Barcelona's La Liga **** le defense is flying high as Hansi Flick's Blaugranas are a perfect 9-0-0 to start the season.
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid sit third with 21 points, six back of the throne room, and the possible six-point swing that is the first Clasico of the season is coming up this week.
MORE — Latest standings, leading scorers | All-time champions
Raphinha is leading the way for Barcelona with 12 goals through seven outings as one of three finishers off to red-hot starts to the season (Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez).
Real have been led in goals by Kylian Mbappe but are waiting for other players to follow suit, though Arda Guler's impressed in the playmaking department and Jude Bellingham is starting to warm up nicely. But Mourinho won't be able to count on suspended Vinicius Junior.

#goals #liga

Jose Mourinho may have found the answer to Real Madrid's midfield problems after Arda Guler delivered an outstanding performance in a deeper role.
The Portuguese manager started the Turkish international in defensive midfield against Sevilla, and Los Blancos produced their best performance of the season, securing a 4-1 victory.
According to Diario AS, Guler is now emerging as a genuine long-term option alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, with his influence in central midfield transforming Madrid's attacking play.
Mourinho made several tactical adjustments against Sevilla, deploying Guler alongside Tchouameni, moving Federico Valverde to right-back and placing Yan Diomande on the left in Vinicius Junior's absence.
However, Guler's presence in midfield proved particularly influential.

#midfield #alongside #jose

Real Madrid secured an important 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu in an encouraging performance from Jose Mourinho's side.
After the match, Eder Militao shared an emotional message with Real Madrid supporters following his long-awaited return to action.
The Brazilian came on as a second-half substitute and described the reception he received from the home crowd as unforgettable.
He took to Instagram following the victory, expressing his gratitude to the fans, his family and his team-mates after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Militao's appearance against Sevilla marked a significant milestone in his recovery, following 181 days away from competitive action.

#following #victory #jose

Real Madrid rediscovered their sparkle with an emphatic rout of Sevilla in a match that saw Arda Güler take charge, while Madrid fans celebrated Kylian Mbappé's clinical finishing and Yan Diomandé's emergence. However, the victory was not without controversy, as Sevilla were left furious with the officiating.
Rounding out the football action are a domestic transfer market stirred by Getafe's interest in Sergio Ramos, a struggling ***** nal's resilience in the Premier League, and Nico Paz's unstoppable form under Cesc Fàbregas in Italy.
Real Madrid delivered a commanding performance with a 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu, inspired by a stellar display from Arda Güler. José Mourinho's side showed a dramatic improvement in their fluidity to set up a comfortable win, sealed by a brilliant Kylian Mbappé brace and another standout goal from youngster Yan Diomandé, establishing the Turkish midfielder as a cornerstone of Madrid's midfield for the immediate future.
The defeat left the Sevilla camp deeply aggrieved, with outrage spreading from the dressing room to the press room and the club's official channels as they left Madrid's ground. Coach Luis García Plaza and players including Kike Salas and Juan Iglesias openly argued that Güler should have been sent off for a heavy challenge on Peque, directing their criticism squarely at the handling of VAR.
On the transfer front, Getafe once again grabbed the headlines after president Ángel Torres surprisingly confirmed in public that Sergio Ramos is among the club's potential signings. Having already secured Dani Carvajal—who is ready to make his debut immediately—the Coliseum club's board is seeking another historic, headline-grabbing coup in Spanish football by bolstering its defence with the veteran former Real Madrid centre-back.

#kylian

Real Madrid rediscovered their sparkle with an emphatic thrashing of Sevilla in a clash where Arda Güler took charge, as Madrid fans celebrated Kylian Mbappé's clinical finishing and Yan Diomandé's emergence. However, the victory was not without controversy, with Sevilla furious over the officiating.
The football roundup also features a domestic transfer market stirred by Getafe's ambitions to sign Sergio Ramos, a struggling ******* nal's resilience in the Premier League, and Nico Paz's unstoppable form under Cesc Fàbregas in Italy.
Real Madrid delivered an impressive performance with a 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu, inspired by a stellar display from Arda Güler. José Mourinho's side showed dramatically improved fluidity to secure a comfortable win, sealed by a brilliant Kylian Mbappé brace and another eye-catching goal from youngster Yan Diomandé, with the Turkish midfielder staking his claim as a cornerstone of Madrid's midfield in the immediate future.
The defeat left the Sevilla camp deeply frustrated as they departed Madrid's home ground, with outrage spreading from the dressing room to the press room and the club's official channels. Coach Luis García Plaza and players including Kike Salas and Juan Iglesias openly argued that Güler should have been sent off for a heavy challenge on Peque, directing their criticism squarely at the handling of VAR.
In transfer news, Getafe once again grabbed the headlines following a surprise admission from president Ángel Torres, who publicly confirmed that Sergio Ramos is on the club's list of potential signings. Having already secured Dani Carvajal—who is ready to make his debut immediately—the Coliseum club's board is seeking another historic, headline-grabbing coup in Spanish football by strengthening its defence with the veteran former Real Madrid centre-back.

#sevilla #arda

Real Madrid played some of their best football of the season to secure an important 4-1 victory over Sevilla in La Liga.
The performance was a confidence boost for Jose Mourinho's side ahead of El Clasico, with the manager's changes playing a particularly important role.
Yan Diomande has written his name into Real Madrid's history books, becoming the youngest player to score and provide an ******* ist in the same La Liga match for the club in the 21st century.
He achieved the milestone at 19 years and 338 days, surpassing Jude Bellingham's previous record of 20 years and 51 days.
The achievement highlights the impressive attacking talent Madrid have in Diomande, who continues to demonstrate his ability to influence matches in different ways.

#real #diomande #important

Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled at Real Madrid, and his career at the club could take another unwanted turn after Jose Mourinho overlooked the right-back for Sunday's victory over Sevilla.
Real Madrid secured an impressive 4-1 win against Sevilla, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice, Arda Guler finding the net, and Yan Diomande continuing his fine run.
However, Alexander-Arnold's absence from the starting XI for the second game stood out. He didn't even get minutes off the bench.
Mourinho opted to deploy midfielder Fede Valverde at right-back, leaving actual right-backs Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries on the bench.
The decision raises further questions about Alexander-Arnold's standing in Madrid.

#sevilla #trent

Real Madrid returned to winning ways in La Liga with a 4-1 home victory over neighbours Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
José Mourinho would not have been happy with Madrid's second-half display, but they had enough of a cushion thanks to Kylian Mbappé's penalty and goals from Alvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham in the opening period.
Sergio Camello pulled one back early in the second half, and Thibaut Courtois was a busy man for a period, but Mbappé made sure of the points in stoppage time.
Real suffered their first defeat of the campaign last Friday when they were beaten by Real Betis before they saw off Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.
Diego Moreira scored twice in three minutes as AC Milan came from two down to draw 2-2 at Lazio, who dropped points in Serie A for the first time this season.

#second #half

Real Madrid are all set to take on Rayo Vallecano in their fifth La Liga match of the 2026/27 season in a little over an hour at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having lost their previous league game to Real Betis, the Merengues will be eager to get things back on track and close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who are three points clear.
With kickoff not far away, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Rayo Vallecano.
And the biggest headline is that marquee summer signing Yan Diomande makes his first start for Real Madrid.
The €140 million arrival from RB Leipzig has been drip-fed minutes off the bench so far by the manager, but has been thrust into the team tonight, replacing Brahim Diaz on the right flank.

#madrid #take #betis

According to MARCA, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is eagerly awaiting the best version of Bernardo Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder, who arrived in the summer, is expected to become a key figure in a Real Madrid side that is still searching for greater control and creativity in midfield.
Tuesday's UEFA Champions League meeting with Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu highlighted what many see as the major weakness of Mourinho's new Real Madrid.
The lack of control in midfield turned the match into a chaotic contest, with the Merengues ultimately surviving thanks in large part to another outstanding performance from Thibaut Courtois.
While the forwards were guilty of wasting several opportunities, Real Madrid struggled to manage the game for long periods.

#madrid #midfield #bernardo

After coming back to Santiago Bernabeu with heaps of promise and an excellent loan spell at Lyon, Endrick's season hasn't really unfolded the way he was hoping for.
The Brazilian international's progress has been slowed by injuries and a lack of game-time. The fact that Real Madrid have landed on a brilliant deal by signing Carlos Espi doesn't help things either.
All of these factors have led to question marks over Endrick's future, with AS Roma credited with interest in the forward in the upcoming January transfer window.
According to English commentator Feargal Brennan (h/t Defensa Central), Jose Mourinho could reconsider his position on Endrick's future when the winter market opens.
Endrick's future at Real Madrid remains in doubt. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)

#carlos

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in what should be a manageable game and a decent opportunity for José Mourinho to make some rotations, as he admitted during the pre-match press conference.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Camavinga, Bernardo Silva; Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé.
Rayo Vallecano predicted XI: Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; Valentín, Bouaré; Tsitaishvili, Unai López, Álvaro García; Camello.
Camavinga, Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler will almost certainly feature in the starting lineup after being suspended for Real Madrid's match against Inter. Valverde could get some rest in this one.

#predicted #rayo #vallecano #bernardo

Real Madrid are back in domestic action on Saturday, as they prepare to host Rayo Vallecano in La Liga at the Bernabeu. Jose Mourinho's side are aiming to bounce back after their narrow defeat at the hands of Real Betis last weekend, and three points would take them level with arch rivals Barcelona, who are not in action until Sunday.
Real Madrid have been excellent at the Bernabeu so far this season, with three victories out of three and 10 goals scored. They will hope to build on the weekend win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, and they face an opponent in Rayo that have struggled to stop the goals from going in.
Rayo have conceded 10 goals in their opening four La Liga matches, with half of those coming in a 5-2 defeat to Barcelona. Los Franjirrojos are feeling the absence of starting goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, who is currently sidelined with a broken leg, which he sustained against Alaves last month. Dani Cardenas has failed to live up to the Argentine's standards, and if that continues to be the case at the Bernabeu, the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham will be licking their licks.
At the other end, Real Madrid must keep Sergio Camello quiet. The former Atletico Madrid striker has scored five goals in his last three matches, with two of those coming in the aforementioned defeat to Barcelona. However, Rayo will be without talented winger Jorge de Frutos, who was sent off against Racing de Santander last weekend.
It is no surprise that Real Madrid start as heavy favourites, and if they play to their best, they should dispatch Rayo will relatively ease. However, Mourinho will be making it very clear that they cannot take the Vallecas side for granted, as they are capable of causing problems in attack.

#bernabeu #goals

The brass at La Liga giants Real Madrid are ready to offer a significant salary increase to midfield standout Jude Bellingham. This comes as Florentino Pérez and co. prepare to ramp up efforts to tie the Englishman down for the long-term.
Bellingham is for his part of course fresh off a superb opening to the new campaign. After lighting up the World Cup with Thomas Tuchel's England, the former Borussia Dortmund man was quickly afforded a central berth in the setup of new Real Madrid boss José Mourinho.
And Bellingham has since responded with a string of fine performances, giving rise to four direct goal contributions in four La Liga appearances.
Widespread confirmation has in turn surfaced over recent days that the Bernabéu hierarchy are ready to afford their all-action engine room star a new contract.
And as alluded to above, on Friday, further insight into the situation has been provided. The info comes courtesy of Blancos journalist Jorge C Picon, who reports:

#bellingham #real #comes #jude

Real Madrid have published their squad list for Saturday's match against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST:
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, and Sergio Mestre.
Defenders: Asencio, Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Á. Carreras, Rüdiger, and Dumfries.
Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Arda Güler, Bernardo, and Thiago.
Forwards: Vini Jr., Endrick, Mbappé, C. Espí, Brahim, and Yan Diomande.
Asencio makes the list and will be available, with Bernardo Silva, Eduardo Camavinga and Arda Güler also back and expected to play. Mourinho could use this game to make some rotations and it could very well be Diomande's first start for Real Madrid.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA
Date: 09/12/2026

#liga #arda #bernardo

Real Madrid had a very active summer transfer window, bringing in as many as seven players and also bringing back Jose Mourinho as manager.
Now, with the transfer window firmly shut, Los Blancos have shifted their focus to renewals for players in the first-team squad.
It was revealed earlier that the club were planning renewal talks with Thibaut Courtois, with the veteran shot-stopper in the final year of his contract.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Belgium international is closing in on a new contract with Real Madrid, with an agreement between the goalkeeper and the club now almost complete.
The Belgian's current contractual situation made this an urgent matter for Madrid to address, but it looks like talks have progressed smoothly.

#madrid #jose

The last few days have been very productive for Real Madrid, both on and off the pitch. Jose Mourinho's side defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in their opening match of the 2026-27 Champions League, while there have also been major breakthroughs regarding new contracts for multiple key players.
In the last 24 hours, it was revealed that Arda Guler has committed to a new contract, with the Türkiye international set to extend his stay at the Bernabeu until 2032. Fellow midfielder Jude Bellingham is also in the process of agreeing a renewal, as Real Madrid bosses seek to tie down two players that are seen as the present and future of the first team.
Now, there is further good news for Real Madrid fans, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Thibaut Courtois has agreed to extend his stay at the Bernabeu. The veteran goalkeeper's current deal is due to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, although he has committed to remaining at the club for at least one more year.
Courtois has been a fantastic servant for Real Madrid over the last eight years. Having joined from Chelsea in the summer of 2018, the Belgian has already racked up 338 appearances across all competitions, and he should significantly add to this number by the time he leaves the club, whenever that may be.
Courtois has already spoken of his desire to retire at Real Madrid, and if he continues to perform at a very high level, there is a good chance that his wish is granted – especially given that the club has yet to secure a long-term replacement. The decision on this matter will come when the time is right, but for now, all that matters is the Belgian shot-stopper will remain at the Bernabeu until the summer of 2028 at the very least.

#bernabeu #club

Real Madrid have started the new season in excellent fashion, barring one small blip against Real Betis in La Liga.
Despite creating a truckload of chances against the Andalusian side, Los Blancos were unable to find a way past Alvaro Valles in Betis' goal.
Madrid's bright start to the season has to be attributed to the form of their superstars, including Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
The latter has picked up from where he left off for England at the 2026 World Cup, scoring goals and influencing games for Jose Mourinho's side.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have opened active negotiations with Jude over a new contract at the club.

#jude #liga

Real Madrid, fresh off the back of Tuesday's victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League, are back in La Liga action on Saturday, as Jose Mourinho's side host Rayo Vallecano in a local derby at the Bernabeu. However, it is not the only major sporting event in Madrid this weekend, with the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix taking place at the Madring circuit for the first time.
The city of Madrid has been eagerly awaiting this moment ever since it has announced that the Formula 1 would be switching from Barcelona to the Spanish capital. There is a lot of excitement, although Real Madrid themselves are far from enthused about the event, which will be taking place in close proximity to their Valdebebas training ground.
In the build-up to a match day, Real Madrid would ordinarily be training in front of the media, before Mourinho hosts his press conference at Valdebebas. However, this will not happen on Friday, with MD reporting that enforced changes have been made due to the Spanish Grand Prix taking place this weekend.
Real Madrid have already had to deal with noise from the Madring circuit as a result of testing being done in the lead-up to this weekend's Formula 1 Grand Prix, and they will have to withstand it again on Friday. However, the first 15 minutes of the session will be held behind closed doors, which is the first change that has been enforced upon the club.
The biggest change to the club's pre-matchday plans affects Mourinho. Rather than speaking to the media at Valdebebas, his press conference will now take place in the Bernabeu's press room, which is far from ideal for him and the journalists in attendance, although this adjustment has been considered necessary due to the fact that noise from the Madring circuit would have a major effect on the presser.

#formula #spanish #grand

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): 1 Courtois; 24 Dumfries, 16 Konaté, 4 Huijsen, 17 Cucurella; 12 Alexander-Arnold, 8 Valverde, 5 Bellingham; 21 Diaz, 10 Mbappé, 7 Vinicius.
Substitutes: 13 Lunin, 26 Sergio Mestre, 9 Endrick, 14 Tchouameni, 18 Carreras, 19 Carlos Espi, 22 Rudiger, 25 Diomandé, 27 Thiago Pitarch, 29 Jorge Cestero, 33 Mario Rivas.
Coach: José Mourinho.
INTER (3-5-2): 1 J. Martinez; 28 Pavard, 31 Bisseck, 95 Bastoni; 17 Diouf, 23 Barella, 20 Calhanoglu, 21 Jones, 30 Carlos Augusto; 9 Thuram, 10 Lautaro.

#konat #huijsen

Former Inter defender Marco Materazzi feels José Mourinho wouldn't have subbed Rasmus Hojlund off, as Massimiliano Allegri did against Inter last weekend, but Federico Dimarco's absence will be 'significant' at the Bernabéu tonight.
Inter and Mourinho reunite at the Bernabéu tonight in the opening round of the 2026-27 Champions League, at the same venue where the Special One lifted the Champions League as the Nerazzurri coach in 2010.
Materazzi built a strong bond with Mourinho during the Portuguese's two-year spell at San Siro and recently met the Special One in Italy: "José took a plane specifically to record that footage, and he told me again: 'You and John Terry, the most important centre-backs of my career'," Materazzi told Gazzetta.
The former Italy defender, a 2006 Italy World Cup winner, is certainly not surprised that Real Madrid hired Mou last summer.
"No, because I know the relationship he has with Florentino, how much he trusts José," he said.

#Inter #mourinho #league #defender

How to watch Champions League: Live streams, TV channels and latest fixtures for 2026/27 season schedule originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The return of the UEFA Champions League has fans anticipating a thrilling competition from start to finish, as the most prestigious knockout soccer tournament in the world soldiers on seeking to crown a new champion for the 2026/27 season.
Two-time defending ***** le-holders Paris Saint-Germain are now looking to become just the third club ever to win three consecutive European championships.
They will look to hold off last year's finalists ***** nal as well as fellow Premier League giants Man City and Liverpool. Other top contenders include Real Madrid helmed by Champions League icon Jose Mourinho, their Clasico rivals Barcelona, German giants Bayern Munich, and many other massive European brands.
All roads lead to the final on June 5, 2027 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

#live

After seven years away, Roma are back in the Champions League. Gian Piero Gasperini's Giallorossi are ready to test themselves against some of Europe's best teams, including Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester United. In short, their return could hardly be more exciting!
Their opener is set for Thursday, 10 September, away at Fenerbahce. A strong start will be important, especially with the Galacticos of José Mourinho coming to the Olimpico on matchday 2. It will be a special night, as it will mark the first time the Giallorossi faithful welcome back the Portuguese coach since his departure in January 2024.
MATCHDAY 1 (10 September 2026, 18:45): Fenerbahce-Roma
MATCHDAY 2 (14 October 2026, 21:00): Roma-Real Madrid
MATCHDAY 3 (20 October 2026, 21:00): Roma-Slovan Bratislava

#roma #real #madrid #away

Inter are ready to take center stage in the Champions League once again. After the League Phase draw, the Nerazzurri discovered their path in Europe's top competition, which has already thrown up at least a couple of thrilling matchups!
The Italian champions are heading back to the Bernabeu, the stadium where in May 2010 captain Zanetti and his teammates lifted the third Champions League ******* le in the Nerazzurri's history, 45 years after their second. Back then, José Mourinho was in charge of Inter, but this time he will be on the other side, in the Real dugout.
But Chivu's team will also face two tough games against Liverpool and Dortmund, which will in all likelihood play a major role in their chances of direct qualification.
Matchday 1 (September 8, 2026, 9:00 PM): Real Madrid vs Inter.
Matchday 2 (October 13, 2026, 9:00 PM): Inter vs Club Brugge.

#Inter #league #real #phase

According to the latest predictions from the Opta Super Computer, Inter are looking at a potential quarter-final finish in the 2026-27 Champions League and Roma, Napoli and Como are expected to make it through the league phase. Take a look at the latest predictions below!
The 2026-27 Champions League campaign gets underway on Tuesday evening, including a blockbuster clash between Jose Mourinho and his 15-time winners Real Madrid and the reigning Serie A and Coppa Italia champions Inter.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Lautaro Martinez of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
According to the latest predictions from the Opta ******* yst, which has simulated the 2026-27 Champions League 10,000 times, Inter are the strongest of the Italian sides in the competition and are currently projected to finish among the top eight or nine sides in the competition.
For reference, last season's Opta Predictions had Liverpool as the overall favourites to win the 2025-26 Champions League. Actual victors Paris Saint-Germain were the third-favourites and runners-up ******* nal were correctly predicted as the second-most likely side to win it.

#league #latest

Where to watch Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan live stream, TV channel, start time for Champions League match originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Arguably the pick of the opening games of this season's UEFA Champions League league phase sees Real Madrid host Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos saw a promising start to the new campaign come to a juddering halt at the weekend as they suffered a 1-0 loss to Real Betis that means they already trail champions Barcelona by three points in the La Liga standings.
Their quest for a record-extending 16th European crown begins against Inter, the old club of head coach Jose Mourinho, who have won three games from three to start the Serie A season. The most recent saw them battle back from 2-0 down to defeat Napoli 3-2 at San Siro.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.

#sporting #start #madrid

The Champions League is back this week as Europe's elite begin their pursuit of club football's biggest prize.
Matchday one brings blockbuster reunions, unwanted records and plenty of questions for some of the continent's biggest clubs.Jose Mourinho faces former side Inter Milan with history in his sights, while Antonio Conte will hope to finally translate his domestic success onto the European stage.
Elsewhere,Barcelona must address familiar defensive concerns and Manchester United will celebrate a major milestone on their return to the competition.
Here are five things to watch on Champions League Matchday One.
The biggest fixture of matchday one seesReal Madrid host Inter Milan at the Bernabeu. Two of Europe's biggest names go head-to-head on opening night, as Jose Mourinho welcomes his former team to the Spanish capital.

#biggest #matchday #league #head

There are few more fitting opponents for Jose Mourinho's return to the Champions League as Real Madrid boss than Inter Milan.
Sixteen years ago, Mourinho stood in the Santiago Bernabeu and lifted the trophy after leading Inter to a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the 2010 final.
It was his second Champions League triumph, after Porto in 2004, and the final match of his Inter reign.
Days later, he was appointed Real Madrid manager for his first spell at the club.
Now, after an absence of more than a decade, Mourinho is back in the Bernabeu dugout and Inter are the visitors on Tuesday (20:00 BST).

#jose

Real Madrid kicks off its Champions League campaign against Inter Milan on Tuesday, with new coach Jose Mourinho aiming to win the trophy for a third time.
Mourinho is back at Madrid for a second spell after last managing the club in from 2010-13.
He won a league ****** le and the Spanish cup during that time, but not the Champions League. Since then Madrid has gone on to dominate European club soccer's biggest trophy, winning it six more times and extending its record to 15 ****** les.
And while another Champions League would see Mourinho join Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane and Bob Paisley on three wins, he doesn't feel the need to make up for the fact that he was unable to lift the trophy when he was last at Madrid.
"I finished my work here in 2013. We won what we won, and we lost what we lost. We gave everything, but it's a closed chapter," Mourinho said. "This has nothing to do with the past — absolutely nothing. These are two different moments in Real Madrid's history.

#madrid #mourinho

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho will make changes to his starting XI and host a familiar foe, one of his former clubs, in the Champions League on Tuesday night in Inter Milan.
The Italians were the last club Mourinho won the Champions League with in 2010, as an impressive treble convinced Florentino Perez to bring him to the Spanish capital and try and break up FC Barcelona dominance.
Mourinho is charged with completing the same task a decade-and-a-half later, as Madrid have finished the last two seasons trophyless while Barca mopped up five out of the six domestic pieces of silverware on offer.
And while he did it to some extent in 2012 by stopping Pep Guardiola from doing four in a row in La Liga, there were questions about his reign given a lack of glory in the Champions League.
Bringing a 16th big-eared crown to the Bernabeu would forgive whatever the Catalans are doing domestically, and the road to such a possibility begins here in the league phase.

#mourinho #Inter