Real Madrid vs Inter Milan; can Madrid overcome their midfield crisis?

Real Madrid host Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, as both European giants begin their Champions League campaigns.

Real Madrid face familiar pressure: at the club, winning the Champions League is not ambition, it is expectation.

José Mourinho's side enter the tie with a strong historical advantage, having won their last four matches against Inter and not conceded in the previous three meetings.

Mourinho said: "The team worked incredibly hard. I have no complaints about any player. I really liked my team's performance, and individually I have absolutely no complaints."

Inter Milan arrive with their own history in the competition.

Winners in 2010, the Nerazzurri have reached two finals since, in 2023 and 2025, including a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in 2025.

Since then, Inter have rebuilt, signing Premier League players such as John Stones, Djed Spence and Curtis Jones.

Inter, however, arrive in elite form, unbeaten in 15 straight games and scoring in every match since March.

Real Madrid have won five of their last six, while Inter have won four and drawn two in the same period.

Madrid also won the last meeting between the sides, 2-0 at the Bernabéu in 2021.

Inter's Serie A form has been encouraging, with three straight wins and a 3-2 comeback victory against Napoli this past Saturday.

After going 2-0 down, Lautaro Martínez scored twice to inspire the fightback, including a 90th-minute winner after a Marcus Thuram equaliser.

José Mourinho will face one of his former players, Cristian Chivu, now the Inter manager.

Chivu was part of Inter Milan's 2010 Champions League-winning squad, a reunion in the same stadium where they lifted the trophy together.

Real Madrid's preparation has been less smooth.

Mourinho's side suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Real Betis last Friday, with Kylian Mbappé missing a penalty and having a goal ruled out.

Mourinho urged calm after the match, saying the Champions League opener offers the perfect chance to bounce back.

He defended his players' effort, saying: "The team worked incredibly hard. I have no complaints about any player. I really liked my team's performance, and individually I have absolutely no complaints."

Madrid's biggest concern is a severe midfield crisis.

Mourinho has only one natural midfielder available for this match, Federico Valverde.

Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler and Eduardo Camavinga are suspended, while Aurélien Tchouaméni is injured.

This leaves Madrid with a threadbare core, forcing Mourinho to consider using Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield alongside Valverde and Jude Bellingham in a 4-3-3.

The squad is thin, particularly in central areas, and Madrid may need to improvise to maintain control.

Inter, by contrast, travel with a clean bill of health and a full squad available, except for Djed Spence, who is recovering from a calf injury.

Chivu can choose from all his key players, giving Inter stability and tactical flexibility heading into the tie.

Despite the setback against Betis, Mourinho emphasised unity within the squad.

Mourinho said: "When a player steps up to take the penalty, we are all in it together. We are all in it together."

This match pits two clubs with rich European pedigree, contrasting form, and very different squad availability against each other.

Real Madrid must respond after their first setback of the season, while Inter can seize this opportunity to prove their rebuild has restored them as genuine Champions League contenders.

Predicted Starting 11s:

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Thibaut Courtois, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Amadou Diomande, Brahim Díaz, Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé.

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Lautaro Martínez, Francesco Pio Esposito, Federico Dimarco, Petar Sučić, Piotr Zieliński, Nicolò Barella, Andy Diouf, Alessandro Bastoni, Manuel Akanji, Yann Bisseck, Lautaro Martínez.