Mourinho: Alexander-Arnold Is Not a Midfielder, He Belongs at Right-Back

Mourinho does not believe Alexander-Arnold is a midfielder, even though he started the English right-back in midfield during Real Madrid's 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan.

A victory decided by opponents' mistakes

Real Madrid took advantage of two costly Inter Milan mistakes, with Mbappe and Valverde scoring respectively, while goalkeeper Courtois repeatedly denied the visitors' attacks at the Bernabeu. Alexander-Arnold has shared playing time this season with summer signing Dumfries. Both started this match, with Dumfries playing at right-back and Alexander-Arnold deployed in midfield. The 27-year-old had a quiet performance and was replaced by Tchouameni in the latter part of the second half.

Mourinho Appreciates the Effort but Rejects a Long-Term Role Change

Mourinho acknowledged Alexander-Arnold's effort but suggested that playing him in midfield is not a long-term solution. “I thank Alexander-Arnold for the effort he made to play in a position that does not belong to him,” Mourinho said. “It is clear that his qualities are made for the full-back position, not midfield. He has played in midfield for England and Liverpool... but he is not a midfielder.”

Mourinho added: “He played well. His understanding of the tactical demands was very good. He and Valverde both performed exceptionally well at this level of competition.” Mourinho also mentioned that Alexander-Arnold lost possession a few times because playing in midfield is different from playing at right-back, with completely different levels of physical confrontation.

Courtois Becomes Real Madrid's True Guardian

Inter Milan had more than 64% possession and controlled the game at times, but two defensive mistakes proved costly. Courtois made several saves throughout the match to help Real Madrid preserve the narrow victory. Real Madrid's opening goal came from Mbappe's pressing, which forced Bisseck into a mistake. Brahim Diaz collected the ball and provided the assist, allowing Mbappe to finish underneath the goalkeeper. Courtois then saved a powerful free kick from Calhanoglu, while Inter goalkeeper Martinez made a mistake when trying to dribble past Valverde inside the penalty area, allowing Valverde to score with a direct poke finish.

Bellingham missed a close-range opportunity before halftime, and Inter Milan continued to apply pressure in the second half. Carlos Augusto scored in the 76th minute from Lautaro Martinez's low cross, but Real Madrid held on for the win. After the match, Valverde told Spain's Movistar Plus: “I think we played very well in the first half, but I should not be today's MVP. Courtois deserves it. He saved us with an extraordinary performance.”

Alexander-Arnold played as a midfielder in this match because Camavinga, Guler and Bernardo Silva were suspended. He is expected to compete with Dumfries again for the starting right-back position when Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.