While Mourinho secured both La Liga and Copa del Rey titles during his initial stint in Madrid, the Champions League trophy remained elusive. Since his departure, the club has enjoyed a period of unprecedented European success, lifting the trophy six additional times to bring their total record to 15 titles. Mourinho now aims to join an elite group of managers—including Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane, and Bob Paisley—who have claimed the prestigious title three times.
Mourinho Focuses on Future Challenges
Addressing the media ahead of the opening fixture, Mourinho insisted that his current mission is entirely independent of his previous time at the Bernabeu. He described his first spell as a closed chapter, noting that the club's trajectory has shifted significantly since 2013. He highlighted that when he first arrived in 2010, the team had struggled to progress past the quarterfinals for several years, whereas the current squad enters the competition as a dominant force in
The manager emphasized that his desire to win the tournament remains strong, but it is not driven by a need to rectify past results. Facing his former club, Inter Milan—the team he guided to Champions League glory in 2010—Mourinho maintained that his focus is strictly on the present. Having also won the competition with Porto in 2004, he remains determined to add another title to his resume regardless of his history with the opposition.
Opening Round Action Across Europe
The Champions League returns with a busy schedule on Tuesday, featuring five additional matches alongside the Madrid-Inter encounter. Manchester City faces a trip to Portugal to take on Porto, while Borussia Dortmund is set to host Villarreal. Elsewhere, Club Brugge welcomes Aston Villa, AEK Athens plays host to LASK, and Lille prepares to face Real Betis.
The opening round continues on Wednesday, with two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain beginning their title defense at home against Slovan Bratislava.
