the season and lifting the Coppa Italia. Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium, winning the trophy for the first time since 1965 and becoming the first Italian team to win the treble.
The day after the final Mourinho said it was likely his last match in charge and about a week later his appointment at Real Madrid was finalised. Now 16 years on, and beginning his second stint at Madrid, Mourinho kicks off the record 15-time Champions League winners’ European campaign against Serie A champions Inter on Tuesday at the Bernabeu. The Champions League is the only trophy that evaded Mourinho during his first stint at Real Madrid.
What I need to do now has nothing to do with the past.” “Back in 2010, we weren’t even reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League and it had been ages since we’d played in a semifinal. Now we’ve won six Champions Leagues in a little over a decade.” All eyes will be on how Real respond to their first setback of Mourinho’s second spell – a 1-0 defeat by Real Betis in La Liga on Friday. But you have to work to accomplish stability.
Stability … Structure … “So Real Madrid need to reach that stability that is so important to achieve something great. But Real Madrid are Real Madrid, you need to win here no matter what.” Sitting alongside Mourinho, star striker Kylian Mbappe was asked several times about his relationship with Vinicius Jr and the atmosphere in the Real dressing room. No, it’s the same as last year.
It’s true we have a different coach, but it’s the same.” Mbappe acknowledged his side have to improve in front of goal. We all need to improve [in front of goal], and also with the ball.” Mbappe missed a late penalty as Troy Parrott scored his first goal for Real Betis in their 1-0 win on Friday, ending Mourinho’s perfect start to the La Liga season. Madrid had won each of their first three matches under Mourinho in his second spell in charge, but Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles denied Mbappe from the spot deep into stoppage time to seal a memorable victory at La Cartuja.
Vinicius Junior hit the post in the first half from Arda Guler’s pass across the face of goal, with Mbappe foiled twice by heroic blocks from Natan Bernardo de Souza and Marc Bartra. As Madrid struggled to break Betis down, the hosts took a surprise lead nine minutes from time when Parrott fired home the rebound after Thibaut Courtois had produced a fine save to deny Nelson Deossa’s header. A last-gasp winner from Lautaro Martinez sealed a breathless win for Inter as the Serie A champions fought back from two goals down to edge visiting Napoli 3-2 on Saturday.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
