Sports

Mourinho Faces Champions League Opener Against Inter Without Guler and Bernardo Silva

By Magdy Obaid

Real Madrid begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday evening with a high-profile home fixture against Inter Milan, just days after a league loss to Real Betis. The match presents a significant challenge for Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho, who will be without two key players for his first European test of the season.

According to Antonio Romero on Cadena SER's "El Larguero" program, Real Madrid will be missing Turkish midfielder Arda Guler and Portuguese player Bernardo Silva, both suspended for the match. Their absence forces Mourinho to make significant adjustments to his midfield, as both players have been among his most trusted performers this season.

Romero suggested that England international Jude Bellingham is likely to shift into a deeper midfield role to cover the gap. "It's natural for Bellingham to drop back a little," Romero said, emphasizing the importance of the occasion. "It's a very important match, it's the team's first appearance in the Champions League, which is the ultimate goal for the big clubs in Europe. In the Champions League, there's no room for experimentation."

Other options remain available to Mourinho, including deploying new signing Sergio Martinez or repositioning Alexander-Arnold into midfield. However, Bellingham remains the preferred choice despite recent signs of fatigue. "He is at peak physical fitness," Romero noted. "He looked a little tired in the last match, and that is natural because he puts in a great deal of effort for Mbappe, Vinicius and all his teammates."

Inter Milan arrive in confident form, having won all three of their Serie A matches this season. Analyst Bruno Alimani highlighted that Inter are "one of only two teams in Italy to have won all three of their matches," crediting a strong core of players including Bastoni, Barella, Lautaro Martinez and Calhanoglu, who have helped the club reach two finals in the past four years. A recent victory over Napoli has further boosted morale within the squad.

Despite Inter's strong start, analyst Alemany pointed to potential weaknesses in their defense. "I think their level has dropped slightly, especially in goalkeeping and defence," he said, noting that former goalkeeper Yann Sommer has departed, leaving Josep Martinez, who is not considered the first-choice keeper for a Champions League-caliber team.

Alemany also raised concerns about Inter's backline, which includes defenders Akanji and Stones, both of whom left Manchester City under difficult circumstances. However, he acknowledged the strength of Inter's attack, particularly striker Lautaro Martinez, who scored twice in their last match. "They are coming off a thrilling win over Napoli, which means they will be in high spirits," Alemany added.