- Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in their opening Champions League league phase fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu, punishing two costly defensive mistakes from the visitors.
- Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde scored for the hosts following Inter errors, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a series of crucial saves to safeguard the win against an Inter side that controlled much of the possession.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold was deployed in an unfamiliar midfield position alongside right-back Denzel Dumfries due to suspensions for Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler, and Bernardo Silva.
- Manager Jose Mourinho commended Alexander-Arnold for his tactical discipline and maximum effort in midfield, but maintained that the England international's long-term strengths lie exclusively at full-back as he stated “he is not a midfielder”.
- Alexander-Arnold was substituted late in the second half for Aurelien Tchouameni and is expected to return to competing for his regular right-back slot ahead of Real Madrid's fixture against Rayo Vallecano.
IN FULL
Jose Mourinho gives blunt review of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s midfield performance for Real Madrid
