Real Madrid News
Fabio Capello names Real Madrid ‘the team to beat’ after Mourinho’s early impact
Real Madrid will face a demanding and highly intriguing Champions League league phase in 2026/27, with Jose Mourinho set to come up against several familiar opponents from his managerial past.
The Spanish giants, once again among the favourites to win Europe’s biggest club competition, have been handed a varied set of opponents following the draw.
Mourinho’s most eye-catching reunion will come against Inter Milan, the club he guided to Champions League glory during his spell in Italy.
Inter will visit the Santiago Bernabéu, while Real Madrid will also travel to face Arsenal in another heavyweight fixture from Pot 1.
Fabio Capello’s verdict
The draw has already drawn praise from former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello, who believes Mourinho has transformed the team after taking charge.
“The clash between Inter and José Mourinho’s Real Madrid will be particularly fascinating; they have impressed me so far this season.
“Compared to last year, it seems to me that Mourinho has already sorted out the problems: now the Whites are playing as a team, and the immense quality of Vinicius, Mbappe, Bellingham and the rest is really coming to the fore.
“If he stays at the helm, Madrid will be the team to beat,” the Italian admitted in his column in La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t AS).
Real Madrid’s Champions League league-phase draw
Real Madrid entered the draw as a Pot 1 team alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Their two opponents from that group are Inter Milan at home and Arsenal away.
From Pot 2, Mourinho’s side will host PSV before travelling to Italy to face AS Roma, a match that represents another reunion for the Portuguese coach, who previously managed the Serie A club.
The Pot 3 draw has given Real Madrid a home game against RB Leipzig and an away trip to Shakhtar, while the final pair of fixtures will see LASK visit the Bernabéu and Real Madrid travel to face AEK.
🆚 ¡Estos son nuestros rivales en la fase liga de la @LigaDeCampeones!@adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/KX8TeP3iNb
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) August 27, 2026
The official fixture schedule, including match dates and kick-off times, is expected to be communicated on or before Saturday, August 29.
Mourinho reunites with several former teams
Inter Milan and Roma are not just opponents on Real Madrid’s Champions League schedule, as both clubs represent important chapters in Mourinho’s managerial career.
The Inter meeting, in particular, carries considerable historical weight.
Mourinho remains closely associated with the club following his Champions League success there, making his return to face the Nerazzurri one of the standout narratives of the league phase.
Roma will provide another familiar setting, albeit away from home, while Arsenal also offers a major test for a Real Madrid side expected to challenge at the highest level.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
