Lautaro Martinez Targets Champions League Glory Against Real Madrid

Inter’s Lautaro Martinez is not travelling to Madrid to dream. He is going there with a target.

On Tuesday night, Inter Milan open their 2026-27 Champions League campaign with as tough an assignment as European football can offer: Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The club that has owned this competition in the modern era against a side still chasing the feeling of 2010, when Jose Mourinho – now in the opposite dugout – last led the Nerazzurri to the trophy.

Since then, Inter have twice reached the final, in 2023 and 2025, and twice walked past the cup rather than lifting it. Lautaro has heard enough about near-misses and fantasies. He chose a different word.

“It’s an objective,” he said in his pre-match press conference, cutting through any romanticism. “We all have dreams, but this is more than just an obsession. We have to stay calm, we know that there are a lot of strong teams out there. It’s definitely a goal for us. Ever since I first came here, I’ve repeated that we have to work hard to deliver as many trophies as possible for Inter.”

Mbappé, respect and “our own weapons”

The opening group game comes with a heavyweight subplot: Lautaro against Kylian Mbappé, now the face of Real Madrid and once again the centre of the Champions League’s spotlight.

Mbappé, a declared Milan fan, did not hide his admiration for the opponents. He spoke of Inter with respect and hailed Lautaro as one of the finest centre-forwards in the game. Compliments from one superstar to another, but the Inter captain refused to be overawed by the names on the other team sheet.

“I’ve heard what he had to say,” Martinez responded. “We’ll be up against a team with lots of champions, but we have our own weapons and players who prove that they are at a top level year after year. We’ve prepared well, we’ve recovered our energy. We know who we’re playing against and Mbappé is definitely one of the best strikers in the world.”

Cristian Chivu’s Inter arrive in Madrid with that message: they respect Real’s individual brilliance, but they trust their own tactical range and their own stars. This is not a sightseeing trip to the Bernabeu. It is a test they believe they can pass.

Alvarez, blocked moves and a friend in the stands

The questions did not stay solely on Inter and Madrid. Lautaro was also asked about the turmoil surrounding his Argentina teammate Julian Alvarez at Atletico Madrid.

Alvarez pushed to leave in the summer, with a strong desire to join Barcelona. Atletico’s hierarchy shut the door on any move to a direct rival, forcing the forward to remain under Diego Simeone despite his wishes. It has left the striker in a difficult spot, trapped between ambition and club politics.

For Lautaro, this was not a transfer saga. It was about a friend.

“Alvarez is a friend of mine,” he said. “It’s not an easy moment for him, but the decision was made by the President of his club. I hope he continues to show the level that he always has.”

The line was simple, but it spoke to the bond inside the Argentina camp. They can fight each other in La Liga and the Champions League; the connection remains when the national shirt comes out.

Life after Messi

Then came the subject no Argentina player can avoid: the end of Lionel Messi’s international career.

Martinez shared a World Cup triumph with Messi in 2022 and another final in 2026. They lived the highest peaks together. Now, for the first time in a generation, Argentina must move forward without their number 10.

“We all knew the time would come,” Lautaro admitted. “It was a major bit of news given what Leo means to the team and to all of us. I will take everything he taught us with me.”

There was no drama in his voice, just acceptance. The era of Messi in the Albiceleste shirt is over. The responsibility shifts to players like Lautaro to carry the standards, the mentality, the edge.

First, though, comes Madrid. A new Champions League campaign, an old giant in their path, and a captain who has stopped talking about dreams and started talking about objectives. The Bernabeu will show whether Inter are ready to live up to that word.