Mourinho: Inter is a very strong team, but I'm surprised they haven't won the Champions League

In an interview with Sky Sports, Mourinho stated that Inter is a very strong team, but he was surprised that they haven't won the Champions League in recent years.

Ahead of the highly anticipated match between Real Madrid and Internazionale, Mourinho was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated figures. The renowned coach, who once achieved historic success with Inter, will now face them as an opponent. He sat down for an interview with Sky after the pre-match press conference.

Reporter: You won the Champions League with Inter at the Bernabéu, but this time you're returning as an opponent. How do you feel about that?

Mourinho said: "This is my stadium now. Aside from that, because I've been working for Real Madrid since 2010, this has always been an iconic venue. Every match is important, but there are eight in total, and I hope to face Inter again after this one."

About this Inter team

Reporter: What do you think of this Inter team?

Mourinho said: "This is a very strong team. Over the past six years, from Conte to Inzaghi to Chivu, they've maintained the same style of play, tactical system, and player profiles. They can execute it perfectly, with strong maturity, quality, and physicality. The only thing that surprises me is that they haven't won the Champions League during this period."

About Chivu

Reporter: Are you surprised by how quickly Chivu has matured in his role?

Mourinho said: "It's hard to say. When they were players, their focus was on playing football. I had considerable contact with him when he was coaching the youth team—he came to Rome many times, and we spent time together. I can feel his passion; it's something he truly loves. I rarely see former players who become coaches and still have such empathy for this challenging job. I know Cristian really wants to succeed at this, and I hope to have a good conversation with him."

About Bellingham

Reporter: Bellingham's start reminds me of your early days at Real Madrid. Is positioning also key to integrating all your top players into the system?

Mourinho said: "It's important for players to feel comfortable, and I think their ideas matter as much as mine. Sometimes you have to help them understand that for the team's benefit, they need to do something different from their personal preferences, but the key is that everyone is in the right position."

Mbappé vs Lautaro

Reporter: What do you think of the matchup between Mbappé and Lautaro?

Mourinho said: "Mbappé and Lautaro are different players, but both are extremely important to their respective teams. Even if we had three players suspended tomorrow, it would still be 11 against 11 on the pitch."

When asked about the midfield selection, Mourinho joked: "It's difficult, very difficult. I think whoever arranged the schedule is probably Italian..."

What's different about the second stint?

Reporter: Do you feel any different in your second spell as Real Madrid manager?

Mourinho said: "I'm still the same person, just a little calmer."

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