"Hopefully the 16th will come. We're ready for that. It's our competition. We haven't done well in it for the last two years. Our first objective is to finish among the top eight. We're always excited about the Champions League. This season will be different from the last two Champions League campaigns and we're going to win it," Vinícius Júnior said in an interview with goal.com. The line is the story. Real Madrid begin their league-phase campaign against Inter at the Santiago Bernabeu, and their forward has put a public title claim on it before a ball is kicked.
Madrid’s title claim and the record behind it
Real Madrid have won the trophy a record 15 times, but the last two campaigns have not gone how they wanted, with quarter-final exits on both occasions. Vinicius did not hide from that part of the record. He also spoke about the club's standards after last season's run left them ninth in the 2025 UEFA Champions League table with 15 points from eight matches, while their form was 5 wins, 0 draws and 3 losses.
His own numbers help explain why he sounded so sure. Vinicius has one goal and two assists in four appearances so far this campaign, and Real Madrid have won three of their last five matches. He called the season start brilliant despite the defeat to Real Betis in their most recent outing, which is enough to keep the conversation grounded even with the title talk running high.
Inter and the problem Real Madrid know
Vinicius' warning about Inter was more tactical than theatrical. He described them as a very physically strong team and pointed to their five-at-the-back shape, saying that usually causes Real Madrid difficulties. That is the part of the quote that will interest Carlo Ancelotti's staff most, because it frames the opener as a test of how Madrid deal with compact defending as much as a test of their attacking talent.
The warning is not empty. Inter finished 10th in the 2025 UEFA Champions League table with 15 points from eight matches, so they arrived close enough to Madrid's level to make the matchup feel serious rather than ceremonial. Vinicius has also won all four of his previous Champions League meetings against Inter, contributing one assist, and that gives him a personal record of comfort against a side he still expects to make life awkward at the Bernabeu.
The bigger point is simple enough. Vinicius is not speaking like a player keeping his powder dry for later. He is talking about the 16th title, about top-eight qualification first, and about Inter as the kind of opponent that can make the night messy if Madrid are not sharp enough. Real Madrid open their league-phase campaign against Inter at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
