To improve, Madrid must learn to suffer

MILAN • Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that his team have to suffer in order to improve, and that was exactly what happened in Milan on Wednesday night.

The Spanish giants had to wait till the 89th minute before Rodrygo struck the winner to snatch a 1-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan, enduring a barrage of strikes while punishing the wasteful Italian champions for missing all their chances.

The Brazilian met a cushioned pass from fellow substitute Eduardo Camavinga and volleyed home as Ancelotti's side triumphed against their main rivals for top spot in Group D.

"It is a very important victory, very difficult, very complicated. A complete performance even though I saw mistakes. The team had a good attitude," Ancelotti said. "My team knew we had to suffer and suffer we did - I liked that a lot. This team does not have only quality, it has commitment and that is the most important thing."

For Inter, it was a painful conclusion to a game they dominated for long stretches but the hosts could not find a way past on-form goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who produced several crucial saves.

Real are second in the group behind Moldovans Sheriff Tiraspol, who stunned Shakhtar Donetsk with a 2-0 victory on their tournament debut.

Real and Inter were already familiar with each other after sharing a group last season, when the Spanish side twice triumphed. But both teams started this European campaign under new coaches, Real with Ancelotti and Inter with Simone Inzaghi.

The Italians started on the front foot and soon threatened when Edin Dzeko had a shot saved by the legs of Courtois. Real struggled to cope with the aggression of the hosts and were second best before the break, thanking Courtois again for diving to stop a Lautaro Martinez header and beating away another Dzeko effort.

The La Liga club had soaked up 14 shots by half-time and Inter kept coming after the break, when Courtois produced the save of the night by clawing a close-range Dzeko header off the line. Real then grew into the game, and Rodrygo's late strike gave them the three points.

Inzaghi said: "Unfortunately we needed to be more focused... We were up against a goalkeeper who was very difficult to score past tonight. Courtois turned in a top performance."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE