Real Madrid's Champions League Challenge: Tchouameni, Pitarch, and Endrick Return

Real Madrid received a timely boost on Sunday as Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch and Endrick all rejoined full training ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan.

The return of the trio changes the mood, but not necessarily the starting XI.

Reinforcements arrive, but race against time

All three players have missed more than a month of pre-season work. That gap matters. Match rhythm, sharpness, understanding of movements around them – those things don’t switch on overnight, even for elite talent.

Their appearance from the first whistle at the Bernabéu looks highly unlikely. What feels more realistic is a place on the bench, ready to offer Mourinho fresh legs and a different tempo if the game demands it.

The problem for Real Madrid lies elsewhere.

Midfield ripped up by suspensions

Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva are all suspended for the clash with Inter. That strips José Mourinho of three key options between the lines and forces him into a midfield rebuild just days after a bruising, frustrating defeat to Betis.

He has to redraw the map in the very area where control of a Champions League tie is usually won or lost. No safety net, no luxury of easing into the group stage. Inter are not the opponent you want when your midfield is patched together.

Mourinho’s balancing act

So the next few days become a sprint. Tchouameni, Pitarch and Endrick will use every session to push their conditioning, test their legs, and absorb as much of Mourinho’s structure as possible. It’s not just fitness; it’s trust. Trust in the system, and Mourinho’s trust in them to execute it under European lights.

Real Madrid now walk into their Champions League debut juggling absences, late returns and tactical questions. The pieces are back on the board. The real issue is whether Mourinho can arrange them in time for Inter.