Jude Bellingham Reflects on Real Madrid's Narrow Victory Over Inter Milan

Jude Bellingham walked off the pitch at the end of Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Inter Milan knowing the scoreline told only half the story.

The points were in the bag. The performance, he felt, was not.

“We struggled at times against a very strong team,” the England midfielder admitted, speaking after Madrid opened their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought victory. “They are deserving Italian champions, and there were moments when we made them suffer, especially on the counter-attacks, when we were passing the ball well.”

That contrast defined Madrid’s night: bursts of slick, ruthless transition play, followed by spells where Inter’s pressure bit hard and the Spanish giants wobbled.

Missed chances and a familiar pattern

Bellingham saw a repeat of an old problem. The wastefulness that had crept in against Real Betis at the weekend resurfaced on Europe’s biggest stage.

“Something similar happened against Real Betis at the end of last week, when we failed to take our chances,” he said. The sense of déjà vu was clear. Madrid opened Inter up often enough to kill the game, but left the door ajar.

“We could have finished the match with an easier scoreline,” he continued. “We had chances, myself included, but in the Champions League there are bound to be difficult moments.”

Those difficult moments arrived late, with Inter pushing and Madrid hanging on to a one-goal lead that should have been far more comfortable.

Defence holds, Courtois shines

If the attack left work undone, the back line and goalkeeper picked it up.

“We conceded only one goal, and the defenders were excellent, but big teams find gaps in our defence,” Bellingham said. “And Courtois was brilliant. Not everything was bad, but there is still room for improvement. The most important thing is the three points.”

That balance summed up Madrid’s night: a team good enough to beat the Italian champions, yet still short of the ruthless control they demand of themselves.

Bellingham’s frustration in front of goal

Bellingham’s own evening mirrored the team’s. Full of intent, rich in involvement, but missing the final touch.

“I thought I was going to score,” he admitted. “The first time, the goalkeeper suddenly appeared. The ball reached me and I said to myself: ‘It’s a goal.’ But he cleared it suddenly.”

The second chance hurt as well.

“The second time, I saw the ball a little late, and there were players in the middle, I tried to control it and struck it well. But once again, the goalkeeper saved it superbly.”

Two moments, two big saves, and a midfielder walking off with relief and irritation in equal measure.

“It’s frustrating, because it would have made things easier for us if I had scored, but it’s part of the game,” Bellingham concluded. “On another day, these shots will go in.”

Madrid have their first three points in the group. The question now is whether those “other days” arrive soon enough for a club that measures its season not in wins like this, but in the trophies they lead to.