Calhanoglu: Inter and Real Madrid are both strong teams with great individuals

Hakan Calhanoglu believes that both Real Madrid and Inter Milan are formidable clubs boasting talented players. He also expressed his delight at reconnecting with his former colleague, Denzel Dumfries.

The match is scheduled to commence at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid at 20:00 UK time (21:00 CEST).

Inter has started their Serie A campaign impressively, securing victories in their first three league fixtures. This includes a dramatic comeback win against Napoli with a score of 3-2 in added time. Now, the team faces a challenging away game in Spain for their Champions League opener.

Calhanoglu's confidence in Inter

Speaking to Inter TV and Sky Sport Italia, Calhanoglu stated, “I feel good, we’ve had a strong start to the season and we aim to maintain this momentum.”

He added, “We are aware that Real Madrid is a strong team with exceptional individual talents, but the same can be said for Inter. We must be united today; we know the importance of hard work and maintaining maximum focus and concentration. Our goal is to play our own game, certainly an improved performance compared to last season, and we want to make a positive start in the Champions League.”

Inter demonstrated a resilient mentality over the weekend, coming back from a two-goal deficit to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Napoli in Serie A, a testament to Cristian Chivu's determined coaching.

“We showed the right spirit by refusing to give up and fighting until the very last moment. We are committed to displaying this mentality even more prominently this season,” Calhanoglu assured.

The roof at the Bernabeu is expected to be closed for the evening's match, following recent renovations to the iconic stadium.

During the pitch inspection, there were warm exchanges between Denzel Dumfries and his former Inter teammates, including Calhanoglu.

“It's always a pleasure to play here, much like at San Siro. We know that Mourinho has had a significant presence in Serie A, and he moved to Spain this summer, but we are happy to see Denzel too.”

The official Inter social media channels playfully commented on Dumfries's perceived tendency to look serious in photographs, noting that they finally managed to elicit a smile from him.