Mourinho says Real players will understand his criticism after Inter test

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho says his players will understand the meaning of his criticism after Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Inter.

Mourinho made the comments before Real Madrid begin their Champions League campaign at home against the Italian side. The match comes after he described his players as “naive” following their defeat by Real Betis.

The Portuguese coach had criticised the way his team dealt with refereeing decisions during that match. Mourinho said Real Madrid’s players had failed to demand certain decisions from the referee, unlike their opponents.

Ahead of the meeting with Inter, Mourinho was asked about those remarks and offered a further explanation of what he had intended to say.

“Tomorrow you will understand very well what I meant,” he said.

His comments place the focus on the reaction of Real Madrid’s players in their first Champions League fixture. Mourinho’s original criticism centred not only on the result against Real Betis, but also on the difference he perceived in how the two teams responded to decisions during the game.

The defeat prompted him to question the attitude of his own players, whom he considered too inexperienced or unsophisticated in their approach to such moments. In contrast, he believed the opposition had been more persistent in seeking decisions from the referee.

Mourinho has now indicated that the match against Inter will make his point clearer. He did not provide any further detail in the comments reported before the European campaign begins, leaving his players’ conduct during Tuesday’s game to illustrate what he meant.

Real Madrid will have home advantage for the fixture, with Inter the visitors. It will be the first Champions League match of the campaign for Mourinho’s side and the immediate opportunity for the team to respond following the setback against Real Betis.

The manager’s words ensure that attention will be directed not only towards the result, but also towards the way Real Madrid approach decisions during the match. Mourinho’s assessment of his players after the Betis defeat has already created a clear measure against which their performance can be judged.

His message was brief, but direct: the explanation would become apparent once Real Madrid faced Inter.