Jose Mourinho's quest to secure a 16th European Cup for Real Madrid begins on Tuesday as they host Inter Milan at the Bernabeu, revisiting memories from his time leading Inter to Champions League success sixteen years ago. Both teams underperformed in the 2025-26 tournament, with Real Madrid falling to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, while Inter faced an unexpected exit in the playoffs against Bodo/Glimt. Mourinho aims for another memorable achievement in this prestigious competition, hoping to match the remarkable 2010 triumph he achieved with Inter or the surprising goal scored by Benfica's Anatoliy Trubin against his current side earlier this year. Real Madrid's Champions League journey last season ended in the knockout round playoffs against the same team they are now set to face. Despite their ongoing pursuit of a record-extending 16th title, Los Blancos have been eliminated in the quarter-finals for two consecutive years. With Paris Saint-Germain now holding the title of Europe's elite, Real Madrid's path through this year's competition will be challenging, facing formidable opponents like Arsenal, RB Leipzig, Roma, and Shakhtar Donetsk in the league phase. However, Real Madrid has a strong track record in European competitions, having won 17 of their last 19 opening matches in the Champions League, including their last five, following a defeat to Shakhtar in 2020. Mourinho's squad started their La Liga campaign with three consecutive victories over Espanyol, Real Sociedad, and Malaga, but revealed vulnerabilities in a recent 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, where Kylian Mbappe notably missed a penalty, reflecting a less than ideal performance. While Inter Milan have come close to recapturing their 2010 glory, they have not yet succeeded, having finished as runners-up twice in the last four tournaments.