Preview: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Sixteen years after inspiring Inter Milan to Champions League glory, Jose Mourinho's mission to lead Real Madrid to European Cup number 16 commences on Tuesday, when the Nerazzurri visit the Bernabeu in the league phase.

Neither continental colossus lived up to expectations in the 2025-26 tournament, in which Real were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, after Inter's shock playoff exit to Bodo/Glimt.

Match preview

The Special One, in the special tournament, seeking another special moment - one that could rival both Inter's momentous 2010 success under his wing or the astonishing Anatoliy Trubin goalkeeper goal for Benfica against Mourinho's current club just a matter of months ago.

The Portuguese's 2025-26 Champions League run eventually ended at the hands of Real Madrid in the knockout round playoffs, but the record-extending 16th UCL crown still eluded Los Blancos, who have fallen at the last eight stage two years running.

Losing their status as Europe's top dogs to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid's run to the latter phase of the competition will not be a cakewalk; Arsenal, RB Leipzig, Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk - at Mourinho's former home Stamford Bridge - all lie in wait in the league phase too.

However, fast starts in Europe are Los Blancos' forte, as the hosts have won 17 of their last 19 matchday one fixtures in the Champions League, including each of their last five since a 3-2 loss against none other than Shakhtar in 2020.

Mourinho's men also kicked off their La Liga season with three straight wins against Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Malaga, but ongoing fragilities were exposed in Friday's 1-0 loss to Real Betis, in which Kylian Mbappe's penalty miss capped off a "selfish" performance from Real's top scorer.

Despite closer than Real Madrid to lifting Europe's premier prize since Los Blancos' 2024 coronation, Inter have been yet to replicate their 2010 triumph, collecting two pairs of runners-up medals in the last four tournaments.

While the Nerazzurri could head home from their 1-0 loss to Manchester City in 2023 with heads held high, two differing humiliations followed; the 5-0 embarrassment to PSG in 2025 and giant killing at the hands of Bodo/Glimt last season.

Head coach Cristian Chivu was at the helm for that embarrassing 5-2 aggregate loss to the Norwegian upstarts, but the Romanian's players dazzled domestically, taking home a Serie A and Coppa Italia double for the first time since the famed Mourinho 2009-10 season.

The visitors have shown few signs of weakness in their title defence thus far too, taking nine points from nine against Monza, Cagliari and Napoli, albeit while needing an injury-time Lautaro Martinez winner to seal a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against the latter.

However, Inter are still searching for their first win over Real Madrid in the current millennium, having lost four in a row - including their last three without scoring - to Los Blancos since a 3-1 triumph in late 1998.

Real Madrid form (all competitions):

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

Team News

A new season does not mean a clean slate on the suspension front, and Real Madrid are without no fewer than three players due to bans carried over from last season; Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva.

To make midfield matters worse, Aurelien Tchouameni is a major doubt due to muscular discomfort, so Jude Bellingham may drop deeper to join Federico Valverde in the double pivot.

Eder Militao (hamstring), Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hamstring) and Thiago Pitarch (knee) are also absent, while Raul Asencio (tibia), Endrick (muscle) and Marc Cucurella (calf) will need checking over.

On the other hand, Inter boast a clean bill of health barring new recruit Djed Spence, who is still building his fitness back up after an unspecified injury and may not be risked just yet.

Chivu's substitutes changed the game against Napoli, including Curtis Jones, who was heralded by the Italian media as Chivu faces calls to bring the ex-Liverpool man into the XI at Petar Sucic's expense.

Marcus Thuram may also be rewarded for his equaliser against Napoli with a start over Pio Esposito, while Hakan Calhanoglu ought to have his eye on Piotr Zielinski's midfield spot.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Bellingham, Valverde; Diomande, Diaz, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Bastoni, Bisseck, Akanji; Diouf, Barella, Jones, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

We say: Real Madrid 2-2 Inter Milan

Inter have failed to win their last 13 away games against Spanish teams - last triumphing over Valencia in the 2004-05 group stage - but Chivu's men should sense a golden opportunity against a depleted Real Madrid midfield.

The Nerazzurri's backline is not as watertight as previous Inter iterations, though, so Mourinho's stacked attack can fire back just as powerfully in a blockbuster Bernabeu draw.

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