Real Madrid 2 Inter Milan 1: Spanish giants edge swashbuckling clash to get Mourinho off to a flier in Champions League

CLINICAL Real Madrid put on a Jose Mourinho masterclass to get their Champions League campaign off to a perfect start. It was 2010 when Mourinho showed the world how compact defending and low possession could still win Europe’s biggest prizes as he lifted the Champions League as Inter Milan boss. Kylian Mbappe follows up his golden boot from last year with opening his account this season Credit: Getty Josep Martinez knew the massive error he had made as soon as it happened That was Mourinho’s final game as Inter chief, and 16 years later, he rolled back the years by showing his former club those old tricks still work. Inter dominated the ball and the best of the chances, but it was Mourinho’s Madrid that showed their patience to pounce when it mattered most. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The Italian visitors should perhaps have known better, given manager Cristian Chivu played under Mourinho in that Champions League final all those years ago, but Madrid’s quality felt inevitable. Real Madrid came into the game off the back of their first defeat of the new Mourinho era, a bruising 1-0 defeat to Real Betis last weekend. And there was a new-look midfield for Los Blancos, as Trent Alexander-Arnold was given a run out in the middle of the park. The opening exchanges saw Inter run riot over the hosts, notching four shots within 11 minutes. Marcus Thuram saw his close-range effort parried away by Thibaut Courtois, while Lautaro Martinez also stung the former Belgian stopper’s gloves from inside the box. It looked like the tide was well in Inter’s favour, that was, until a sloppy mistake at the back gifted Real Madrid an opening goal. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Brahim Diaz picked the pocket of Yann Bisseck after a hospital pass from Curtis Jones. Diaz played in Kylian Mbappe to slide home the first goal completely against the run of play. It felt as if it had come out of nowhere, but it was exactly what Jose Mourinho would expect – his patient side showing their class in the decisive moments. And despite Inter testing Courtois twice more in the minutes that followed, Madrid doubled their lead through another costly mistake on 23 minutes. Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez inexplicably tried to pull off a Cruyff turn inside his own six-yard box when being pressed by Federico Valvarde. The Uruguayan midfielder got his foot to the ball and essentially tackled the ball into the back of the net. Madrid had managed just two shots and had maintained only 29 per cent of possession, yet they found themselves 2-0 up. It is exactly the football Mourinho has made a name for himself by playing, and the same style that won him his Champions League as Inter boss. The goals knocked the confidence of Chivu’s Inter side, who needed to bring John Stones on at half time to try and steady the ship. After an outrageously clinical first half, Madrid became almost wasteful in the second. Chances went begging for Jude Bellingham, Mbappe and Vinicius, and Carlos Augusto’s 77th minute goal certainly changed the mood inside the Bernabeu. Lautaro Martinez drilled a cross into the box, which Augusto fired past Courtois. Vini Jr was getting a mixed reception from Madrid fans, but Mourinho applauded him off Credit: Alamy It meant Mourinho was forced further into leaning into his defensive game, replacing Alexander Arnold with Aurelien Tchouameni to see out the result. The managerial great was unable to deliver Europe’s top prize during his first stint in Madrid, crashing out in the semi-finals in three consecutive seasons. But if he can lean into the quality of his star-studded squad, the 63-year-old may just be able to squeeze one last dance in this season.But Mourinho’s men held on to get three points on the board. Comment now