Mourinho questions Inter’s Champions League drought and Real Madrid fixture list
The Real Madrid coach praised Inter’s continuity under three managers ahead of their Champions League meeting.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said he was surprised Inter had not won the Champions League in recent years, despite what he described as six years of continuity under Antonio Conte, Simone Inzaghi and Cristian Chivu.
Speaking before Real Madrid’s Champions League match against his former club, Mourinho said Inter had retained the same playing model and could “play with its eyes closed”. Inter entered the fixture after a 3–2 win over Napoli, in which Lautaro Martínez scored twice.
Mourinho also referred to Real Madrid’s schedule, suggesting: “Maybe the person who made the fixture list was Italian.” The remark was presented in the context of Real Madrid having three suspended players for the match.
He stressed that the contest would remain “11 against 11” and said Real Madrid needed to respond after losing away to Real Betis. Mourinho said he wanted his side to win and avoid repeating a performance that ended in defeat.
Asked about his relationship with Chivu, Mourinho pointed to their shared history as player and coach, saying they had experienced “good and bad” moments together. He added that Real Madrid were entering a run of eight matches, with qualification for the next phase as the objective.
