Real Madrid vs Inter Milan: Mourinho Returns to the Bernabeu with a Fitness Puzzle

Real Madrid host Inter Milan at 2am on September 9 in a Champions League opener that carries special meaning for coach Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese now leads Real and faces the team he guided to the treble in 2026. Real arrive after three straight La Liga wins and a 0-1 defeat to Real Betis. Their attacking trio of Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham remains dangerous, but the defensive and midfield lines are depleted. Tchouameni, Eder Militao, Cucurella, Raul Asencio, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy are not fully fit. Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva are suspended. Inter have won all three Serie A matches, including a dramatic 3-2 victory over Napoli. Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram lead a near full-strength squad. Bastoni, Akanji and Bisseck are ready to protect the back line. Real have won 17 of their last 19 Champions League openers and have beaten Inter four times in the 21st century. Those statistics offer confidence, but the fitness issues may prove decisive. Inter are capable of pressing high, controlling midfield and exploiting spaces behind Real's defence. A draw would not be a terrible result for Real, while Inter can leave Madrid satisfied with a point. The match will reveal how well Mourinho's side can cope when key players are missing at the start of a demanding European campaign.