Jose Mourinho Sends Champions League Warning to PSG, Arsenal Ahead of Real Madrid’s Opening Game
- Jose Mourinho declared his ambition to win the Champions League with Real Madrid ahead of Tuesday's opener against Inter Milan
- The Portuguese manager returned to Real Madrid in June 2025 for a second stint, having previously managed the club from 2010 to 2013
- Real Madrid have gone two seasons without a major trophy, a run that has coincided with Kylian Mbappe's arrival at the club
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Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has publicly declared his desire to win the UEFA Champions League during his second stint at the club, ahead of Tuesday's Group Stage opener against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Mourinho, who returned to the Spanish capital in June 2025, was speaking at his pre-match press conference when he addressed questions about unfinished business from his first spell in charge, which ran from 2010 to 2013.
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During that earlier period, he guided the club to one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey, and one Supercopa de España but could not deliver the European trophy the club craved, with three semifinal exits his closest attempts.
Mourinho separates past from present
Mourinho was insistent that his current role carries its own distinct purpose and should not be viewed as an attempt to settle old scores, Livescore reports.
“I’m here also because I want to win the Champions League with Real Madrid. Of course I want”.
"No, it is two different spells. When I left in 2013, we won what we won and lost what we lost, and we gave it our all. And that was that. What I need to do now has nothing to do with the past," he said.
The 62-year-old went on to explain his thinking about Tuesday's fixture and the broader European competition, framing the group-stage match as a contest that carries no knockout implications at this point.
"I think I'm the coach of Real Madrid and that tomorrow we play a match that doesn't decide anything and is not a knockout round. Both we and Inter are going to qualify. I see that there may be a possibility that we will face each other when things get more serious," he added.
Mourinho's Champions League ambition acknowledged
Despite downplaying pressure linked to his previous spell, Mourinho openly confirmed that lifting the Champions League remains a core objective of his return, The Independent reports.
"If you ask me if I have the illusion of winning the Champions League with Madrid, obviously yes, but separate from the context of what happened in previous years," he said.
Real Madrid, 15-time European champions, last won the competition in 2024 and have since gone two full seasons without a major trophy.
That trophy drought has overlapped with Kylian Mbappe's arrival at the club, raising expectations that the squad has the quality to compete at the highest level once again.
Mourinho also acknowledged the weight of memories tied to the Bernabéu, noting both his best and worst moments in football have occurred in that stadium, but said those recollections do not affect how he approaches the job today.
Supercomputer predicts Champions League winner
In a related development, Legit.ng reported about the Opta supercomputer's predictions for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League season, revealing Arsenal as the frontrunner ahead of Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
As the competition kicks off, the stakes are high for teams like PSG and Real Madrid, seeking redemption after underwhelming starts this season.
Source: Legit.ng
