Champions League is a ‘goal’ not ‘obsession’ for Inter, insists Martinez

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Lautaro Martinez says that while it is Inter’s “dream” to win the Champions League, it is not an “obsession”.

Inter last won the Champions League in 2009-10 when Cristian Chivu was a player and under Jose Mourinho, who they will face on Tuesday with Real Madrid for their opening match of 2026-27.

They have since made it to the final twice, in 2022-23 and 2024-25, losing on both occasions to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.

In 2025, they experienced the heaviest defeat ever recorded in a Champions League final (5-0).

Last season, they suffered a shock exit to Bodo/Glimt in the knockout-stage play-offs, leaving their wait for another title to stretch on.

But Martinez insisted that it has not turned into a fixation for Inter, though they are still determined to finish the season by lifting the trophy.

“It’s a goal. We all dream, but it’s not an obsession,” Martinez told reporters.

“We have to stay calm; we know there are some incredibly talented teams out there. It’s a goal for us.

“Since I arrived here, I’ve been repeating that we have to work to bring as many trophies as possible to Inter.”

We’re ready for our first European night of the season ‍ pic.twitter.com/tSynlv8y89

— Inter (@Inter_en) September 7, 2026

Inter travel to Madrid for the opening match of this season’s Champions League, though they do not have the best record against Los Blancos.

They have lost and failed to score in each of their last three games against Madrid in the competition.

Only against Barcelona, between 2003 and 2009, have they failed to score in four consecutive European Cup/Champions League games against an opponent.

Inter also lost five of their last six Champions League matches in 2025-26 (W1), as many defeats as across their prior 39 games in the competition combined (W25 D9).

Mourinho said he was surprised this Inter team have not won the Champions League yet, but Chivu acknowledged how tough the competition can be.

“You have to ask him if he wanted Inter to win another one,” Chivu said when asked about Mourinho’s comments.

“Inter have achieved a lot in recent years, three European finals between the Champions League and the Europa League. There have been some defeats, but the Champions League is a tough one, and you also need luck at certain times.

“Just reaching the final is not a given…

“We know that playing here is never easy. We’ll do our best without changing our nature. We’ve grown, and there’s no perfect way to face Real Madrid and their great players.”

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